The following information was compiled in 2011 for the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies (AIGS) and is reproduced here with permission.
It is a living document which is based on writings from the 1700 and 1800s that were available, as such it is not presented as being complete. If you are able to add to the timeline please advise the Web Manager who will include the information here and update the author.
MAJOR EPIDEMICS & DISEASE OUTBREAKS TIMELINE
Based on writings from the 1700 & 1800s I was able to access.
Place names in brackets signify areas where disease especially deadly.
Not all epidemics listed nor all types of diseases included. Diseases like tuberculosis, scurvy, syphilis, dysentery, infantile diarrhoea, enteritis,
respiratory ailments etc consistently took their toll especially in the crowded industrial centres & large cities
| DATE | EPIDEMICS & OUTBREAKS |
| 1600s | ‘influenza’ in Summers, shift in late 1600s to Spring/Winter; smallpox already a killer disease; the Plague returned in force in 1665 but in smaller outbreaks in other years |
| 1612 – 1651 | The ‘new disease’ emerges in Britain. Uncertain what it is – possibly typhus |
| 1670 | Jan – June measles epidemic (London) followed by smallpox epidemic, mention of ‘hooping cough’; high diarrhoea in infants |
| 1674 | Jan – June measles epidemic (London) |
| 1675 | Influenza first identified in London written records – Europe wide epidemic |
| 1679 | ‘hooping cough’ again recorded |
| 1700s | Early 1700s influenza occurs in Winter; later 1700s occurs all seasons. Note the generational flare up of epidemics throughout the 1700s |
| 1700 | Smallpox = 2000 deaths per year (London); 25% of all those infected; city disease most fatalities in children; basically a city disease therefore spread limited |
| 1705 | Measles epidemic (London) |
| 1706 | Measles epidemic (London) |
| 1708 | Exceptionally cold winter; crops affected throughout that year |
| 1710 | Smallpox |
| 1717 | Smallpox epidemic (Manchester – 8000) |
| 1718 | Measles epidemic (London); smallpox (London); influenza epidemic |
| 1719 | Measles epidemic (London); smallpox epidemic (London) followed by severe influenza |
| 1721 | Measles epidemic (York); general smallpox epidemic severe in Halifax, Ripon, York |
| 1722 | General smallpox epidemic severe in Halifax, Ripon, York |
| 1723 | Smallpox. Inoculation developed & gaining acceptance |
| 1726 | Measles (Ripon) followed by whooping cough & scarlatina /diphtheria (Ripon) |
| 1727 | Scarlatina /diphtheria epidemic (Ripon) |
| 1728 | Scarlatina /diphtheria epidemic (York & Plymouth) |
| 1730 | Whooping cough especially in London; measles epidemic |
| 1733 | Measles epidemic; smallpox especially severe in York |
| 1734 | Scarlatina /diphtheria especially severe Plymouth, Cornwall & Devon |
| 1735 | Scarlatina /diphtheria especially severe Plymouth, Cornwall & Devon |
| 1736 | Scarlatina /diphtheria especially severe Plymouth, Cornwall & Devon; smallpox |
| 1739 | Intensely cold winter; scarlatina (London) |
| 1740 | Intensely cold winter; scarlatina (London) |
| 1741 | Severe typhus (London) |
| 1742 | Severe typhus (London); measles epidemic |
| 1745 | Scarlatina (Sheffield) |
| 1746 | Scarlatina especially severe in London; smallpox |
| 1747 | Scarlatina especially severe in London |
| 1748 | Scarlatina especially severe in London & epidemic in Cornwall, Kidderminster, St Albans although present across country; typhus epidemic |
| 1749 | Scarlatina especially severe in London & epidemic in Cornwall, Kidderminster, St Albans although present across country; typhus epidemic |
| 1750 | Widespread Scarlatina epidemics rife throughout the 1750s Scarlatina (Plymouth, London, Kidderminster epidemic) |
| 1751 | Scarlatina (Plymouth, London, Kidderminster epidemic) |
| 1752 | Smallpox |
| 1755 | Measles epidemic |
| 1757 | Smallpox (Manchester 19,839) |
| 1758 | Influenza type epidemic |
| 1759 | Measles epidemic; scarlatina epidemic (Newcastle, Yorkshire) |
| 1760 | Measles epidemic; Influenza type epidemic recorded in horses |
| 1763 | Smallpox |
| 1766 | Paving Act improved health in some cities |
| 1768 | Measles epidemic (London) |
| 1770 | Scarlatina epidemic (London) |
| 1773 | Typhus epidemic in Chester; smallpox epidemic (Manchester 27,246) |
| 1777 | Scarlatina epidemic (Worcestershire) |
| 1778 | Scarlatina epidemic (Worcestershire); typhus epidemic |
| 1779 | Typhus epidemic; scarlatina epidemic; measles epidemic; smallpox epidemic (London) |
| 1781 | ‘Plague ague’ along the River Severn Valley; smallpox |
| 1782 | ‘Plague ague’ along the River Severn Valley |
| 1783 | Laki volcano erupts (Iceland) volcanic winter follows; Typhus epidemic; dysentery; ‘Plague ague’ along the River Severn Valley |
| 1784 | ‘Plague ague’ along the River Severn Valley |
| 1785 | Measles epidemic; dysentery; scarlatina & ‘the sore throat’ disease (London) |
| 1786 | Measles epidemic; typhus epidemic; scarlatina & ‘the sore throat’ disease (London) |
| 1787 | Measles epidemic; typhus epidemic; scarlatina & ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1788 | Extremely hot summer; scarlet fever; ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); scarlatina epidemic; typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1789 | Scarlet fever; ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1790 | ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus epidemic (Liverpool 160 cases per month); typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1791 | ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus among the well to do across England; typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1792 | ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1793 | ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus 3124 deaths a year; croup/dipheria epidemic (London); scarlatina & diphtheria epidemic (Buckinghamshire) |
| 1794 | ‘the sore throat’ disease (London); typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1795 | Typhus 3124 deaths a year |
| 1796 | Measles epidemics more frequent & becoming more severe; typhus 3124 deaths a year; smallpox epidemic; measles followed & recorded as becoming more severe in its effects |
| 1797 | Influenza like epidemic amongst cats |
| 1798 | Influenza like epidemic amongst cats |
| 1799 | Typhus epidemic; scarlatina epidemic spreads from London to rest of country |
| 1800 | Typhus epidemic; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1801 | Severe measles epidemic (Middlesex); scarlatina epidemic (Middlesex) then rest of country (Suffolk, Northampton) |
| 1802 | Severe measles epidemic (Middlesex) |
| 1803 | Influenza (London, British troops in Ireland, Bath, Chester) – spreads along coach roads; scarlatina (Yorkshire Quaker schools especially hit) |
| 1804 | Scarlatina epidemic (south west, Manchester) |
| 1805 | Scarlatina epidemic (south west, Manchester) |
| 1807 | Scarlatina severe outbreaks |
| 1808 | Severe measles epidemic (London) exceeds smallpox as killer of children, adult deaths also significant especially London; Scarlatina severe outbreaks |
| 1810 | Typhus epidemic; scarlatina (Nottingham, Suffolk) |
| 1811 | Measles epidemic |
| 1812 | Measles epidemic |
| 1814 | Severe winter; measles epidemic; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1815 | Measles epidemic |
| 1816 | ‘Year Without A Summer’ Very poor harvest; famine, food riots, Welsh leave to to beg for food in England; general smallpox epidemic; 100,000 Irish dead |
| 1817 | ‘the Irish disease’ (probably typhus) London 1 in 14 died; severe in Halifax, Leeds, Ripon, Huudersfield, Wakefield, Atley, Carlisle 1 in 10 died, Newcastle, it was milder but longer lasting, particularly affected servants to the well to do |
| 1818 | ‘the Irish disease’ (probably typhus) London 1 in 14 died; severe in Halifax, Leeds, Ripon, Huudersfield, Wakefield, Atley, Carlisle 1 in 10 died, Newcastle, it was milder but longer lasting, particularly affected servants to the well to do; Measles epidemic in eastern counties |
| 1819 | ‘the Irish disease’ (probably typhus) London 1 in 14 died; severe in Halifax; smallpox epidemic (Norwich) |
| 1824 | Measles epidemic south especially Exeter |
| 1826 | Excessively high temperatures also excessive rains followed by the Great Drought; general ‘fevers’ epidemic; typhus (Manchester over 31,474) |
| 1827 | High temperatures also excessive rains followed by drought |
| 1828 | High temperatures also excessive rains followed by drought |
| 1830 | Highly virulent strain of typhus (spotted typhus) epidemic |
| 1831 | First record of cholera – Asiatic cholera (Sunderland, Newcastle on Tyne, Newburn) spread throughout Britain attacking all classes; epidemic (30,000); ‘malignant scarlatina’ countrywide (Plymouth, Staffordshire); Highly virulent strain of typhus (spotted typhus) epidemic |
| 1832 | Highly virulent strain of typhus (spotted typhus) epidemic |
| 1833 | Highly virulent strain of typhus (spotted typhus) epidemic |
| 1834 | Highly virulent strain of typhus (spotted typhus) epidemic |
| 1836 | Excessively wet winter |
| 1837 | Measles epidemic; typhus epidemic (London, Manchester, Liverpool) deaths in north 18,775; smallpox epidemic (south west England & Wales extremely high mortality rate) |
| 1838 | Smallpox epidemic (south west England & Wales extremely high mortality rate); typhus epidemic (London, Manchester, Liverpool) deaths in north 15,666; in London 18,775 |
| 1839 | Smallpox epidemic (south west England & Wales extremely high mortality rate); scarlatina epidemic; typhus epidemic (Manchester, Liverpool) deaths in north 17,177; in London 15,666 |
| 1840 | Smallpox epidemic (south west England & Wales extremely high mortality rate, Lancashire); scarlet fever outbreak continued for next 30-40 years in severe proportions; cholera epidemic (Dorset, Lancashire); typhus kills 17,177 in London |
| 1841 | Typhus epidemic (London 14,846) |
| 1842 | Typhus epidemic (London 16,201) |
| 1844 | The Great Scarlatina epidemic |
| 1846 | Excessively hot summer, drought – all diseases flare up across the country; ‘famine fever’/Irish fever (typhus) 500,00 to 1 million died between 1846 & 1848 Lancashire & Cheshire very badly hit, floating hospital ships o the Mersey Birmingham, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury, Leeds, Hull, York, Sunderland all systematically saw dramatically increased death rates |
| 1847 | Famine; typhus epidemic (30,320); |
| 1848 | Good harvest, fall in food prices, employment rises; Typhus epidemic 21,406 epidemic ended with increase in employment & drop in food prices; cholera epidemic 62,000; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1853 | Cholera epidemic (north, Newcastle 26,000, London 10,000); vaccination against smallpox made compulsorybut not always done (see death rate for 1870) |
| 1854 | Cholera epidemic (north, Newcastle 26,000, London 10,000). John Snow’s epidemiological study of this outbreak identified drinking contaminated water as the main mode of transmission of cholera. |
| 1856 | Typhus epidemic (London) followed returning soldiers from Crimean War; diphtheria epidemic |
| 1857 | Diphtheria epidemic |
| 1858 | Diphtheria epidemic; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1859 | Scarlatina epidemic |
| 1861 | American cotton crop fails Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns |
| 1862 | Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns |
| 1863 | Scarlatina epidemic (South West) followed by chronic measles epidemic; Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns |
| 1864 | Scarlatina epidemic (South West) followed by chronic measles epidemic; Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns |
| 1865 | Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns |
| 1866 | Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns; whooping cough epidemic; cholera epidemic 14,000 |
| 1867 | Typhus epidemic Lancashire towns; cholera epidemic 14,000 |
| 1868 | Scarlatina epidemic; ‘relapsing fever/typhus (London) |
| 1869 | Scarlatina epidemic; ‘relapsing fever/typhus (London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford) |
| 1870 | Scarlatina epidemic; ‘relapsing fever/typhus (London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford,); smallpox 23,100; decline of tuberculosis also decline in typhus |
| 1871 | Smallpox 19,000 |
| 1872 | Smallpox |
| 1873 | Smallpox |
| 1874 | Severe scarlatina epidemic; smallpox |
| 1875 | Smallpox |
| 1878 | Whooping cough epidemic |
| 1879 | Severe measles epidemic; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1880 | Severe measles epidemic; scarlatina epidemic |
| 1881 | Smallpox epidemic; hospital ships moored in Thames |
| 1883 | Krackatoa eruption; Measles epidemic |
| 1885 | Measles epidemic |
| 1887 | Measles epidemic |
| 1888 | Severe measles epidemic in Staffordshire |
| 1889 | Measles epidemic; influenza pandemic between a third & a half of population ill. Medical opinion that this strain the same mutation that returned in the 1918 pandemic |
| 1890 | Influenza pandemic between a third & a half of population ill. |
| 1891 | Influenza pandemic between a third & a half of population ill. |
| 1892 | Influenza pandemic between a third & a half of population ill. |
| 1894 | Severe measles epidemic amongst infants (London) |
| 1918 | Influenza pandemic 50 million die world wide |
| 1919 | Influenza pandemic 50 million die world wide – London 23,000 deaths |
Diseases
| The difficulty in matching the names given to diseases with the diseases themselves is complicated by the often descriptive nature of the name which could fit a number of diseases plus the local names given to various diseases eg. Puerperal fever was variously known as childbed fever, nursing fever & sometimes white leg fever although the latter was a completely different ailment. The following diseases – typhus, scarlet fever, scarlatina, smallpox, cholera, diphtheria, dysentery, infantile diarrhoea, relapsing fever, scurvy – are the ones covered in the list below. | |
| Famine fever | typhus, relapsing fever |
| ‘new disease’ (1663) | typhus |
| Spotted typhus | virulent typhus strain (especially 1830 – 34) |
| ‘Irish disease’ | typhus, possibly relapsing fever |
| Putrid fever | typhus |
| Gaol fever | typhus |
| Hospital fever | typhus |
| Enteric fever | typhoid |
| ‘purpyles’ | scrlatina/diptheria |
| Military fever | scarlatina/diphtheria |
| ‘New distempers’ | influenza? Influenza type respiratory disease |
| ‘Plague ague’ (late 1700s) | unclear Malaria??? |
| Chin cough | whooping cough? |
| Convulsions | whooping cough? |
| Kink | whooping cough |
| Griping in the guts | diarrhoea |
| Gripe | diarrhoea or cholera symptons |
| Epidemic catarrh | influenza? Bronchitis |
| Croup | diphtheria |
| Consumption | tuberculosis |
| Wasting sickness | tuberculosis |
| Tertians | malaria |
| Intermittents | recurring fever |
| Agues | fever |
| Great pox | syphilis |
