Liverpool is a port city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, located on the Mersey Estuary, northwest of London. With a population of approximately 496,770, it is the fifth-largest city in the United Kingdom and serves as the administrative center for the Liverpool City Region, encompassing over 1.5 million residents.
1900: Welsh national Eisteddfod
In 1900, Liverpool held Europe's largest music and poetry event, the Welsh national Eisteddfod.
1901: Meccano and Hornby Model Railways
In 1901, Liverpool inventor Frank Hornby produced Meccano and Hornby Model Railways.
1901: First performance of Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
In 1901, Sir Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 had its first performance in Liverpool.
1901: Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse Construction
In 1901, the Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse was built, becoming the world's largest building in terms of area at the time.
1902: First British Nobel Prize
In 1902, the first British Nobel Prize was awarded to Ronald Ross, professor at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
1903: University of Liverpool becomes independent
In 1903, following a Royal Charter and Act of Parliament, University College Liverpool became the independent University of Liverpool with the right to confer its own degrees.
1904: Anglican Cathedral Construction Begins
In 1904, construction began on the Anglican Cathedral, which would eventually become the largest Cathedral in Britain.
September 1908: Earliest Snowfall
Historically, the earliest snowfall occurred on 10 September 1908.
1908: Bluecoat Chambers as Arts Centre
Since 1908, Bluecoat Chambers has acted as a centre for arts in Liverpool.
1910: G. Melville Richards
In 1910, G. Melville Richards was born. Richards was a pioneer of scientific toponymy in Wales.
1914: Liverpool Talmudical College Founded
In 1914, the Liverpool Talmudical College was founded.
1916: Birth of Gerald Hanley
Novelist Gerald Hanley, brother of James Hanley, was born in Liverpool in 1916.
1919: The Housing Act
In 1919, the Housing Act resulted in mass council housing being built across Liverpool during the 1920s and 1930s.
1919: Birth of June Bhatia (Helen Forrester)
June Bhatia, pen name Helen Forrester, was born in 1919.
December 1927: Lowest amount of sunshine on record
In December 1927, the lowest amount of sunshine on record was 16.5 hours.
1927: Breck Park Stadium and Stanley Greyhound Stadium opens
In 1927, Breck Park Stadium and Stanley Greyhound Stadium open.
1929: Welsh national Eisteddfod
In 1929, Liverpool held Europe's largest music and poetry event, the Welsh national Eisteddfod.
1930: Liverpool's Provincial Airport
In 1930, Liverpool became the site of Britain's first provincial airport.
1931: Liverpool's Peak Population
At the 1931 United Kingdom census, Liverpool's population reached an all-time high of 846,302.
February 1932: Driest Month on Record
February 1932 was the driest month on record in Liverpool, with 0.9 mm (0.035 in) of rain.
1932: Birth of Beryl Bainbridge
Novelist Beryl Bainbridge was born in Liverpool in 1932.
1933: Seaforth Greyhound Stadium opens
In 1933, Seaforth Greyhound Stadium opens.
1933: British Interplanetary Society
In 1933, the British Interplanetary Society was founded in Liverpool by Phillip Ellaby Cleator.
1935: Publication of James Hanley's The Furys
In 1935, James Hanley published "The Furys", the first in a series of autobiographical novels about working-class life in Liverpool.
1935: Birth of J. G. Farrell
J. G. Farrell was born in Liverpool in 1935.
1939: J. G. Farrell leaves Liverpool
J. G. Farrell left Liverpool at the outbreak of war in 1939.
1945: Death of Harold Edward Bindloss
The prolific writer of adventure novels, Harold Edward Bindloss, who was born in Liverpool, died in 1945.
1950: Passenger helicopter service
From 1950 to 1951, the world's first scheduled passenger helicopter service ran between Liverpool and Cardiff.
1951: Passenger helicopter service
From 1950 to 1951, the world's first scheduled passenger helicopter service ran between Liverpool and Cardiff.
1952: Liverpool twinned with Cologne
Since 1952, Liverpool has been twinned with Cologne, Germany, a city which also suffered severe aerial bombing during the war.
August 1956: Wettest Month on Record
August 1956 was the wettest month on record in Liverpool, with 221.2 mm (8.71 in) of rain.
1961: Stanley Greyhound Stadium closes
In 1961, Stanley Greyhound Stadium closes.
1962: Construction of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Begins
In 1962, construction began on the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, which broke the traditional longitudinal design.
1964: Gerald Hanley scriptwriter for life of Gandhi
In 1964, Gerald Hanley was one of several scriptwriters for a life of Gandhi.
1965: Seaforth Greyhound Stadium closes
In 1965, Seaforth Greyhound Stadium closes.
1966: Death of George Garrett
George Garrett, a writer, docker, and political activist from Liverpool, died in 1966.
1966: Gerald Hanley scriptwriter for The Blue Max
In 1966, Gerald Hanley wrote the film script for The Blue Max.
1966: Goodison Park hosts FIFA World Cup
In 1966, Goodison Park was one of the host venues during the FIFA World Cup.
1967: Publication of The Mersey Sound
In 1967, "The Mersey Sound", an anthology of poems by Henri, McGough and Brian Patten, was first published.
1967: Foinavon wins Grand National
In 1967, the 100/1 outsider Foinavon won the Grand National.
1967: Construction of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Completed
In 1967, the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral was completed, notable for its unconventional design.
1971: My Liverpool, a Celebration of 'Scousetown' Published
By 1971, when Frank Shaw's My Liverpool, a Celebration of 'Scousetown' was published, 'Scouser' had firmly become the dominant demonym.
1974: Publication of Twopence to Cross the Mersey
Helen Forrester published "Twopence to Cross the Mersey" in 1974, detailing her early childhood in Liverpool.
1974: Liverpool became a metropolitan borough
In 1974, Liverpool became a metropolitan borough within the newly created metropolitan county of Merseyside.
1974: Liverpool administered by Merseyside County Council
In 1974, Liverpool was administered by the Merseyside County Council.
1974: Liverpool moves to Merseyside
In 1974, Liverpool was moved from Lancashire to the newly created county of Merseyside.
June 1975: Latest Snowfall
Historically, the latest snowfall occurred on 2 June 1975.
1977: Beryl Bainbridge won the Whitbread Awards prize for best novel
In 1977, Beryl Bainbridge won the Whitbread Awards prize for best novel.
1978: Anglican Cathedral Construction Completed
In 1978, the Anglican Cathedral was completed. It is the largest Cathedral in Britain and the fifth largest in the world.
1978: Winter of Discontent
In late 1978, during the Winter of Discontent, Liverpool experienced public sector strikes, including grave-diggers, leaving the dead unburied for long periods.
1979: 1979 general election and Thatcher
After the 1979 general election, many claimed Margaret Thatcher's victory contributed to longstanding high unemployment and decline in Liverpool.
1979: Death of J. G. Farrell
In 1979, novelist J. G. Farrell died in Ireland at the age of 44.
1980: Death of John Lennon
In 1980, The Beatles' co-founder, singer, and composer John Lennon was killed in New York City.
January 1982: Unemployment rates in Liverpool
By January 1982, unemployment rates in Liverpool were among the highest in the UK, standing at 17%.
1983: Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosts Walker Cup
In 1983, The Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosted the Walker Cup.
1983: Green Belt Drawn Up
In 1983, the green belt was first drawn up under Merseyside County Council, amounting to 530 hectares in the city.
1985: Death of James Hanley
In 1985, novelist and playwright James Hanley, who was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool, died.
1986: Merseyside County Council disbanded
In 1986, the Merseyside County Council was disbanded, and most civic functions were transferred to Liverpool City Council.
August 1990: Highest temperature on record at Bidston Hill
On August 2, 1990, the highest temperature on record at Bidston Hill was recorded at 34.5 °C (94.1 °F).
1990: Liverpool Talmudical College Classes Moved
In 1990, the Liverpool Talmudical College's classes moved to the Childwall Synagogue.
1990: The La's single "There She Goes"
The La's 1990 hit single "There She Goes" was described by Rolling Stone as a "founding piece of Britpop's foundation."
1992: Liverpool John Moores University gains status
In 1992, Liverpool John Moores University, previously a polytechnic, gained university status.
1994: Expansion of Goodison Park
In 1994, a new Park End Stand gave the stadium an all-seater capacity.
1994: Rebuilding of the Spion Kop
In 1994, the Spion Kop at Anfield was rebuilt as an all-seater stand.
1995: Hollyoaks begins on Channel 4
In 1995, the soap opera Hollyoaks, produced by Lime Pictures, began on Channel 4.
1996: Beryl Bainbridge won the Whitbread Awards prize for best novel
In 1996, Beryl Bainbridge won the Whitbread Awards prize for best novel.
1996: This Morning production moves to London
In 1996, production of ITV's This Morning moved from Liverpool to London.
1996: Stadium move mooted for Everton
In 1996, the idea to move the stadium was mooted for Everton.
1998: Last time UK hosted Eurovision before Liverpool
1998 was the last time the UK hosted the Eurovision Song Contest before Liverpool.
1998: Tornadoes or Funnel Clouds
In 1998, tornadoes or funnel clouds were seen in Merseyside.
1999: Blue Plaques Awarded
In 1999, Liverpool was the first city outside London to be awarded blue plaques by English Heritage.
2001: 2001 Census: Welsh and Irish Populations
At the 2001 Census, 1.17 per cent of the population were Welsh-born and 0.75 per cent were born in the Republic of Ireland, while 0.54 per cent were born in Northern Ireland.
2001: Population Growth Reverses
The growing population of Liverpool in the 21st century reverses a trend which took place between the 1930s and 2001.
2002: Bidston Station Closed
Bidston weather station closed down in 2002.
2002: Shop! shopping channel cancelled
In 2002, Granada's shopping channel "Shop!" was cancelled.
2002: Liverpool Airport Renamed
In 2002, Liverpool Airport was renamed after John Lennon, becoming the first British airport to be named in honour of an individual.
2002: Queen Elizabeth II visited Liverpool
In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Liverpool to mark the Golden Jubilee, recognizing it as "one of the most distinctive and energetic parts of the United Kingdom". Also, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002, the conservation charity Plantlife organised a competition to choose county flowers; the sea-holly was Liverpool's final choice.
2003: Everton abandons plans for new stadium at King's Dock
In 2003, Everton was forced to abandon plans for a 55,000-seat stadium at King's Dock due to financial constraints.
2004: Yoko Ono's work "My mummy was beautiful" invited controversy
During the 2004 Liverpool Biennial festival of arts, Yoko Ono's work "My mummy was beautiful" sparked controversy due to its explicit content.
2004: Steve Parry wins Olympic bronze
In 2004, Steve Parry claimed a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics in the 200m butterfly.
2004: The Paradise Project started
In 2004, property developer Grosvenor started the Paradise Project, a £920 million development based on Paradise Street.
2004: Liverpool Declared UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 2004, several areas throughout Liverpool were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City.
2005: Liverpool Hope University gains university status
In 2005, Liverpool Hope University, formed by the merger of three colleges, gained university status.
July 2006: Temperature recorded at Liverpool Airport
On July 19, 2006, Liverpool Airport recorded a temperature of 35.0 °C (95.0 °F).
2006: ESPON Metropolitan Area Study
In 2006, ESPON defined a "Liverpool/Birkenhead Metropolitan area" with an estimated population of 2,241,000 people, comprising Liverpool and surrounding areas.
2006: ITV and BBC open new newsrooms in Liverpool
In 2006, ITV opened a new newsroom in the Royal Liver Building, and the BBC opened a new newsroom on Hanover Street.
2007: Bellerive Catholic College city's top performing non-selective school
In 2007, Bellerive Catholic College was recognised as the top-performing non-selective school in Liverpool based on GCSE results.
2007: Everton Tigers enter British Basketball League
In 2007, Everton Tigers entered the elite British Basketball League.
2007: 800th Anniversary of Liverpool
In 2007, events and celebrations took place in honour of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the borough of Liverpool.
May 2008: 'Liverpool One' Opens
In May 2008, the Paradise Project renamed 'Liverpool One' opened.
October 2008: Earliest Snowfall
In recent times, the earliest snowfall was on 1 October 2008.
2008: Liverpool European Capital of Culture
In 2008, Liverpool held the title of European Capital of Culture, celebrating the city's cultural heritage.
2008: Aquatics centre opens at Wavertree Sports Park
In 2008, a purpose-built aquatics centre opened at Wavertree Sports Park.
2008: Opening of the Liverpool Arena
In 2008, the 11,000-seat Liverpool Arena opened and hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards.
2009: Mon Mome wins Grand National
In 2009, Mon Mome (100/1) won the Grand National.
2009: Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs into Liverpool city centre
Since 2009, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs into Liverpool city centre via Liverpool Canal Link at Pier Head.
March 2010: Wheel of Liverpool Opening
The Wheel of Liverpool opened on 25 March 2010.
December 2010: Lowest temperature on record at Bidston Hill
On December 21, 2010, the lowest temperature on record at Bidston Hill was recorded at -17.6 °C (0.3 °F).
2010: Boundary Changes
Due to boundary changes prior to the 2010 election, the Liverpool Garston constituency was merged with most of Knowsley South to form the Garston and Halewood cross-boundary seat.
2010: "A Green Infrastructure Strategy"
In 2010, Liverpool City Council and the Primary Care Trust commissioned the Mersey Forest to complete "A Green Infrastructure Strategy" for the city.
2010: Grand National televised in high-definition
In 2010, the National became the first horse race to be televised in high-definition in the UK.
2011: 2011 Census
Between 2011 and 2021, there was population growth across all ethnic groups, except 'White English/British' and 'Any Other', where there were overall losses.
2011: Census Data Comparison
Data from the 2021 Census is not directly comparable with 2011 Census data due to this revised methodology.
2011: Death of Helen Forrester
Helen Forrester, known for her books about her childhood in Liverpool, died in 2011.
2011: Liverpool hosts Lancashire County Cricket Club
In 2011, Liverpool hosted Lancashire County Cricket Club for six of eight home County Championship games during Lancashire's title winning campaign.
2011: Liverpool City Region Report
In 2011, a report by Lord Heseltine and Terry Leahy stated the Liverpool City Region had a population of around 1.5 million.
2011: Black population in Liverpool
In 2011, the black population of Liverpool was recorded at 1.90%.
2011: Population Ranking
Since 2011, Liverpool's population size ranked 10th out of 309 local authority areas.
May 2012: Latest Snowfall
In recent times, the latest snowfall occurred on 15 May 2012.
August 2012: Beth Tweddle wins Olympic bronze
In August 2012, Liverpool gymnast Beth Tweddle won an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012.
2012: Johnson-Thompson represents Great Britain at London Olympics
In 2012, Katarina Johnson-Thompson represented Great Britain at the London Olympics in the women's heptathlon.
2012: Liverpool boxing representation at London Olympics
In 2012, Liverpool was the most represented city on the GB Boxing team at the London Olympics.
July 2013: Highest amount of sunshine on record
In July 2013, the most sunshine on record was 314.5 hours.
2013: Mersey Tigers expelled from British Basketball League
In 2013, Mersey Tigers were expelled from the British Basketball League due to financial problems.
2013: Liverpool Daily Post ceases publication
In 2013, the Liverpool Daily Post ceased publication.
June 2014: International Festival for Business in Liverpool
In June 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron launched the International Festival for Business in Liverpool.
2014: Popular Surnames Survey
According to a 2014 survey, the ten most popular surnames of Liverpool and their occurrence in the population are recorded.
2014: Tour of Britain cycle race begins in Liverpool
In 2014, the Tour of Britain cycle race began in Liverpool.
2014: Changes to Liverpool's governance
In 2014, the local authority of Liverpool City Council decided to pool its power and resources with surrounding boroughs through the formation of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in a form of devolution.
2014: Tornadoes or Funnel Clouds
In 2014, tornadoes or funnel clouds were seen in Merseyside.
2014: Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International tennis tournament begins
Since 2014 Liverpool Cricket Club has played host to the annual Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International tennis tournament.
December 2016: North Point Global Ltd. given rights to develop "New Chinatown"
In December 2016, North Point Global Ltd. was given the rights to develop part of the docks under the "New Chinatown" working name.
2016: Liverpool has the highest number of sports centres per capita in the UK
A 2016 study found that Liverpool had the highest number of leisure and sports centres per capita in the UK.
January 2018: "New Chinatown" development failed to materialize
In January 2018, it was revealed that the "New Chinatown" development failed to materialize.
2019: Johnson-Thompson wins gold at World Championships
In 2019, Katarina Johnson-Thompson won the gold medal at the World Championships, breaking the British record.
2019: Liverpool F.C. wins European Cup
In 2019, Liverpool F.C. won its sixth European Cup title, making them the English and British club with the most European Cup titles.
2020: Port of Liverpool Freight Tonnage
In 2020, the Port of Liverpool was the UK's fourth largest port by tonnage of freight, handling over 30 million tonnes.
July 2021: Liverpool's World Heritage Status Revoked
In July 2021, Liverpool's UNESCO World Heritage Site status was revoked due to "serious deterioration" from recent and proposed developments.
August 2021: Ground broken on new Everton Stadium project
In August 2021, ground was broken on the multimillion-pound Everton Stadium project at Bramley-Moore Dock.
2021: 2021 Census: Multicultural Population
According to the 2021 census, 77% of Liverpool residents described their ethnic group as White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British and there was population growth across all ethnic groups except 'White English/British' and 'Any Other'.
2021: ONS Business Register and Employment Survey
According to the ONS Business Register and Employment Survey of 2021, Liverpool is in the top 10 local authorities in Great Britain for the number of jobs in human health and social work activities.
2021: North West England population
At the 2021 Census, the ITL 1 region of North West England had a usual resident population of 7,417,300.
2021: Merseyside Census Data
At the 2021 Census, this area was as follows:
2021: 2021 Census: Employment Statistics
At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 51.1% of Liverpool's population aged 16 years and over was classed as employed.
2021: UK Census population
At the UK Census in 2021, the area governed by Liverpool City Council had a population of 486,100, a 4.2% increase from 2011.
2021: Liverpool Population Ranking
By 2021, Liverpool was the fifth largest of England's 'core cities' and had the second overall highest population density.
2021: Liverpool City Council Economic Data
In 2021, Liverpool City Council accounted for 39% of the Liverpool city region's total jobs. The city's GVA was £14.3 billion.
2021: Government inspection of Liverpool City Council
In 2021, a critical government inspection (the Caller report) identified multiple shortcomings at Liverpool City Council, leading to government commissioners overseeing various functions.
2021: Liverpool City Region Size
In 2021, excluding London, the Liverpool City Region was the 4th largest combined authority area in England, with a population of approximately 1.6 million.
2021: Black population in Liverpool in 2021 Census
In the 2021 Census, 5.2% of Liverpool's population described themselves as black African, Caribbean, mixed white and black African, mixed white and Caribbean or 'other black'.
2021: 2021 Census shows growing international population
The 2021 Census also showed that Liverpool's ethnic and international population was growing.
2021: Population Census Results
The 2021 Census showed that Liverpool's population is comparatively younger than that of England as a whole.
2021: Total population of Merseyside region
The total population of the ITL 2 Merseyside region was 1,551,500 based on the 2021 Census.
2021: Liverpool BUA
Using the population figures of BUAs at the 2021 Census (excluding London), Liverpool Built-up Area is the third largest in England with some 506,565 usual residents.
October 2022: Liverpool to host Eurovision 2023
In October 2022, it was announced that Liverpool would host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on behalf of Ukraine.
2022: Population Estimate
According to data from Liverpool City Council, the population increased to 500,500 people in 2022.
2022: Liverpool Tourism Statistics
According to the International Passenger Survey, as of 2022, Liverpool was one of the top 5 most visited cities in the UK by overseas tourists and the city's tourist industry was worth £3.5 billion annually.
2022: Number of people employed in Liverpool's night time economy
As of 2022, 125,889 people worked in Liverpool's night time economy, according to the Liverpool BID Company.
2022: Port of Liverpool freight tonnage
As of 2022, the Port of Liverpool is the fourth busiest port in the UK by freight tonnage, handling 33 million tonnes of freight cargo.
2022: Liverpool's Population
In 2022, Liverpool had a population of 496,770, making it the fifth-largest city in the United Kingdom.
2022: Liverpool as a tourist destination
In 2022, Liverpool was the fifth most visited UK city by foreign tourists due to its architecture.
2022: Liverpool2 Container Terminal Completion
The Liverpool2 container terminal was completed in 2022.
May 2023: Liverpool hosts Eurovision Song Contest
In May 2023, Liverpool hosted the Eurovision Song Contest at the Liverpool Arena.
2023: City Regions in England with Combined Authorities
As of 2023, there are 10 city regions in England with Combined Authorities.
2023: New Leader and Advisory Panel
At the 2023 City Council election, Councillor Liam Robinson became the new Leader of Liverpool City Council. Also in 2023, the Liverpool Strategic Futures Advisory Panel was established to direct the council's long-term future.
2023: Major structural changes at the City Council
By the 2023 United Kingdom local elections, major structural changes had occurred at the City Council, including doubling the number of electoral wards, reducing the number of City Councillors, changing to 'all out' elections, and abolishing the role of elected city mayor.
2023: Labour Consolidation of Liverpool City Council
During the 2023 Liverpool City Council election, the Labour Party consolidated its control of Liverpool City Council, winning 61 out of 85 seats. The Conservative Party, the political party in power at national government, had no representation on Liverpool City Council.
2023: Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council
In 2023, Councillor Liam Robinson from the Labour Party became the Leader of Liverpool City Council, securing a large majority at the local election. Robinson is also a member of the Mayor of the Liverpool City Regions cabinet.
2023: Jaguar Land Rover Halewood plant shift to electric car production
In 2023, Jaguar Land Rover announced that the Halewood plant would begin to shift its focus to electric car production.
2023: Liverpool City Council Economic Growth Plan
In 2023, Liverpool City Council set out an economic growth plan for the city over the following 20 years, focusing on sectors such as tourism, culture, and life sciences.
2023: Liverpool Hosted the Eurovision Song Contest
In 2023, Liverpool hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.
2023: Liverpool designated Investment Zone
In 2023, Liverpool was chosen by the government for England's second ever 'Investment Zone', with investments planned for science districts.
2023: Liverpool's port size
In 2023, Liverpool's port was the fourth largest in the UK.
2023: Battery-powered passenger trains launched on Merseyrail
In 2023, battery-powered passenger trains launched on Merseyrail tracks from the newly opened Headbolt Lane station in Kirkby, a first in UK history.
2023: Liverpool city centre night-time spending outperforms other UK cities
In 2023, data showed that night-time spending in Liverpool city centre outperformed all major UK cities.
2023: Liverpool city region confirmed plans to implement bus franchising
In 2023, the Liverpool city region confirmed plans to become the second place outside London to implement bus franchising.
2023: Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosts The Open Championship
In 2023, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosted The Open Championship.
April 2024: Liverpool City Council ranked poorly
In April 2024, Liverpool City Council was ranked 317th out of 318 local authorities by the Office for Local Government.
2024: Labour Party wins Garston and Halewood seat
At the 2024 election, Maria Eagle of the Labour Party won the Garston and Halewood seat.
2024: Labour MPs elected
In 2024, the city elected five Labour MPs to the Westminster Parliament.
2025: Everton to relocate to new stadium
In 2025, Everton is scheduled to relocate to its new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the 2025/26 season.
2028: Full implementation of bus franchising to take place
By the end of 2028, the full implementation of bus franchising will take place in the Liverpool city region.