London History

Historic Timeline

 * 1066 - Norman Conquest, led by William the Conqueror
 * 1381 - Peasant's Revolt attacks London
 * Mid-1400s - Black Death killed half of London's population
 * 1500s - Expansion of overseas trade
 * 1540 - Major roads leading to London were paved
 * 1600s - London limits expand beyond the City Walls
 * 1665-1666 - Great Plague killed 70,000 Londoners
 * 1666 - Great Fire of London
 * 1674 - Clandestine marriages at Fleet Prison first recorded in registers
 * 1700s - London's role at centre of British Empire begins
 * 1750 - Westminster Bridge opened
 * 1831 - Became world's largest city
 * 1836 - First London railroad constructed
 * 1863 - London Underground subway system began
 * 1886-1894 - Tower Bridge built
 * 1888 - County of London established, absorbing the metropolitan area of Middlesex
 * 1900 - County of London divided into 28 new boroughs plus the City
 * 1925 - Lost status as world's largest city
 * 1930s - Large numbers of Jewish immigrants arrived
 * 1940-1941 - The Blitz (heavy bombing by German pilots during WWII)
 * 1950s - Large numbers of Commonwealth immigrants began to arrive
 * 1965 - Greater London established replacing the former administrative counties of Middlesex and London, in addition to absorbing parts of Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire. Reorganised the existing boroughs into 32 new boroughs plus the City

The City of London is a city and county that contains the historic center and the primary central business district (CBD) of London. The Romans invaded England in AD 43 and established Londinium. Roman occupation of Britain ended in 410 AD. Following this, the city was practically abandoned. London then passed between Viking and Danish hands during the next few centuries. In 1042 English rule was restored and from this time forward, London became the center of government. William the Conqueror led the Norman conquest of England in 1066. London's population steadily increased after this time, despite losing at least half of its population during the Black Death in the mid-14th century and more in subsequent (smaller) plague outbreaks. London became an important commercial center in Europe, with trade eventually reaching Asia and the Americas. The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed 60% of the city. The 18th century was a period of rapid growth for London, with its increasing population, the early stirrings of the Industrial Revolution, and London's role at the center of the evolving British Empire. During the 19th century, London was transformed into the world's largest city and capital of the British Empire. Its population expanded from 1 million in 1800 to 6.7 million a century later. During this period, London became a global political, financial, and trading capital. London continued to grow in the 20th century, despite two world wars and a depression, and remains one of the major economic centers of the world.

Books

 * Allen, Thomas. The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark and Parts Adjacent. 4 vols. London: Cowie and Strange, 1828. Digital versions at Google Books: Vol. III | Vol. IV.

Websites

 * London's Past Online - Bibliography of British and Irish History. Exhaustive list of 40,000+ London histories categorized by topic. Subscription required.
 * London Lives 1690 to 1800 ~ Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis