| 1830 | George Stephenson`s Liverpool and Manchester Railway opens -
the first time mail is carried by rail |
| 1831 | Darwin sails on HMS Beagle to survey coral formations |
| 1833 | Southampton`s Royal Pier opens |
| 1834 | Slavery is abolished in the British colonies |
| 1836 | The Southampton Dock company is formed The floating bridge begins operating across the River Itchen
between Itchen Ferry and Chapel |
| 1837 | Wheatstone and Cooke send the first British telegraph
message |
| 1838 | The foundation stone laid for Southampton`s first dock The first ocean steamers operate from Britain to the US -
SS Great Western makes the journey in just over 14
days SS Archimedes is launched - the first successful
screw-driven ship |
| 1839 | Samuel Cunard establishes the Cunard Steamship Company |
| 1840 | The railway line opens between Southampton and London The Penny Post is introduced across Britain |
| 1842 | Southampton`s first dock opens Mail steamships start operating between Britain and India |
| 1846 | Southampton`s first dry dock opens |
| 1847 | The railway link between Southampton`s dock and Town Quay
opens |
| 1850 | Britain controls 40% of the world`s merchant shipping
tonnage |
