Early Life and Education of Richard Branson: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Richard Branson. A timeline of key moments.

Richard Branson is a prominent English business magnate best known for co-founding the Virgin Group in 1970. He is known for his adventurous spirit, risk-taking approach to business, and diverse portfolio of ventures. Branson's Virgin Group encompasses various sectors, including airlines, telecommunications, media, and even space tourism with Virgin Galactic. He is also a well-known philanthropist, involved in various charitable initiatives. His personality is also tied to his success, given he is charismatic and a media personality. As of 2016, he controlled five companies within Virgin Group.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1918: Birth of Edward James Branson

In 1918, Edward James Branson, Richard Branson's father, was born.

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1924: Birth of Evette Huntley Flindt

In 1924, Evette Huntley Flindt, later Evette Huntley Branson, Richard Branson's mother, was born.

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July 1950: Richard Branson's birth

On July 18, 1950, Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born in Blackheath, London to Edward James Branson and Evette Huntley Branson.

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1967: Squatting in London

From 1967 to 1968, Richard Branson started squatting in London.

1968: Squatting in London

In 1968, Richard Branson was squatting in London.

1971: Questioned Regarding Export Stock

In 1971, Richard Branson was questioned in connection with selling records declared as export stock, leading to a settlement involving unpaid purchase tax and a fine.

1985: First Attempt at Fastest Atlantic Crossing by Ship

In 1985, Richard Branson attempted the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing by ship in the Virgin Atlantic Challenger, but the boat capsized in British waters, requiring a Royal Navy helicopter rescue.

1986: Record-Breaking Atlantic Crossing in Virgin Atlantic Challenger II

In 1986, Richard Branson successfully broke the record for the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing by ship in the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II, beating the previous record by two hours.

January 1991: Pacific Crossing by Balloon

In January 1991, Richard Branson crossed the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Arctic Canada in a balloon, covering 6,700 miles and breaking the record with a speed of 145 miles per hour.

1995: First Attempt to Circumnavigate the Globe by Balloon

In 1995, Richard Branson began several attempts to circumnavigate the globe by balloon, in collaboration with Per Lindstrand, Vladimir Dzhanibekov, Larry Newman and Steve Fossett.

1998: Record-Breaking Flight from Morocco to Hawaii

In late 1998, Richard Branson, Per Lindstrand and Steve Fossett made a record-breaking flight from Morocco to Hawaii, but were unable to complete a global circumnavigation by balloon.

March 1999: Failure to Circumnavigate the Globe

In March 1999, Richard Branson failed to circumnavigate the globe by balloon before Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones in Breitling Orbiter 3.

2000: Parody in 2000 AD series Zenith

In 2000, Richard Branson was parodied as a supervillain in the 2000 AD series Zenith, reflecting the competition between the comic's publisher/distributor and the Virgin Group at the time.

2004: Singapore executes Yen May Woen

In 2004, Yen May Woen was executed in Singapore. Richard Branson spoke out against capital punishment.

2005: Establishment of the Branson School of Entrepreneurship

In 2005, the Branson School of Entrepreneurship was established in South Africa as a partnership between Virgin Unite and Taddy Blecher's CIDA City Campus, aiming to improve economic growth by supporting start-ups and micro-enterprises.

2006: Offered William Shatner a ride on Virgin Galactic

In 2006, Richard Branson reportedly offered actor William Shatner a ride on the inaugural space launch of Virgin Galactic spaceplane VSS Enterprise named in honor of the Star Trek spaceships.

July 2007: Purchase of Makepeace Island

In July 2007, Richard Branson purchased his Australian home, Makepeace Island, in Noosa.

July 2007: Announcement of The Elders

On July 18, 2007, Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders in Johannesburg, South Africa, a group conceived by Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel to address global conflicts, with funding from various donors including Branson and Gabriel.

September 2007: Article for Time Magazine about Steve Fossett

In September 2007, Richard Branson wrote an article titled "My Friend, Steve Fossett" for Time magazine, expressing his sadness over the disappearance of his fellow-adventurer Steve Fossett.

March 2008: Environmental Gathering on Necker Island

In March 2008, Richard Branson hosted an environmental gathering on his private island, Necker Island, with entrepreneurs, celebrities, and world leaders, including Tony Blair, Jimmy Wales, and Larry Page, to discuss global warming issues.

December 2008: Signatory of Global Zero Campaign

In December 2008, Richard Branson became a signatory of the Global Zero campaign, a non-profit international initiative focused on eliminating all nuclear weapons worldwide.

May 2009: Branson Takes Over Hunger Strike

On May 8, 2009, Richard Branson took over Mia Farrow's hunger strike for three days to protest the Sudanese government's expulsion of aid groups from the Darfur region.

August 2009: Shatner Interview on Virgin Galactic Ride

In August 2009, William Shatner claimed in a Time magazine interview that Richard Branson inquired about how much Shatner would pay for a journey on the Virgin Galactic spaceplane, leading to a negotiation about payment.

2009: Fundraising for Branson School of Entrepreneurship

In 2009, fundraising activity at The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 event, sponsored by Virgin Group, helped raise £150,000 for the Branson School of Entrepreneurship, auctioning off opportunities to join Richard Branson on trips to South Africa for student coaching and mentoring.

2010: Bet with Tony Fernandes over F1 Season

In 2010, Richard Branson and Tony Fernandes had a bet regarding the F1 season, with the loser having to work on the winner's airline as a stewardess. Fernandes won the bet.

2010: Patron of Gordon Bennett 2010 Gas Balloon Race

In 2010, Richard Branson became the patron of the UK's Gordon Bennett 2010 gas balloon race, which featured 16 hydrogen balloons flying across Europe.

2010: Founding of Enterprise Zimbabwe

In 2010, Richard Branson, in collaboration with the Nduna Foundation and Humanity United, co-founded Enterprise Zimbabwe.

2011: Death of Edward James Branson

In 2011, Edward James Branson, Richard Branson's father, passed away.

2011: Branson's Atheism

In a 2011 interview with Piers Morgan, Richard Branson stated that he is an atheist and believes in the importance of humanitarian efforts, not in the existence of God.

May 2013: Branson Serves as Stewardess on Air Asia Flight

On May 12, 2013, Richard Branson honored a bet lost to Tony Fernandes by serving as a stewardess on an Air Asia flight between Perth and Kuala Lumpur. The bet was related to the 2010 F1 season, where the losing team's boss would work on the winner's airline during a charity flight.

December 2013: Urged Boycott of Uganda

In December 2013, Richard Branson urged companies to boycott Uganda in response to its "anti-homosexuality bill," stating his opposition to supporting countries with such discriminatory laws.

2013: Plans for Family Space Trip

In 2013, Richard Branson stated his plans to take his two children on a trip to outer space on SpaceShipTwo's first public flight, then planned for 2014.

2014: Planned First Public Flight

In 2013, Richard Branson planned to take his two children on a trip to outer space on SpaceShipTwo's first public flight, planned for 2014.

2015: Support for Richard Glossip

In 2015, Richard Branson released a letter supporting American prisoner Richard Glossip on the day he was scheduled to be executed, expressing his opposition to the death penalty.

September 2018: Fourth Virgin Strive Challenge

In September 2018, Richard Branson participated in his fourth Virgin Strive Challenge, traveling over 2,000 km from Cagliari to Mont Blanc using human and sail power to raise funds for Big Change.

February 2019: Organization of Venezuela Aid Live Concert

In February 2019, Richard Branson helped organize Venezuela Aid Live, an international benefit concert to raise awareness and funds for humanitarian aid during the Venezuelan crisis, held in Cúcuta, Colombia.

October 2019: Inauguration of Virgin's London Heathrow to Tel Aviv Route

In October 2019, Richard Branson inaugurated Virgin's new route between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv, praising Israel's entrepreneurs. He was photographed kissing the ground upon arrival, a traditional gesture in the Holy Land.

July 2021: Branson's Spaceflight on Virgin Galactic Unity 22

On July 11, 2021, Richard Branson traveled as a passenger on board Virgin Galactic Unity 22 to the edge of space. The suborbital test flight lasted approximately one hour and reached a peak altitude of 53.5 miles (86.1 km).

July 2021: Branson's Flight to the Edge of Space

On July 11, 2021, Richard Branson, along with Beth Moses, Sirisha Bandla, and Colin Bennett, flew to the edge of space (86 km) on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft VSS Unity, making him the first billionaire founder of a space company to achieve this feat.

2021: Death of Evette Huntley Branson

In 2021, Evette Huntley Branson, Richard Branson's mother, passed away.

2021: Called on Singapore to Halt Execution of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam

In 2021, Richard Branson joined other public figures in calling on Singapore to halt the execution of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, a Malaysian drug trafficker sentenced to death for heroin trafficking.

October 2022: Rejected Debate Invitation from Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs

In October 2022, Richard Branson rejected an invitation from the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs for a live televised debate on Singapore's approach to drugs and the death penalty.

April 2023: Protested Upcoming Execution of Tangaraju Suppiah

In April 2023, Richard Branson protested against the upcoming execution of Tangaraju Suppiah, a Singaporean man found guilty of trafficking cannabis.

July 2023: Appealed for Mercy on Saridewi Djamani's Behalf

Before the execution of Saridewi Djamani on July 28, 2023, Richard Branson appealed for mercy on her behalf, marking the first female offender executed in Singapore in 19 years.