# 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.