1752 – Belfast Charitable Society founded with the aim to build a Poor House and Infirmary

1768- Construction begins on the Poor House following several lotteries to raise the funds

1774 – Belfast Charitable Society incorporated by an Act of Parliament and opened the Poor House and Infirmary with 50 beds for the poor & 20 beds in the hospital

1779- Thomas McCabe and Robert Joy presented a proposal to introduce cotton spinning into the Poor House which was accepted

1782- Dr William Drennan proposed public inoculation against Small Pox in the Poor House which he subsequently carried out

1790- The charity begin to pipe fresh water into Belfast and collect the associated rates

1791- Equiano, the black abolitionist, visits the Poor House and attends a Board meeting

1797- New Burying Ground, today Clifton Street Cemetery, opened for burials

1798 – Society given 48 hours to clear the Poor House due to its links to the United Irishmen

1800- Poor House returned to Belfast Charitable Society

1813- Edward Bunting, the renowned collector of Irish Harp music, holds a concert for the benefit of the Poor House

1817- Act of Parliament gave further powers to Belfast Charitable Society to supply the town with water

1828- Clifton Street Cemetery extended

1827 – Ladies Committee formed through the driving force of Mary Ann McCracken

1832- Cholera epidemic strikes in Belfast. The Poor House introduces a ‘convalescent house’ for new admissions to ensure the safety of residents

1840- Belfast Water Commissioners established to take over the pipe water infrastructure. Belfast Charitable Society given an annuity of £800 per year for its previous investment

1847- Known as Black ’47 due to the number of deaths during the Great Hunger, the burial registers of Clifton Street Cemetery recorded over 1,000 deaths from famine related illnesses

1851- Final meeting of the Ladies’ Committee

1868- John Charter’s builds a wing at the back of the Poor House for the children

1872- Edward Benn finances two wings to the original Poor House, joining it with to the Charter’s wing

1882 – Last child leaves the Poor House and Poor House renamed Belfast Charitable Institution

1921- Appeal for funds to ensure the survival of the charity

1927- Frank Workman and his wife pay for electricity to be introduced to the building

1941 – The decision was taken to evacuate the residents to Garron Tower due to the Belfast Blitz

1946- Residents return from Garron Tower to the old Poor House building

1948- The Belfast Charitable Society’s building is renamed Clifton House

1996 – New Act of Parliament

2001 – Clifton Nursing Home opens

2002 – Newly refurbished Clifton Residential Home opens

2003- The Marquis of Donegall opened Clifton House Interpretative Centre

2018 – Clifton House Residential Home transferred to Radius Housing