Timeline of Freetown

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

Prior to 19th century

1540-50s - native Bullom people conquered by the Mane
January 1568 - English slave raider John Hawkins helps destroy Bonga, a town of around 10 000 people located in the area that would become Freetown.
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.

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.

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).

Published in 19th century

Published in 20th century

H. R. Jarrett. The Port and Town of Freetown, Geography, Vol. 40, 1955, pp. 108Ã¢ÂÂ118.
Michael Banton. West African City: A Study of Tribal Life in Freetown. London: Oxford University, 1957.
M.B. Gleave. "Port activities and the spatial structure of cities: the case of Freetown, Sierra Leone." Journal of Transport Geography 5.4 (1997): 257Ã¢ÂÂ275.

Published in 21st century

+ website
Kenneth Lynch et al. "Meeting the urban challenge? Urban agriculture and food security in post-conflict Freetown, Sierra Leone." Applied Geography (2012).
Roy Maconachie, Tony Binns, and Paul Tengbe. "Urban farming associations, youth and food security in post-war Freetown, Sierra Leone." Cities 29.3 (2012): 192Ã¢ÂÂ200.