Timeline of Bradford

Prior to 19th century

1251 – Market active.

1294 – Bradford fair active.

1642 – Attempted siege of town by Royalists.

1663 – Free Grammar School incorporated.

1760 – Bradford Club (business club) formed (approximate date).

1773 – Piece Hall built.

1774

Bradford Canal completed.

Subscription library established.

1784 – Airedale College founded.

1788 – Bowling Iron Works in business.

1791 – Low Moor Ironworks established near town.

1800–1849

1801 – Population: 13,264.

1816 – Charlotte Brontë the novelist and poet, born in Thornton on the outskirts of Bradford.

1817 – Patrick Branwell Brontë the painter, writer and poet. Born in Thornton.

1818 – Emily Brontë the novelist and poet, born in Thornton.

1820 – Anne Brontë the novelist and poet, born in Thornton

1821

Bradford Gaslight Company and Bradford Musical Friendly Society founded.

George Ripley & Son dyeworks in business near town, in Bowling.

1822 – April: Labour unrest.

1824 – Market-place opens.

1825 – Labour strike.

1830

Exchange buildings open.

Bradford Grammar School rebuilt.

1831 – Population: 23,223.

1832

Bradford becomes a parliamentary borough.

Bradford Mechanics' Institute established.

1834 – Bradford Observer newspaper begins publication.

1838

Jacob Behrens moves to Bradford, opening a factory in Thornton Road.

Lister Mills founded in Manningham.

1839 – Philosophical Society established.

1841 – Population: 34,560.

1844 – Bradford Moor Barracks Barracks completed

1846 – Leeds and Bradford Railway begins operating.

1847 – Bradford municipal borough charter granted, uniting townships of Bowling, Bradford, Horton, Manningham.

1848

Bradford Police established.

Titus Salt becomes mayor.

1850–1899

1851 – Bradford Chamber of Commerce founded.

1853

St George's Hall (auditorium) and Peel Park open.

Salts Mill built near town, in Saltaire.

1855 – Bradford Advertiser newspaper begins publication.

1856

Bradford Festival Choral Society established.

Henry Brown becomes mayor.

1857 – Bradford Girls' Grammar School founded.

1858

October: 1858 Bradford sweets poisoning.

Bradford Review newspaper begins publication.

1859 – Isaac Wright becomes mayor.

1860 – 2nd Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps formed.

1862 – Frederick Delius, CH, a composer born in Bradford.

1863 – Original Bradford Rugby Club founded by Oates Ingham, owner of a Dye works in Thornton Road.

1864

All-Saint's Church consecrated.

Charles Semon – becomes the first foreign and Jewish mayor of Bradford.

1865

Holy Trinity Church built.

Springfield Soap Works in business.

1866 Construction of Ripley Ville "model village" commenced.

1867 – Wool Exchange building constructed.

1868 – Bradford Daily Telegraph newspaper begins publication.

1871

Bradford Free Library established.

Population: 145,830 (municipal borough).

1872

William Rothenstein the English painter, draughtsman and author, born in Bradford.

St Bartholomew's Church in Ripley Ville consecrated.

1873 – Bradford Town Hall and Mechanics' Institute building constructed.

1874 – Friederich Wilhelm Eurich, a professor of forensic medicine and bacteriologist who does much to conquer the disease of anthrax in the wool trade, moves to Bradford.

1875

Lister Park opens.

Bradford Naturalists' Society founded.

1877 – Briggs Priestley becomes mayor.

1878

Bradford Historical and Antiquarian Society founded.

Angus Holden becomes mayor.

Horton Park opens.

1879 – Art Gallery and Museum established in Darley Street.

1880

Bowling Park opens.

Swan Arcade built.

1881

Bradford Reform Synagogue is opened.

Population: 183,032 (municipal borough).

1882

Bradford Technical College established.

Bradford Photographic Society and Bradford Microscopical Society founded.

1884 – Bradford Moor Park opens.

1885 – Harold Park and Wibsey park open.

1886 – Valley Parade Stadium opens.

1887 – Post-Office established in Forster Square.

1888 – United Yorkshire Independent College formed.

1890 – December: Manningham Mills labour strike begins.

1891

Conditioning House established.

April: Labour unrest.

Population: 216,361 (municipal borough).

1892 – Edward Appleton, a physicist and Nobel prizewinner who discovers the ionosphere, born in Bradford

1893 – Independent Labour Party founded.

1894 – John Boynton Priestley, OM, an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster. Born in Bradford.

1895 – Bradford Rugby Club is one of 22 clubs to secede from Rugby Football Union to form Northern Rugby Union (later Rugby Football League)

1896 – Manningham F.C. become the first champions on the newly formed Northern Rugby Football Union.

1897 – Bradford attains city status.

Bradford Dyers' Association founded.

First Electric tram service runs on 30 July to Bolton Junction.

1900–1949

1903 – Bradford City Football Club formed.

1904

Cartwright Hall opens.

Bradford Exhibition held.

Jowett Motor Manufacturing Company in business.

1906 Bradford RLFC reach Challenge Cup Final for first time, beating Salford RLFC 5-0 at Headingley Stadium.

1907 Bradford Rugby Club splits: Bradford Park Avenue association football team and Bradford Northern RLFC are created.

1908

Bradford City Football Club are promoted to the First Tier of the English Football League as Champions.

The Scott Motorcycle Company founded.

1910

Jacob Moser becomes Lord Mayor of Bradford and Chief Magistrate.

Picturedrome opens.

1911 – Bradford City Football Club win the FA Cup.

1914 – Bradford Alhambra theatre and Birch Lane Cinema open.

1915 – Fred Hoyle, an astronomer and mathematician. Born in Bingley

1916

On the morning of 1 July 1916, an estimated 1,394 young men from Bradford and District (The Bradford Pals, the 16th and 18th Battalions of the Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment) left their trenches in Northern France to advance across No Man's Land. It was the first hour of the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Low Moor Munitions factory explosion kills 38 people and injured over 100.

1919

The Diocese of Bradford is founded.

The Church of Saint Peter is elevated to cathedral status.

1923 – Coronet Picture House opens.

1929

Bradford Playhouse Company formed.

Bradford City Football Club are promoted to the second tier of English Football as Champions.

1930 – New Victoria Cinema opens.

1931 – Leeds and Bradford Municipal Aerodrome opens.

1933 – Bradford Northern sign a ten-year lease on former quary and household waste site, beginning construction of Odsal Stadium the largest British stadium other than Wembley Stadium.

1937 – David Hockney, CH, RA, is a painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, born in Bradford

1939

Carlton Hostel building bought and funded by both Bradford's Jewish community and non-Jews, as part of the Kindertransport scheme, to house German Jewish refugee children throughout the years of the Second World War.

The Challenge Cup semi-final between Halifax RLFC, and Leeds RLFC held at Odsal Stadium. Record-breaking 64,453 people see Halifax win.

1944 – Bradford Northern win Challenge Cup beating Wigan RLFC over two legs (Wigan 0–3 Bradford Northern at Central Park and Bradford Northern 5–0 Wigan at Odsal Stadium).

1945 – Bradford Northern again reach Challenge Cup Final but are beaten over two legs by Huddersfield RLFC (Huddersfield 7–4 Bradford Northern at Fartown Ground and Bradford Northern 5–6 Huddersfield at Odsal Stadium.

1947 – Bradford Northern beat Leeds RLFC 8–4 in Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.

1948 – Bradford Northern reach final of Challenge Cup, but fail to keep hold of the trophy losing to Wigan RLFC 8–3 at Wembley Stadium.

1949 – Bradford Northern reach Challenge Cup Final for the third year running, beating Halifax RLFC 12–0 at Wembley Stadium.

1950–1999

1954 – Odsal Stadium hosts the replay of the Challenge Cup final. A record-breaking crowd of 102,569 (official but estimates put number at over 120,000)) see Warrington RLFC defeat Halifax RLFC 8–4.

1961 – WM Morrisons opens its first supermarket 'Victoria' in Girlington.

1963 – Bradford Northern goes out of business.

1964 – Bradford Northern reformed and accepted back into Rugby Football League.

1966 – University of Bradford chartered.

1974 – City of Bradford local government district created, combining Bingley, Bradford, Denholme, Haworth, Ilkley, Keighley, Shipley, Silsden.

1982 – Bradford and Ilkley Community College, and Peace Action Group formed.

1983 – National Media Museum opens.

1985

11 May: Bradford City stadium fire.

Mohammed Ajeeb becomes Lord Mayor.

Bradford City Football Club are promoted to the second tier of English football (now called the Championship) as Champions.

1987

Jonathan Silver buys Salts Mill.

1853 Gallery at Salts Mill opens.

1992 – Pictureville Cinema opens.

1993 – Bradford Animation Festival begins.

1995

Bradford International Film Festival begins.

Bradford Northern changes name to Bradford Bulls with advent of Super League.

June: Manningham riot.

1996

Bradford City Football Club make their first ever appearance at Wembley stadium when winning the 3rd tier (now called the 1st division) playoff final.

Bradford Bulls return to Wembley Stadium, losing the Challenge Cup Final again St. Helens RLFC 40–32. Robbie Paul became the first man to score a hat trick at Wembley and then won the Lance Todd Trophy.

1997 – Bradford Bulls win their first Super League title, including a record breaking 20 straight victories, and are beaten Challenge Cup finalists.

1998 – Infest (festival) begins.

1999

Bradford City Football Club are promoted to the Premier League.

Super League record attendance is beaten with 24,020 watching Bradford Bulls beat Leeds Rhinos 19-18 at Odsal Stadium.

A further Super League record is broken as 50,717 see St. Helens RLFC defeat Bradford Bulls 8–6 at Old Trafford Stadium.

21st century

2000 – Bradford Bulls win Challenge Cup for first time in over 50 years, beating Leeds Rhinos 24–18 at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (due to rebuilding work at Wembley Stadium).

2001

Saltaire village becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site.

April: Bradford Bulls are beaten finalists in Challenge Cup, losing 13 – 6 to St. Helens RLFC at Twickenham Stadium.

May: Bradford Bulls player Henry Paul sets a new world record for consecutive goal kicks (35).

July: Ethnic unrest.

October: After finishing as Minor Premiers, Bradford Bulls become Premiers, defeating Wigan Warriors 37–6 at Old Trafford.

Population: 467,665 (City of Bradford metropolitan district).

2002 – Bradford Bulls become World Club Challenge champions, defeating Newcastle Knights 41–26 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium.

2003

Saltaire Festival begins in Shipley.

Bradford Bulls have most successful season in Super League history by holding all possible trophies at once. They win Challenge Cup by defeating Leeds Rhinos 22 – 20 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium; are named Minor Premiers; and win the Grand Final beating Wigan Warriors 25 – 12 at Old Trafford. Thanks to the Challenge Cup win, they become the first team to win the cup in three different countries and at three different national stadia.

2004 – Bradford Bulls become World Club Challenge champions, defeating Penrith Panthers 22–4 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium.

2005 – Bradford Bulls become the first team to win Super League Grand Final from third in the league, beating Leeds Rhinos 15 – 6 at Old Trafford.

2006

Born in Bradford health study begins.

February: Bradford Bulls become World Club Champions by defeating Wests Tigers 30–10 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium.

2008 – Al Mahdi Mosque inaugurated.

2009 – Bradford becomes the world's first UNESCO City of Film.

2011 – Population: 522,452

2012

Bradford City Park opens.

British Wool Marketing Board building constructed.

2013

Bradford City Football Club reach the League Cup Final. The first fourth tier club ever, to reach a major Wembley cup final.

Bradford City Football Club are promoted to League One by winning the Wembley League Two playoff final.

2015 – The Broadway Shopping Mall opens.