Timeline of Dundee history facts for kids

The timeline of Dundee history shows the significant events in the history of Dundee, Scotland.

1100–1799

• 1190 – Dundee Parish Church established.
• 1200 – William the Lion deeds his younger brother David, Earl of Huntingdon superiority over Dundee and its port.
• 1296 – Dundee Castle surrendered to the English.
• 1297 – William Wallace besieges and captures Dundee Castle.
• 1298 – Alexander Scrymgeour appointed keeper of Dundee Castle by William Wallace.
• 1306 – Dundee Castle retaken by the English.
• 1313 – Dundee Castle destroyed by Robert the Bruce.
• 1385 – John of Gaunt & the English captured and partially destroyed the town.
• 1465 – Birth of Hector Boece a Scottish philosopher and historian.
• 1518 – Birth of James Halyburton the Scottish Reformer and provost of the town for 33 years.
• 1564 – The Howff (a burial ground) established.
• 1580 – Dudhope Castle extended.
• 1645 – Population of Dundee estimated to be 11,200.
• 1651 – Siege of Dundee: George Monck besieges and sacks the town on the orders of Oliver Cromwell.
• 1684 – John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee became constable.
• 1732 – Birth of George Dempster of Dunnichen an advocate, landowner and politician.
• 1797 – James Keiller & Son, a jam and marmalade factory, is established.
• 1798 – Dundee Infirmary opens in King Street.

1800–1899

• 1801 – The Courier established as the Dundee, Perth and Cupar Advertiser.
• 1812 – Mary Shelley moves to Dundee from London. Her time in the city influences her writing, eventually inspiring her to write Frankenstein.
• 1819 – Dundee Infirmary granted royal charter and renamed "Dundee Royal Infirmary and Asylum".
• 1820 – Dundee Asylum formally established as a separate entity from Dundee Royal Infirmary and opened in premises in Albert Street.
• 1825 – Walter Scott writes Bonnie Dundee a poem and song in honour of John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee.
• 1831 – Dundee and Newtyle Railway opens.
• 1834 – James Chalmers publicly exhibits the adhesive postage stamp.
• 1835
  • James Bowman Lindsay demonstrates a constant electric light at a public meeting at the city's Thistle Hall.
  • First jute cargos arrive in Dundee beginning the city's jute trade.
• 1836 – St Andrew's Cathedral completed.
• 1838 – Dundee and Arbroath Railway opens.
• 1839 – James Chalmers submits his adhesive postage stamp proposal to the UK Government.
• 1847 - Dundee and Perth Railway opens.
• 1849 - The construction of Camperdown Works begins.
• 1851 – St Mary, Our Lady of Victories Church opens.
• 1853 – Royal Arch, built to celebrate a visit by Queen Victoria, is completed.
• 1855 - New Dundee Royal Infirmary opened in Barrack Road, replacing King Street building.
• 1855 – St Paul's Cathedral completed.
• 1860 - Dundee Convalescent Hospital opened in Union Place.
• 1863 – Baxter Park opens.
• 1867 – The McManus Art Gallery and Museum opens as the Albert Institute.
• 1870 – Balgay Hill and Victoria Park were acquired by the City as public parks.
• 1871 – Legislation for slum clearing was established with the City Improvement Act.
• 1878 – First Tay Rail Bridge opens.
• 1879 - Foundation stone laid for new home of Dundee Royal Asylum at Liff. The institution will completely transfer there from the site in Albert Street by October 1882.
• 1879 – Tay Bridge Disaster: The Tay Rail Bridge collapses killing around 75 people.
• 1881 – University of Dundee established as University College, Dundee by deed of endowment.
• 1887 – Second Tay Rail Bridge opens.
• 1888 – Abertay University established as Dundee Institute of Technology.
• 1889
  • King's Cross Hospital opens as a fever hospital for patients suffering from infectious diseases.
  • Dundee becomes the first Scottish city to be granted city status.
• 1891 – Population of Dundee estimated to be 153,587.
• 1893 – The East Poorhouse Hospital, which will later become Maryfield Hospital, opens as a hospital for the poor.
• 1897 – Dundee Women's Hospital opens.
• 1899 – Royal Victoria Hospital opens as the Victoria Hospital for Incurables.

1900–1999

• 1901 – Population of Dundee estimated to be 161,173.
• 1905 – DC Thomson is established.
• 1906 – 1906 Dundee fire: a large fire breaks out in a warehouse storing whisky.
• 1909 – Dundee United F.C. forms as Dundee Hibernian.
• 1914 – Dundee Dental Hospital opens.
• 1915
  • Dundee Women's Hospital moves to a new building in Elliot Road.
  • The 4th (City of Dundee) Battalion Black Watch sustains significant losses at the Battle of Loos.
• 1918 – Association of Jute Spinners and Manufacturers founded in Dundee, initially to protect the prices of its members' products.
• 1920 - Several of Dundee's leading jute firms including Cox Brothers, Gilroy and Sons and J. and A. D. Grimond are amalgamated as Jute Industries Ltd.
• 1923 – The Caird Hall concert auditorium formally opened by Edward, Prince of Wales.
• 1925 – War memorial opens at the summit of Dundee Law.
• 1933 – Dundee City Chambers opens.
• 1935 – Mills Observatory opens.
• 1938 – The Beano is first published by DC Thomson.
• 1939 - Dundee Repertory Theatre founded, initially based in Nicoll Street.
• 1946 – Camperdown Country Park opens.
• 1963
  • Royal Arch, built to celebrate a visit by Queen Victoria, is demolished.
  • Dundee Repertory Theatre's premises at Nicoll Street is destroyed in a fire.
  • Dundee Airport opens.
• 1966 – Tay Road Bridge opens.
• 1967 – University of Dundee gains independent status.
• 1974 – Ninewells Hospital opens.
• 1978 – Dundee Synagogue opens.
• 1980 – Scottish League Cup Final takes place at Dens Park.
• 1982 – New Dundee Repertory Theatre opens.
• 1984 – DMA Design is established.
• 1991 – Lemmings is released by DMA Design.
• 1993 – Timex strike: Industrial dispute between workers and management takes place over seven months resulting in the closure of the factory and the loss of hundreds of jobs.
• 1994 – Abertay University gains university status.
• 1996 – Verdant Works Museum opens.
• 1997
  • The world's first computer games design degree is introduced at Abertay University.
  • Grand Theft Auto is first released by DMA Design.
• 1998
  • Dundee Royal Infirmary closes.
  • Last jute cargo arrives in Dundee bringing an end to the city's jute trade.
• 1999 – Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre opens.

2000–present

• 2000
  • Dundee Central Mosque opens.
  • Dundee Science Centre opens.
  • Dundee International Book Prize established.
• 2006
  • The world's first ethical hacking degree is introduced at Abertay University.
  • Radio 1's Big Weekend takes place at Camperdown Country Park.
• 2007 – Scottish Challenge Cup Final takes place in Dens Park.
• 2009 – Dundee International Submarine Memorial dedicated.
• 2010 – Dundee Museum of Transport established.
• 2011 – Dundee House, the headquarters of the city council, opens.
• 2013 – Dundee is shortlisted for the UK City of Culture in 2017, but loses out to Hull.
• 2014
  • Dundee granted UNESCO City of Design status, the first city in the UK to receive the designation.
  • The University of Dundee's Discovery Centre opens.
• 2017
  • Dundee International Book Prize disestablished.
  • Dundee bids to be European Capital of Culture for 2023, but due to Brexit, the bid is terminated.
• 2018
  • First Dundee pride event held.
  • V&A Dundee Museum opens.
• 2019 – Dundee Synagogue closes.
• 2020 – NHS Tayside announces that they have "effectively eliminated" hepatitis C.
• 2021 – Dundee is named as the UK's only "City of the Future" by Cognizant.
• 2022
  • 2022 Kirkton riot: Disturbance takes place in the Kirkton area of the city which leads to multiple arrests.
  • Dundee, along with Perth and Fife form a bid to be UK City of Culture in 2025, but the bid does not get shortlisted.
• 2023
  • Radio 1's Big Weekend takes place at Camperdown Country Park for the second time. Dundee becomes the first Scottish city to host the event twice.
  • The first Scottish Esports degree is introduced by Dundee and Angus College.

• 2024 – The Competitive Games Lab and Wacom Cintiq Lab opens at Abertay University, specialising in research and development in gaming, esports and digital art.