Edwardian Timeline - A Bit About Britain

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Here is a simple timeline of events during Edwardian Britain, from 1901 until the outbreak of war in 1914 (OK, we know that’s technically beyond the Edwardian era, but 1914 is a convenient full-stop; the world after the First World War is a very different one).

1901

The Commonwealth of Australia was formed (by the combination of the former colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia).Queen Victoria died.  She had been monarch for nearly 64 years and was succeeded by her eldest son, who became King Edward VII.The 1901 Census recorded the population of England, Wales, and Scotland as approximately 36.97 million.Britain’s first fingerprint bureau was established at Scotland Yard.The minimum working age raised to twelve years old.The electric vacuum cleaner was invented by Hubert Cecil Booth.  It was used to clean the carpets of Westminster Abbey for Edward VII’s coronation in 1902.The Royal Navy’s first submarine, Holland 1, was launched at Barrow-in-Furness.Caister lifeboat disaster saw the deaths of nine members of a lifeboat crew attempting to reach a ship in distress.Seebohm Rowntree published Poverty, A Study of Town Life, which shocked the establishment.The first transatlantic radio message was sent by Guglielmo Marconi on the Lizard in Cornwall, to St. John’s, Newfoundland.|1902Britain finally wins the Boer War, but the use of concentration camps has made Britain internationally unpopular.Balfour’s Education Act – placed the administration of all elementary schools in the hands of local education authorities and encouraged the development of secondary education.The first Marmite factory was established in Burton upon Trent.|1903The first Lib-Lab Pact – does much to weaken the Liberal Party.The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was founded by six women, including Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.In a wider context, Wilbur and Orville Wright make the first successful piloted powered flight at Kitty Hawk, USA.|1904The Entente Cordial is signed between Britain and France.J M Barrie publishes Peter Pan.|1906Liberals win General Election on a platform of social reform.The world’s most powerful battleship, HMS Dreadnought, is launched at Portsmouth.In Manchester, Charles Stewart Rolls and Sir Frederick Henry Royce form Rolls-Royce Limited.Edith Nesbit publishes The Railway Children.|1907Britain agrees spheres of influence with Russia, forming the so-called Triple Entente of Britain, France and Russia – as opposed to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria and Italy (1882).The Music Hall Strike – artistes campaign for better pay and conditions.|1908Old age state pensions are introduced.The Olympic Games are held in London.Robert Baden-Powell wrote Scouting for Boys – the birth of the scouting movement.Boys’ story paper The Magnet introduces the character of Billy Bunter, by author Frank Richards (real name Charles Harold St John Hamilton).American Samuel Franklin Cody makes the first powered flight in Britain.|1909Liberal Chancellor David Lloyd George introduces his People’s Budget to fund social reforms. The budget is rejected by the House of Lords, forcing a General Election.American Harry Selfridge opens his department store on Oxford Street.Frenchman Louis Blériot flies across the English Channel.|1910The Sidney Street Siege takes place – gunfire on the streets of London as armed police and soldiers (with ‘assistance’ from Home Secretary Winston Churchill) confront revolutionary terrorists.The People’s Budget is passed with the help of Labour and Irish Nationalist support in the House of Commons.Edward VII dies; George V becomes King.Suffragettes, imprisoned for offences such as wilful damage, begin to go on hunger strike; eventually, the authorities decide to force-feed them.Tonypandy, South Wales – miners’ strike turns violent.  Home Secretary Winston Churchill is criticised by many for not sending in troops sooner to prevent looting and by others for allowing them to be sent at all. |1911Parliament Act – the House of Lords loses its absolute power of veto over legislation passed by the House of Commons.The Agadir Crisis – rebellion in Morocco sparks French interest; Germany sends a gunboat to protect German interests; Britain sends battleships to support the French.Violence escalates during the Liverpool Dock Strike (one of a wave of strikes prior to WW1): many are injured, troops shoot dead two strikers and a warship patrols off the coast at Birkenhead.Winston Churchill becomes First Lord of the Admiralty.Government introduces national insurance and unemployment benefit, laying the foundations for the Welfare State.|1912Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole, only to find that Norwegian Roald Amundsen got there first; Scott and his party perish on the return journey.The Government proposes Home Rule for Ireland: in response, protestants and unionists in Ireland form the Ulster Volunteer Force, threatening civil war.The Royal Flying Corps is established.RMS Titanic sinks with the loss of more than 1500 lives.Coal miners stage a national strike.|1913Emily Davison promotes the suffragette cause by throwing herself under the King’s horse at the Epsom Derby and subsequently dies.George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion premiers – in Austria.D H Lawrence publishes Sons and Lovers.|1914Some army officers suggest they will mutiny if ordered to enforce Home Rule in Ireland.On 28th June, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is murdered in Sarajevo, Austro-Hungary’s response provokes a crisis which drags in the world powers, Germany invades Belgium and on 4th August the British Empire declares war on Germany.  The First World War is underway.

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Browse articles…

• Towton
• St Martin’s and Rupert Bear
• Visiting Alice de la Pole and St Mary’s, Ewelme
• Rufus Stone
• Christopher Wren did not live here
• A bit about Yorkshire and the Humber
• Easter, eggs, bunnies and buns
• Britain’s industrial revolution
• St David’s Head
• The importance of Eamont Bridge
• Ravenglass to Eskdale and return
• The ghosts of Christ Church Greyfriars

What do people say

• Susanon The George Inn at BoroughI worked here 1980/81. Amazing pub. Also had a open chauser theatre at the end of the courtyard. Very decenzian. I lived in on third floor and I often heard foot steps in the upper floors.
• Bellaon Dunkirk – the miracle in contextHi Mike, Would I be able to get your full name so I can reference a quote from this article for my A level History coursework?
• Jane Hyslopon Anniversaries in 2026A great herd of info there Mike, I remember a lot of it!
• April Mundayon Anniversaries in 2026This year I'll forgive you for making me feel old, because I don't need much help in that direction these days.. I'm hoping that my training during that summer will help me cope with the blisteringly hot summers of the future, but I fear the reality will be otherwise. I
• Helson Anniversaries in 2026I am not interested in birthdays, but of all the important topics you have raised, the history of red public telephone boxes still fascinates me. They were critically important for families who couldn't afford a private telephone, and for teenagers who didn't want the parents to hear their private conversations
• Peter Matthewson Anniversaries in 2026Mike, I don’t know how many hours you have in your days, but it sure seems like more than most people have! What a brilliant job, yet again. Well done!
• Shawn Pace-Gutierrezon Brixworth – All Saints’ churchI am American. I looked up this church because my ancestors Richard and Isabella Pace from Jamestown were married there. Wish I could visit someday
• Michelle Joneson St Hubert’s, IdsworthWe live a few miles from Idsworth, and St Hubert’s has always been one of my favourite churches. It is peaceful and serene…most of the time… I try to visit just before Christmas, and on a late December afternoon, with the light failing, the atmosphere can change in an instant.
• Michelle Joneson Portchester CastleI grew up in Portchester, in the 60’s and 70’s, and the castle was our playground in the summer months. We (my younger brother and I) decided that the recess to the left of the main entrance was an iron maiden, and related gruesome tales to our friends, we climbed
• Lindaon Britain’s favourite Christmas CarolsHello Mike, I love much of the music you are sharing! I also love the illustration at the beginning of your post. Once in Royal David's City...one song I have always loved. It reminds me of Aled Jones! I love his voice! Great singer! Thank you so much for sharing,

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