Timeline of Freetown

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Prior to 19th century

 * 1787
 * 9 May: Settlers arrive from Portsmouth, England.
 * Granville Town, Province of Freedom established by the London-based Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor.
 * 1789 - Granville Town burned down.
 * 1792 - Freetown established by black American ex-slaves (called the Nova Scotian Settlers) under the auspices of the Sierra Leone Company.
 * 1794 - September: Settler Town attacked by French.
 * 1800
 * September: Rebellion of Nova Scotian Settlers.
 * Jamaican Maroon settlers arrive.

19th century



 * 1805 - Martello Tower built.
 * 1808
 * Freetown settlement becomes a British crown colony.
 * "Slavers court" established.
 * 1811 - Population: 1,900.
 * 1812 - Wilberforce suburb founded for Liberated Africans."
 * 1816 - Krootown established.
 * 1822
 * Rawdon Street Methodist Church built.
 * Population: 4,785.
 * 1827 - Fourah Bay College established.
 * 1828 - St. George's Cathedral, Freetown built.
 * 1830s - Foulah Town Mosque built.
 * 1845
 * Church Mission Society Grammar School founded.
 * John Ezzidio becomes mayor.
 * 1846 - Cline Town established.
 * 1847 - Female Institution (school) founded.
 * 1853 - Inhabitants become "British subjects."
 * 1865 - Samuel Lewis becomes mayor.
 * 1866 - St. Edward's Primary School founded.
 * 1867 - Government Wharf built.
 * 1872 - Pope Hennessy Day festival begins.
 * 1873 - Independent newspaper begins publication.
 * 1874 - Wesleyan High School for Boys opens.
 * 1875 - West African Reporter newspaper begins publication.
 * 1884
 * Sierra Leone Weekly News begins publication.
 * Leopold Educational Institute opens.
 * Fire.
 * 1891 - Population: 30,033.
 * 1893 - Town attains city status; Freetown City Council established.
 * 1895 - Governor's residence built.
 * 1898 - Bank of British West Africa branch and ice factory established.
 * 1899 - Songo Town-Freetown railway begins operating.

20th century

 * 1901 - Population: 34,463.
 * 1904
 * John Henry Malamah Thomas becomes mayor.
 * Albert Academy founded.
 * 1905
 * Madrasa Islamia active.
 * Lisk-Carew photo studio in business.
 * 1918 - Population: 34,000 (approximate).
 * 1919 - July: Strike and anti-Syrian riot.
 * 1922 - St. Edward's Secondary School founded.
 * 1923 - Girls' Industrial and Technical Training School established.
 * 1925 - Prince of Wales School founded.
 * 1926
 * January: Railway strike.
 * December: City Council dissolved; Municipal Board established.
 * 1928 - East End Lions Football Club formed.
 * 1930 - Women granted right to vote.
 * 1932
 * Muslim Congress created.
 * Sierra Leone Daily Mail newspaper begins publication.
 * 1938
 * West African Youth League and League of Coloured Peoples branch headquartered in Freetown.
 * Freetown Secondary School for Girls established.
 * 1948
 * Eustace Henry Taylor Cummings becomes mayor.
 * Population: 64,576.
 * 1953 - Deep Water Quay construction begins.
 * 1961 - City becomes capital of independent Sierra Leone.
 * 1962 - Siaka Stevens becomes mayor.
 * 1963 - Population: 127,917.
 * 1964 - Bank of Sierra Leone headquartered in city.
 * 1965 - Sierra Leone Port Authority established.
 * 1966 - Constance Cummings-John becomes mayor.
 * 1971 - City becomes capital of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
 * 1974 - Population: 214,443.
 * 1977 - Ode-lay Society (social club) formed.
 * 1980 - Siaka Stevens Stadium opens.
 * 1983 - For Di People newspaper begins publication.
 * 1985 - Population: 469,776.

1990s

 * 1990 - Population: 529,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 1995 - Population: 603,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 1996 - Freetown/New Haven Sister Cities established.
 * 1997
 * 25 March: "Rebels move into Freetown;" prisoners freed from the Pademba Road prison.
 * 30 May: Foreigners evacuated.
 * 2 June: AFRC conflict.
 * 1998
 * February: "Ecomog storms Freetown and drives rebels out."
 * Kabbah returns to Freetown.
 * 1999
 * January: City besieged by Armed Forces Revolutionary Council/Revolutionary United Front.
 * November: United Nations troops arrive.
 * 2000
 * 2 May: City Hotel burns down.
 * 8 May: Peace demonstration.
 * Center for Media, Technology and Education established.
 * Population: 688,000 (urban agglomeration).

21st century



 * 2002
 * Sierra Leone Civil War ends.
 * Special Court for Sierra Leone and Kallon Football Club established.
 * 2003 - 14 April: Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Sierra Leone) convenes.
 * 2004
 * Winstanley Bankole Johnson becomes mayor.
 * Population: 772,873.
 * 2005 - Njala University College established.
 * 2010 - Population: 945,423.
 * 2012
 * Cholera epidemic.
 * Sam Franklyn Gibson becomes mayor.
 * 2015 - Population: 1,055,964.