Doctor Who Chronology: The 1970s

The 3rd Doctor with frequent 1970s ally, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbrige-Stewart, commander of the British contingent of UNIT.

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Or travel backward through time to the 1960s.

1970

January: Day of the Moon (DW2): Young Melody Pond, sick and dying for an unknown reason, wanders the alleys of New York City and regenerates.

"Six months" after the July 1969 portion of the same episode.

As the Vaughn/Cybermen invasion of the Earth approaches, Cyberships bring hibernating troops to International Electromatics locations, causing UFO sightings in south-east England to increase dramatically, piquing the interest of UNIT.

The UFO sightings start "well over a year" before "The Invasion" (DW1) (1971).

March: The Underwater Menace (DW1) 1-4: The 2nd Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie discover a surviving fragment of Atlantis underwater. The insane scientist, Professor Zaroff, has promised the Atlanteans he will raise their city by drilling a hole in the Earth's crust and draining away the ocean. However, this will generate vast amounts of steam which will crack the Earth's core and destroy the planet, which is Zaroff's true aim. secretly intends to destoy the Earth. The time-travellers flood the lower levels of Atlantis, foiling the plans of the mad scientist, who drowns in the process.

Finding evidence that it is after the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Polly hazards a guess that they have arrived in 1970. Despite any other evidence (although this is clearly a near-contemporary story), I'm going with Polly's guess. The approching vernal equinox is mentioned, giving a March dating.

Dobson becomes Bruno Taltalian's chief assistant.

Two years prior to "The Ambassadors of Death" (DW1) (1972).

Ace is born, under her given name of Dorothy.

According to "Dragonfire" (DW1), Ace would seem to be sixteen when she is caught in the timestorm in 1987, placing her birth here or 1971. Placement here is confirmed in "Ghost Light" (DW1), where we learn the Ace was thirteen in 1983.

A woman named Myra Bennett is killed by the alien "Mary", who tears out her heart and consumes it. Myra's body is discovered by her daughter.

Information seen during Owen's investigations in "Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW).

1971

Love & Monsters (DW2): A young Elton Pope is awakened by the sound of the TARDIS in his home and, heading downstairs, sees his dead mother, killed by a "living shadow" escaped from the Howling Halls, and the 10th Doctor. The Doctor has recaptured the shadow, but too late to save Mrs. Pope.

Date is conjecture. Elton is "3 or 4" when this happens. Assuming that Elton is the same age as actor Marc Warren, he would be three here.

Farrel Plastics hits hard times, with their volume only being half of normal.

"Over a year" before "Terror of the Autons" (DW1) (1972).

Auto Plastics, Ltd. employee Harry Ransome leaves England for the United States on business. At approximately the same time, half a dozen meteorites, containing part of the Nestene Consciousness, land in a forest near Epping in England. These segments of the Consciousness begin to take control of the staff and facilities at Auto Plastics.

"Six months" before "Spearhead from Space" (DW1) (early 1972).

Mars Probe 7, containing astronauts Joe Lefee and Frank Michaels, lifts off from Mars. They stay in contact with Space Control on Earth for 12 hours, when contact is lost. Unknown to anyone but General Carrington and a select few he has confided in, the astronauts have been replaced by ambassadors from an alien species, at Carrington's request. After a failure to re-establish contact, it is decided to send up the Recovery 7 capsule, piloted by astronaut Charles Van Lyden, to dock with Mars Probe 7.

"Seven months" or "eight months" before "The Ambassadors of Death" (DW1) (early 1972).

Posing as Professor Emil Keller, the Master approaches Captain Chin Lee at a reception at the Chinese embassy in London. He explains to her that he has developed a machine that will revolutionize prison reform, and invites her to Stangmoor Prison for a demonstration. He then hypnotizes her and they both go to the prison to set up the Keller machine, in reality a "mind parasite" that feeds off evil impulses.

"Nearly a year" before "The Mind of Evil" (DW1). Apparently, the Master, anticipating possible interference from the Doctor, set up a back-up plan in case his scheme in "Terror of the Autons" (DW1) failed.

Professor Travers and his daughter Anne leave their London home to spend a year in the United States. Travers allows fellow scientist Professor Watkins the use of his home laboratory while he is away.

"About a month" before "The Invasion" (DW1).

Professor Watkins' niece, Isobel, a professional photographer, is kicked out of her studio and moves in with her uncle. Shortly after, Professor Watkins leaves to see Tobias Vaughn regarding the sophisticated teaching machine he has developed. Seeing the potential for using the machine against his Cybermen allies, Vaughn takes Watkins prisoner.

"A week" before "The Invasion" (DW1).

The Invasion (DW1) 1-8: The 2nd Doctor, Jamie and Zoe stumble onto Tobias Vaughn's plan to help the Cybermen invade the Earth. With the help of Isobel Watkins, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and his UNIT men, the Cybermen's plot to paralyze the people of Earth and drop a bomb to destroy all life on the planet is foiled.

Tobias Vaughn, after realising the Cybermen had no intention of letting him life, turns against his former allies, and is killed by them.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Her age is seen written in the book in "The Rings of Akhaten (DW2)".

A group of hibernating Silurians begin to awaken when their machinery absorbs energy from the nearby Wenley Moor Nuclear Research Center. They continue to revive their people, causing frequent power failures at the Center. The proximity of the Silurians also causes a number of breakdowns in Center personnel. Dr. Quinn, deputy director of the Center, makes contact with the creatures while potholing nearby, but keeps this from other, secretly gaining knowledge from the Silurians, wanting to keep the scientific glory of the discovery for himself.

"Three months" before "Doctor Who and the Silurians" (DW1) (early 1972).

1972

Spearhead from Space (DW1) 1-4: Recovering from his forced regeneration, the 3rd Doctor arrives on Earth. The Time Lords have changed the dematerialisation codes on his TARDIS, effectively exiling the Doctor to this time and place.

Once on Earth, the Doctor finds himself again joining forces with UNIT. With the help of Cambridge scientist Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw, the Doctor assists UNIT in tracking down the Nestene Consciousness to the Auto Plastics, Ltd. factory. The Nestene and their army of plastic Autons are defeated.

In exchange for facilities and equipment to help him get the TARDIS operational again, the Doctor agrees to become UNIT's chief scientific advisor, assuming the name "Dr. John Smith".

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Captain Mike Yates of UNIT is put in charge of clean-up operations after the defeat of the Nestene. An intact Nestene energy unit is discovered. The Brigadier authorizes its use in a special exhibit at the National Space Museum.

Shortly after "Spearhead from Space" (DW1), as described in "Terror of the Autons" (DW1).

The Brigadier arranges for papers for the Doctor under his new alias of John Smith, and acquires for the Doctor a canary-yellow roadster, which the Time Lord dubs "Bessie".

Between "Spearhead from Space" (DW1) and "Doctor Who and the Silurians" (DW1).

Doctor Who and the Silurians (DW1) 1-7: UNIT calls in the 3rd Doctor and Liz to investigate the power losses at Wenley Moor Nuclear Research Center. The discover the nearby group of Silurians, who believe that only they have a rightful claim to the Earth.

The Doctor attempts to negotiate a peace between the reptilians and the humans, but too much animosity on both sides leads to conflict. The Silurians attempt to infect humankind with a deadly virus, but the Doctor develops a cure. The Doctor also foils their further plan to destroy the Van Allen belts, making the world uninhabitable to human life. This final failure drives the Silurians back into hibernation and the Brigadier, against the Doctor's wishes, has the Silurian base blown up.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Ambassadors of Death (DW1) 1-7: The 3rd Doctor, Liz and UNIT become involved in the search for the astronauts missing from the Recovery 7 capsule, after it lands on Earth empty. In reality, the astronauts are safely aboard an alien spacecraft, with three "ambassadors" sent to Earth in their place. However, these aliens are being used by General Carrington in a scheme to start a war between Earth and the aliens.

On a previous space mission in Mars Probe 6, Carrington and fellow astronaut Jim Daniels encountered the aliens, who accidentally killed Daniels with their radioactive touch. Unhinged by this, Carrington became convinced that the aliens meant to invade Earth and began a secret campaign to expose the aliens as hostile and provoke the Earth into attacking them. The Doctor and UNIT are able to prevent Carrington from making a worldwide broadcast to this effect.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT. Presumably, these aliens are not native to Mars, but just "passing through," as they bear no resemblance to the Ice Warriors.

The three alien ambassadors are returned to their ship, in exchange for the three human astronauts.

Shortly after "The Ambassadors of Death" (DW1).

April 16: Caroline Hill is born. In the early 21st century, she will become a victim of a negative spike in Cardiff Rift activity.

"Adrift" (TW).

June 4: The Tungaska Scroll is seized from a private collection by UNIT.

"Enemy of the Bane" (SJA).

UNIT is called in to run security at a secret British government science project (nicknamed "Inferno" by some of its staff), drilling beneath the Earth's crust to gain access to pockets of Stahlman's Gas, which the project's founder, Professor Stahlman, believes will provide an endless energy source. The 3rd Doctor convinces the Brigadier to let Liz and him access to the project, to work on the TARDIS console, which he has removed from the ship. The Doctor and Professor Stahlman butt heads rather frequently.

Some time before "Inferno" (DW1).

Sir Keith Gold, director of the Inferno project, reads a malfuction report on the number 2 pipe. Concerned about Professor Stahlman's obsession with completing the project as quickly as possible, Sir Keith calls in oil drilling expert Greg Sutton for advice on safety issues.

The report was made "several days" before "Inferno" (DW1).

Inferno (DW1) 1-7: While the 3rd Doctor, Liz and the Brigadier with UNIT are present at the Inferno project, a liquid is unknowingly released from the drilling and transforms workers into large, savage brutes. Professor Stahlman continues to ignore safety concerns and continues to increase drilling.

Meanwhile, an accident with the TARDIS console sends the Doctor to an alternative Earth, where England has become a fascist state. He encounters counterparts of friends and acquaintances, who believe him to be a spy. The drilling is more advanced on this Earth, and the Doctor is unable to stop that world's destruction when forces from the Earth's core are released. With the help of some of the parallel world's inhabitants, he is just able to return to his own dimension. Once back, the Doctor is able to stop Stahlman, who has also been transformed by the mysterious liquid, and shut down the project before it penetrates the Earth's crust.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Liz Shaw leaves UNIT, and returns to her research at Cambridge. The Doctor starts bothering the Brigadier for a replacement. The Doctor also begins work on the dematerialization circuit of his TARDIS.

Between "Inferno" (DW1) and "Terror of the Autons" (DW1).

At the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, British athlete John Crichton jumps 2.362 meters in the high jump.

In "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1) (1975), Sarah says this happened at "the last Olympics".

"Mary" kills Sally Chappel, tearing out her heart and eating it.

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW). Seen during Owen's research.

October 5: Alice Devil is born. In the early 21st century, she will become a victim of a negative spike in Cardiff Rift activity.

Terror of the Autons (DW1) 1-4: The Time Lords warn the 3rd Doctor that the evil renegade Time Lord, the Master, is on Earth. The Master is, in fact, helping the Nestene Consciousness in another attempt to invade Earth. His plan includes taking over a plastics factory, Farrel Plastic, and producing a number of products made deadly when possessed by the Nestene. The Doctor, his new assistant Josephine "Jo" Grant, and UNIT investigate.

The culmination of the Master's plan is to give the Nestene Consciousness one huge physical form by channeling it through a radio telescope. Convinced by the Doctor that the Nestene are as likely to destroy the Master, the villain changes sides and helps reverse the telescope's signal, repelling the incoming energy being. In all the confusion, however, the Master is able to escape capture, although he is now stranded on Earth, as the Doctor has stolen the dematerialisation circuit from the Master's TARDIS.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Doctor hears about the Keller process being used at Stangmoor prison. Concerned about what he learns, he arranges for Jo and himself to attend the next demonstration of the process. Meanwhile, UNIT is placed in charge of both security for the first World Peace Conference and the covert disposal of the Thunderbolt, an illegal nerve gas missile.

Some time before "The Mind of Evil" (DW1).

The Mind of Evil (DW1) 1-6: With the help of the mind parasite inside his Keller machine, the Master takes control of Stangmoor Prison and uses the prisoners to hi-jack the Thunderbolt nerve gas missile. He plans to use the missile to destroy the World Peace Conference and plunge the world into war. The 3rd Doctor, with the help of Jo and UNIT, uses the missile to destroy the parasite instead. However, the Master regains his dematerialisation circuit and escapes again.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

After fleeing Earth in his TARDIS, the Master is captured by a scavenging entity in space called Axos. The Master agrees to lead Axos to the Earth for feeding, in return for his freedom and a chance to destroy the Doctor.

Sometime between "The Mind of Evil" (DW1) and "The Claws of Axos" (DW1).

Concerns about the Master's activities prompts the American government to send an agent of their own, Bill Filer, to Britain to look into the matter. Meanwhile, an MP named Chinn, working for the British Ministry of Defence, begins looking into security matters regarding UNIT.

Some time before "The Claws of Axos" (DW1).

The Claws of Axos (DW1) 1-4: Axos, with the Master secretly on board, lands on Earth, and produces "Axons", humanoid entities that are really a part of itself, who claim to be desperately in need of fuel. In return for aid, the Axons present the world's government with Axonite, a "thinking" molecule that can replicate any substance, also in reality, a part of Axos.

Once Axonite is distributed around the globe, Axon beings a feeding cycle, using the Axonite to drain energy from the Earth. Aided by Jo and UNIT, the 3rd Doctor drives Axos from Earth and places it and the Master into a time-loop.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

1973

The Spanish ambassador to Britain is arrested by UNIT after being mistaken for the Master.

Some time before "Colony in Space" (DW1).

Colony in Space (DW1) 1,6: The Time Lords send the 3rd Doctor and Jo to the 25th century in the TARDIS to foil a scheme of the Master's. They return seconds later.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Coal Board closes down the coal mine in Llanfairfach, Wales.

A year before "The Green Death" (DW1).

Professor Gilbert Horner begins the excavation of the Devil's Hump barrow in Devil's End. Miss Olive Hawthorne, a local white witch, objects to this, and begins "pestering" Prof. Horner. The excavation is highly publicised, with television coverage planned for the eventual breakthrough into the barrow.

Around the same time, the Master disposes of the vicar of Devil's End, and takes over as his "replacement", Mr. Magister. He then secretly organizes a coven of locals and begins performing certain "rites" to call forth the alien Dæmon Azal from his miniaturized spaceship buried at the Devil's Hump. This results in a number of strange phenomena around the village, including strange sounds, sudden winds, and cows running dry.

"Weeks" before "The Dæmons" (DW1).

April 30/May 1:The Dæmons (DW1) 1-5: The Master revives the giant, satyr-like alien Azal and cuts off Devil's End from the outside world with a force field. The Master demands that Azal pass on his powers to the renegade Time Lord. Instead, Azal decides that Earth is a "failed experiment", one he intends to destroy. The 3rd Doctor is unable to convince Azal otherwise, but Jo's willingness to sacrifice herself to save the Doctor turns Azal's energies back on himself, destroying him. UNIT finally captures the Master, and takes him into custody.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Master is put on trial for his crimes. Although many wish to see the Master executed, he is instead placed in a high-security prison on Fortress Island off the south coast of England. The Master slowly begins to gain control over the island, using the prison's governor Colonel Trenchard's patriotism to gain his trust. The Master also makes contact with a partially revived group of aquatic Silurians, promising to help them destroy the human race and reclaim the Earth.

"The Sea Devils" (DW1).

The time-travelling Master, posing as Professor Thascalos, begins experiments in "interstitial time" at the Newton Institute in Wootton, in an attempt to summon Kronos, a Kronovore.

"Months" before "The Time Monster" (DW1). The Master must travel back through time to initiate this scheme as he is still in prison at this time.

A second World Peace Conference is arranged, again with UNIT in charge of security, but the Chinese delegation refuses to attend. Sir Reginald Styles, who has helped arrange the summit, is set to persude them to attend.

Some time before "Day of the Daleks" (DW1).

September 12-14: Day of the Daleks (DW1) 1-4: Guerrillas from an alternate future dominated by the Daleks come back through time to assassinate Sir Reginald Styles, whom they hold responsible for the assassination of the peace conference diplomats, leading to the Daleks' takeover of Earth. The 3rd Doctor and Jo, after visiting this future, realize that the guerrilas themselves are responsible for the conference's failure and, with the help UNIT, manage to prevent the time-travellers from destroying Styles and the other diplomats, instead wiping out a group of Daleks (and their Ogron servants) from the alternate timeline.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

In an alternate timeline, the guerrillas blow up Auderly House, killing the diplomats in resident and leaving peace conference a complete failure. As a result, a long series of international wars break out. These wars will last for a century, during which nearly seven-eights of the world's population dies. Sir Reginald Styles is held responsible for this disaster.

As described in "Day of the Daleks (DW1).

The 3rd Doctor and Jo are briefly pulled back in time to meet their earlier selves.

This must happen very shortly after "Day of the Daleks" (DW1), as the future Doctor and Jo are wearing identical clothes as their present counterparts.

The 3rd Doctor convinces Jo to come with him on a test flight in the TARDIS.

Some time between "Day of the Daleks" (DW1) and "The Sea Devils" (DW1), as shown in "The Curse of Peladon" (DW1).

Two ships disappear off the Southern coast of England when they are attacked by the group of aquatic Silurians working with the Master.

Some time before "The Sea Devils" (DW1).

The Sea Devils (DW1) 1-6: When the 3rd Doctor and Jo pay the Master a visit in his prison on Fortress Island, they discover his plan to aid the group of aquatic Silurians (nicknamed "Sea Devils" by some who encounter them) in an attempt to destroy humanity and reclaim the Earth. The Doctor attempts, without success, to make peace between humanity and the Sea Devils. When this fails, the Doctor reluctantly destroys the Sea Devils' base. The Master escapes captivity.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Mutants (DW1) 1: The 3rd Doctor and Jo are sent on a mission to the 30th century by the Time Lords.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Doctor begins work on a time sensor in hopes of tracking down the Master's TARDIS.

Sometime between "The Sea Devils" (DW1) and "The Time Monster" (DW1).

A strong volcanic eruption takes place in the Thena group of islands off Greece.

A day or two before "The Time Monster" (DW1).

c. September 29: The Time Monster (DW1) 1-4,6: The 3rd Doctor, Jo and UNIT discover the Master posing as Professor Thascalos at the Newton Institute. The "Professor's" device TOMTIT (Transmission of Matter Through Interstitial Time) is able to manipulate time and powered by the "Kronos Crystal", a crystal linked to its earlier self in ancient Atlantis. The Master is attempting to use the Crystal to summon Kronos, a Chronovore (a entity which feeds on time itself).

The Master is unable to fully control Kronos, so he travels back through time to Atlantis to improve his power over the Chronovore. The Doctor and Jo follow him back through time, returning shortly thereafter, having foiled the Master's plan, although they were unable to save Atlantis from destruction.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The alien being calling itself "Mary" kills a Richard Playle by tearing out his heart and consuming it.

Revealed during Owen's research in "Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW).

1974

War breaks out between the twin planets of Atrios and Zeos. This war has been caused by the Shadow, a minion of the Black Guardian, as part of a plan to recover the sixth segment of the Key to Time for his master. The Zeons are quickly wiped out, so to keep the war going, the Shadow forces renegade Time Lord, Drax, to build Mentalis. Mentalis, a powerful super-computer, will run the entire Zeon war campaign for the next five years.

Five years prior to "The Armageddon Factor" (DW1) (1979).

While monitoring cosmic rays, scientist Dr. Tyler encounters strange readings. He finds what appears to be a beam of light travelling faster than light-speed. This beam, which is scanning the Earth, is actually being sent by Omega, in search of the Doctor.

Some time before "The Three Doctors" (DW1).

The Three Doctors (DW1) 1-4: The Time Lords pull the 1st and 2nd Doctors out of their proper times to help the 3rd Doctor, Jo, and UNIT stop Omega. Omega, the "solar engineer" who, millions of years ago, gave the Time Lords their power source for time-travel, has been trapped in an anti-matter universe since this feat. In order to leave the anti-matter world he has created by force of will, Omega begins to drain all of the Time Lords' power and abducts the Doctor to take his place (bringing UNIT HQ along as well). Unfortunately, Omega's body has eroded, and the three Doctors must destroy Omega's realm before he can claim vengeance on the universe. For his assistance, the Time Lords reward the 3rd Doctor by lifting his exile to 20th century Earth.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

The Brigadier and Sgt. Benton check the grounds of UNIT HQ in an attempt to account for any equipment that may not have returned from Omega's realm.

Just after "The Three Doctors" (DW1).

The 3rd Doctor builds a new force-field generator for his now-functional TARDIS.

Shortly after "The Three Doctors" (DW1).

The 3rd Doctor and Jo take the TARDIS on a test-flight.

Some time after "The Three Doctors" (DW1), as shown in "Carnival of Monsters" (DW1).

Professor Clifford Jones, leader of the Wholeweal commune (nicknamed the "Nuthutch") in Llanfairfach, Wales, tries to borrow some cutting equipment from Global Chemicals; they refuse. Shortly after, that same cutting equipment in used at the now-closed Llanfairfach coal mine, and returned by miner Dave Griffiths.

"A fortnight back" from "The Green Death" (DW1).

Global Chemicals Director Stevens meets with representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, and gets full approval to go ahead with Global's new oil refining technique.

Shortly before "The Green Death" (DW1).

The Green Death (DW1) 1-6: After a number of suspicious deaths, the 3rd Doctor, Jo, and UNIT discover giant, diseased maggots in a mine in Llanfairfach, Wales. The maggots are a result of the pollution caused by Global Chemicals' oil refining techniques. The Doctor discovers that Global is actually run by a megalomaniacal super-computer called BOSS (Biomorphic Organisational Systems Supervisor), which intends to take control of the people of the world in an attempt to make them more efficient and increase Global's profits.

While Jo assists Professor Clifford Jones of the Nuthutch in finding a way to destroy the maggots, the Doctor manages to turn Global's Director, Mr. Stevens, against BOSS. Stevens destroys Global Chemicals, BOSS and himself in a massive explosion. Jo falls in love with Professor Jones and ends her time with UNIT and the Doctor.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Capt. Mike Yates goes on leave shortly after the events at Llanfairfach. During this leave, he is recruited into Operation: Golden Age.

Shortly after "The Green Death" (DW1), as described in "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1).

Professor Jones and Jo Grant pick up equipment in Cardiff, where they get married, and go on a trip to the Amazon Basin to search for rare types of fungus.

Some time following "The Green Death" (DW1).

Mark Briscoe and his future wife Sara are both born this year. They will be killed in 2007 by a man named Max Tresilian as part of an elaborate scheme of Torchwood Three's Suzie Costello.

"They Keep Killing Suzie" (TW). The Briscoes are both 33 at the time of their deaths.

Commander Guy Crayford is lost in deep space while testing the space freighter XK5 and is presumed dead. Journalist Sarah Jane Smith visits the Space Defence Station in Devesham to cover the story. Crayford has in fact been pulled through a space/time warp and hijacked by the Kraals. They trick him into helping them with their planned invasion of Earth, by claiming to have saved him after his ship suffered a gyro failure and reconstructed his shattered body, although he is in fact not injured at all.

Two years before "The Android Invasion" (DW1) (1976).

The alien being calling itself "Mary" kills a woman named Melanie Gough, tearing out her heart and consuming it.

Revealed during Owen's research in "Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW).

Professor Whitaker applies for a government grant to fund his experiments in time-travel, but is refused. Shortly after, he disappears completely and becomes involved in Charles Grover's Operation: Golden Age.

"Six months" before "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1).

November 22: Professor Alec Palmer and psychic Emma Grayling set up in Caliburn House and begin their investigations into its hauntings.

Three days before "Hide" (DW2), which begins on "night 4".

November 25-26: Hide (DW2): The 11th Doctor and Clara visit Caliburn House and help Professor Alec Palmer and psychic Emma Grayling investigate "the Witch of the Well", the ghost that has long haunted this location. The Doctor determines that the ghost is actually a human time traveller (and Palmer and Grayling's great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter) named Hila Tocorien, who is trapped in a pocket universe. Using Emma's psychic powers, the Doctor crosses a wormhole into the pocket universe and brings Hila back to normal space.

While in the pocket universe, the Doctor also encounters a strange creature whose mate has is stranded in Caliburn House. The Doctor briefly returns to the other reality to retrieve this being and reunited it with its mate.

Professor Palmer gives the date and time as late on November 25, 1974.

November 26: The 11th Doctor and Clara leave in the company of Hila Tocorien and the pair of strange creatures to find them new homes.

Following "Hide" (DW2).

Several hundred people are chosen by the people behind Operation: Golden Age as "colonists" to be sent in spaceships to a planet called "New Earth". The colonists are not told that New Earth will in fact be Earth reverted to an earlier period in history, wiping out the existence of millions of lives and countless civilizations. The "spaceships" the colonists are aboard are really complexes below ground in central London.

"Three months" before "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1).

1975

At a secret research facility focusing on space hardware, at least six leading scientists and a large amount of equipment, are pulled back through time to 1250 by Linx, a Sontaran, to fix his damaged ship. UNIT is called in to investigate, and the Brigadier sets up barracks for the scientists, isolating many from their families. One scientist, Professor Rubeish, doesn't seem to mind.

Meanwhile, reporter Sarah Jane Smith, believing she might get a story out of visiting the facility, decides to pose as her aunt, virologist Dr. Lavinia Smith, who is on a lecture tour in America, to gain entry.

Some time before "The Time Warrior" (DW1).

The Time Warrior (DW1) 1: The Brigadier assigns the 3rd Doctor to discover the reason for the missing scientists and equipment at the research centre. While at the centre, the Doctor first meets reporter Sarah Jane Smith. When the Doctor discovers that the scientists have been taken back through time, he follows in the TARDIS, unaware that Sarah Jane has unintentionally stowed away.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Due to the Doctor and Sarah Jane's actions in 13th century, the missing scientists are returned shortly to their native time.

Some time after "The Time Warrior" (DW1).

While the Doctor and Sarah in the past, dinosaurs start appearing in the streets of central London. Martial law is declared 8 million people are evaculated from that area of the city, leaving behind only looters. The dinosaurs have been brought from the past by the people involved in Operation: Golden Age to allow them to complete their plans.

In the "few weeks" between "The Time Warrior" (DW1) and "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1).

Invasion of the Dinosaurs (DW1) 1-6: Upon their return from the 13th century, the 3rd Doctor and Sarah Jane find central London abandoned, and UNIT under seige by dinosaurs appearing out of nowhere. It is uncovered that a group of men, led by MP Sir Charles Grover and including Capt. Mike Yates of UNIT and army General Finch, are attempting to reverse the flow of time, as part of a project called Operation: Golden Age. They intend to wipe out generations of human history in order to start over again with an unpolluted world with a select few. Their plot is foiled by the 3rd Doctor, Sarah and UNIT.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

After the failure of Operation: Golden Age, General Finch is court-martialed, while Capt. Yates is allowed to silently resign from UNIT. After his resignation, Yates becomes a student at a Tibetan monastery in Mummerset, in an attempt to make peace with himself.

Some time after "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1). Yates at the monastery revealed in "Planet of the Spiders" (DW1).

July: Toshiko Sato is born in London.

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW).

August 5: Melissa Moretti, the daughter of Torchwood operatives Lucia Moretti and Jack Harkness, is born. Later this year, Lucia leaves Torchwood.

"Children of Earth" (TW).

The Five Doctors: The 3rd Doctor is abducted to Gallifrey and returned shortly thereafter.

This scene must happen sometime after "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (DW1), as the Doctor knows Sarah Jane Smith, but before his regeneration in "Planet of the Spiders" (DW1).

The Name of the Doctor (DW2): A temporal duplicate of Clara Oswald is present as the 3rd Doctor is abducted, preventing the Great Intelligence from corrupting the Doctor's timeline.

This scene uses the same footage seen in "The Five Doctors" (DW1).

The horror novel The Fog by James Herbert is published. In 2008, millionaire Henry Parker will aquire an Arcateenian translation of the book.

As revealed in "A Day in the Death" (TW).

1976

The 3rd Doctor begins investigations into human psychic abilities.

Some time before "Planet of the Spiders" (DW1).

The United States, Russia, and China all agree to give the launch codes for their nuclear missiles to the government of Great Britain. In the event that international relations should get too tense, Britain would be able to use the codes to prevent the launch of those missiles.

"A few months" before "Robot" (DW1).

While Jo Grant and Professor Jones are on their expedition in the Amazon basin, they discover that their native bearers fear the Metebelis III Crystal given to them as a wedding gift by the Doctor. Jo decides to mail the crystal back to the Doctor.

Some time before "Planet of the Spiders" (DW1).

While doing research into human ESP, the 3rd Doctor discovers a stage magician called "Professor" Clegg, whom the Doctor believes to be a powerful psychic.

Shortly before "Planet of the Spiders" (DW1).

March/April: Planet of the Spiders (DW1) 1-6: The 3rd Doctor, Sarah Jane, and UNIT discover an incursion on Earth by "the Eight Legs", powerful, mutated psychic spiders from planet Metebelis III in the future. These spiders use several people studying at a rural Buddhist meditation centre in an attempt to retrieve the Metebelis III blue crystal in the Doctor's possession. The crystal will increase the spiders' leader, the Great One's to such a degree to have potential to conquer the universe. When the spiders successfully acquire the crystal, the Doctor and Sarah follow the spiders to the future. Although successful in retrieving the crystal, the Doctor finds himself truly terrified when confronting the Great One and returns to the present.

After speaking to K'anpo Rimpoche, leader of the meditation centre, and himself a Time Lord, the Doctor finds the courage to return to the future and face the Great One and defeat her completely. However, the Doctor's body suffers a massive amount of radiation damage and, upon his return to the present, he is forced to regenerate.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

April: Robot (DW1) 1-4: A group of rogue scientists calling itself the "Scientific Reform Society" attempts to blackmail the world into submission by threatening to launch a number of nuclear missiles. They are protected by an enormously powerful robot, K-1. A newly-regenerated 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane, and UNIT (including Medical Officer Harry Sullivan) manage to foil the SRS's plot. After accidentally destroying its creator, Professor J.P. Kettlewell, the robot goes berserk, and must be destroyed by a "metal virus", also developed by Kettlewell.

After this adventure, the Doctor decides to take a trip in the TARDIS with Sarah Jane, this time with Harry Sullivan in tow.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

In Tullock, Scotland, the Duke of Forgill, his gillie ("the Caber"), and Sister Lamont, a local nurse, are all replaced by Zygon duplicates. Some time after, two oil rigs off the coast of Scotland, one of them belonging to the Hibernian Oil Company are destroyed shortly after mysterious radio blackouts. These attacks are being caused by the Zygon-controlled Skarasen, whose route between Loch Ness and the open sea are being blocked by the rigs. UNIT is called in to investigate the attacks on the oil rigs and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart summons the Doctor by syonic beam Space/Time Telegraph.

Between "Robot" (DW1) and "Terror of the Zygons" (DW1).

Terror of the Zygons (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor, Sarah and Harry return to 20th century Earth to assist UNIT in their investigation into the destruction of the oil-rigs. They discover the existence of the Zygons, a race of shape-shifters who crashed on Earth centuries earlier, and now plan to take over the planet and remake it for their own species. They have at their disposal the Skarasen, a large cyborg which has been taken for the Loch Ness Monster for centuries. The Doctor destroys the Zygon ship and foils the aliens' plan. The Skarasen, apparently, continues to live peacefully in Loch Ness. Harry Sullivan decides to stay behind on Earth.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Pyramids of Mars (DW1) 2: The 4th Doctor shows Sarah Jane and Laurence Scarman from the year 1911 an alternate Earth, one devastated by Sutekh the Osiran in Scarman's time. This timeline is prevented by their actions when they return to that year.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Astronaut Guy Crayford, presumed dead for two years, makes contact with the Earth, saying that he has been stranded in orbit around Jupiter and is finally on his way home. This is in fact the prelude to the invasion of Earth by the Kraals.

Some time ("recently") before "The Android Invasion" (DW1).

June: The Android Invasion (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor and Sarah Jane land on the planet Oseidon, initially mistaking it for Earth, as a replica of the English town of Devesham is set up there. They discover that this is a training ground for android duplicates of the inhabitants of the real Devesham and the nearby Space Defence Station. With the help of a tricked Guy Crayford, the Kraal race intends to take over the village and Defense Station, then release a virus to wipe out all human life and allow the Kraal to inhabit the planet. Following the invasion force to Earth, the Doctor and Sarah Jane immobilize the androids, and Kraal scienitst Styggron is destroyed by the virus he developed.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Autumn: The Seeds of Doom (DW1) 1-6: A pair of Krynoid pods are discovered buried in the snows near a base in Antarctica and, on behalf of UNIT and the World Ecology Bureau, the 4th Doctor and Sarah Jane travel to the base to assess the situation. One of the base's scientists is infected by a pod, becoming an ambulatory, rampaging plant-based being. The creature is destroyed when the base is destroyed, but the second pod is stolen by agents of by eccentric millionaire Harrison Chase and taken to England.

The Doctor and Sarah Jane follow the pod and confront the insane Chase, who is pleased at the prospect of the Krynoid consuming all animal life on the planet. One of Chase's men is infected by the pod and grows to enormous proportions. The giant Krynoid is destroyed by a UNIT air-strike and Chase is accidentally killed by his own industrial-strength composter.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Lee Ball is killed by "Mary" when she rips out his heart and consumes it.

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW). Information seen during Owen's research.

The Hand of Fear (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor and Sarah Jane discover a fossilized hand in a quarry on Earth. This hand takes control of Sarah, who takes it to a nuclear power plant. The hand uses the energy from the plant to grow a new body (based on Sarah Jane) and reveals itself as Eldrad, a scientist from Kastria. Convincing the Doctor to take him to his own world, Eldrad assumes his true form and is revealed to be power-mad, but discovers his people are all dead, having sacrificed themselves rather than become Eldrad's army. The Doctor and Sarah knock Eldrad down a huge crevasse and leave him on Kastria before he can turn his attention to ruling the Earth.

The Doctor receives a summons from Gallifrey. Unable to bring Sarah Jane with him to his home world, he leaves her behind on Earth.

For story dating, see The Trouble with UNIT.

Sarah realizes that, instead of leaving her in her current home of South Croyden, the Doctor has dropped her off in Aberdeen.

As revealed in "School Reunion" (DW2).

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart retires from UNIT. Soon after, he becomes a teacher of mathematics at Brendon School.

"Seven years" prior to the 1983 portion of "Mawdryn Undead" (DW1).

1977

During this year, two Voyager space probes are launched by NASA. Both include the "Voyager Golden Record", a phonograph record filled with sounds and images from Earth, intended for any extraterrestrial life that may encounter the probe. In the 21st century, an unknown race will send a response in an alien artefact dubbed "the Pulse", which will be recovered by Torchwood.

As partly explained by Owen in "A Day in the Death" (TW).

February 14: Former Torchwood operative Lucia Moretti's application to put her daughter Melissa into deep cover is approved. Melissa is renamed Alice Sangster.

"Children of Earth" (TW).

May: The science-fantasy movie Star Wars is released. It will become one of the most popular and influential films of all time, its popularity lasting well into the 51st century.

Captain John Hart, native to the 51st century, quotes the film in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" (TW).

May: A series of interviews with former US President Richard Nixon by British journalist David Frost airs on television. Frost's aggressive questioning leads Nixon to make a number of self-damning statements, cementing the public's view of the former President as a corrupt politician.

The Doctor alludes to this real historical event in "Day of the Moon" (DW2), when in 1969 he tells Nixon to "say hello to David Frost for me".

June 7: Mawdryn Undead (DW1) 2-4: Nyssa and Tegan arrive from 1983 in the TARDIS, believing it to be six years in the future. Here they encounter Mawdryn, whom they mistake for a regenerating Doctor. They also meet the Doctor's friend, former-Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, now a maths teacher at Brendon Public School. In an attempt to help the "Doctor", they all travel to Mawdryn's ship in orbit, also travelling ahead to 1983. A short time later, Lethbridge-Stewart is returned, but due to events in 1983, has partial amnesia and does not remember the Doctor or anything relating to him.

Takes place at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubliee. The exact date is given in the 1983 portion of the story. See also The Trouble with UNIT.

Lethbridge-Stewart's confusion arising from his partial amnesia is diagnosed as a small nervous breakdown by Doctor Runciman.

Shortly after "Mawdryn Undead" (DW1).

July 30-31: Image of the Fendahl (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor and Leela encounter a group of scientists, working under Professor Fendalman, in a village near a time fissure. The scientists are attempting to discover the secrets of a 12 million year old, apparently human skull, probing the far past using a "sonic time scanner". The skull is in fact all that remains of a dormant Fendahl, a creature which feeds indiscriminately on life energy. The Fendahl has been maniputing human evolution, waiting for the appropriate technology levels to allow its resurrection. It attempts to manifest itself through scientist Thea Ransome; the Doctor barely destroys the lab and equipment before it succeeds.

Contemporary story. On the second day of the adventure, Mrs. Tyler says that is it "Lammas Eve".

The Doctor drops the skull of the Fendahl into a supernova in the constellation of Canthares.

Shortly after "Image of the Fendahl" (DW1).

Toshiko Sato, aged 2, and her family move to Osaka, Japan.

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW).

Professor Emilia Rumford attends a lecture in New York, bringing with her a policeman's truncheon "in case she gets mugged". She is arrested for possession of an offensive weapon.

A year before "The Stones of Blood" (DW1) (1978).

1978

February 25: Saeed Taufeeq is born. In the early 21st century, he will become a victim of a negative spike in Cardiff Rift activity.

"Adrift" (TW).

Underworld (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor, Leela and K-9 help a group of Minyans in their "Quest" to discover the location of the P7E, a ship containing their people's race bank, launched 100 000 years previously. They discover the P7E buried at the heart of a young planet, where the descendants of the crew are being treated as slaves by "the Oracle", the P7E's rogue computer. The Oracle is tricked into destroying itself, and the Minyans, along with the race banks and the P7E descendants, are able to move on to a new world to colonize.

No connections to Earth. Assumed contemporary.

Chris Parsons graduates from Cambridge University with an Honours Degree in Chemistry.

"Shada" (DW1).

August 16: Future Torchwood 3 operative Gwen Cooper is born.

First seen on a screen in "Children of Earth" (TW).

The Pirate Planet (DW1) 1-4: Searching for the second segment of the Key to Time, the 4th Doctor, K-9 Mark II and the 1st Romana land on the planet Zanak, instead of Calufrax, as expected. They discover that Zanak, ruled by "the Captain" (a cyborg and space pirate), is a hollow planet which materializes around other planets and crushes them down to use their mineral wealth. Queen Xanxia, former tyrant of Zanak and believed long-dead, has been using the devoured worlds' resources to power Time Dams, keeping her alive in the last few moments of life, and to create a new, young body for her to inhabit.

Before Zanak can materialize around Earth, the time-travellers disable the planet's engines, ending Zanak's planetary plundering and destroying Queen Xanxia and her puppet, the Captain. They also recover the second Key segment, disguised as the remains of the planet Calufrax itself.

Earth is not visited but mentioned briefly as Zanak's next victim. Without more dating evidence, this story is assumed contemporary.

The Stones of Blood (DW1) 1-4: The 4th Doctor, K-9 Mark II and the 1st Romana arrive on Earth to find the third segment of the Key to Time. While searching, they discover an escaped prisoner from Tau Ceti, the Cessair of Diplos, who has been masquerading as the Cailleach, a Druidic goddess, for 4000 years. The time-travellers are able to free the Megara, two "justice machines," from their ship trapped in hyperspace, so that sentence may be passed on the Cessair. They also retrieve the third Key segment from the Cessair, disguised as the Great Seal of Diplos, which allowed her to disguise herself as a human.

Contemporary adventure.

"Mary" kills Iffy Okoli, tearing his heart out and eating it.

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" (TW). Seen during Owen's research.

The Doctor drops off a crate, containing K9 Mark III, at Sarah Jane Smith's home in Croyden, as a gift for Sarah. Through K9, he leaves this message: "Give Sarah Jane Smith my fondest love; tell her I shall remember her always."

"A Girl's Best Friend" (K9).

1979

January 21: Dan Hodges is born. By 2008, he will be a member (and casualty) of the Weevil "fight club" by Mark Lynch.

"Combat" (TW).

January 26: In Paris, France, the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle opens the exhibit 3 million d'années d'aventure humaine, which runs until May 31.

As seen on a poster in "City of Death" (DW1).

February 17: The People's Republic of China invades northern Vietnam, launching the Sino-Vietnamese War.

The Doctor mentions this event in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

The Armageddon Factor (DW1) 1-6: In search of the sixth and final segment of the Key to Time, the 4th Doctor, K-9 Mark II and the 1st Romana visit the twin planets of Atrios and Zeos, which are involved in a devastating war. The war is in fact part of the plan of a mysterious being called the Shadow, who is working for the Black Guardian. With some help from the rogue Time Lord, Drax, the time-travellers are able to put an end to the war, and recover the sixth segment, disguised as Princess Astra of Atrios. After the Key is reassembled, and balance is restored to the universe, the Doctor disperses the Key, making sure Astra is returned to her human form.

The Black Guardian is angered by the Doctor's interference, leading the Doctor to install a "randomiser", which makes it impossible to predict where or when the TARDIS will appear next.

No connections with Earth; assumed contemporary.

May 4: The Conservative Party wins the British general election, and Margaret Thatcher becomes the country's first female prime minister.

As mentioned by the Doctor in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

City of Death (DW1) 1-4: While vacationing in Paris, the 4th Doctor and the 2nd Romana encounter art-thief Count Carlos Scarlioni, who steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. The Count is, in fact, the last of 12 "splinters", spread throughout Earth's history, of Scaroth, the last of the Jagaroth. The Count has become an art-thief in order to finance his time-travel experiments, which will allow him to travel back in time to prevent the accident which spread him through time. However, the accident is crucial for the initial formation of life on Earth, so the Doctor and Romana, accompanied by a Detective Duggan, follow him back to 400 000 000 BC to foil his plan.

The Doctor confirms the year of this contemporary adventure as "1979".

June 22: The Muppet Movie is released.

Mentioned by the Doctor in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

July 11: The space station Skylab begins its return to Earth, breaking up in the planet's atmosphere. There are no human casualties. The Doctor has some involvement with getting the station safely down (nearly costing him a thumb), although exactly in what capacity is unclear.

The Doctor makes this claim in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

Alex Arwyn is born. In 2007, he will be killed by a brainwashed Max Tresilian.

"They Keep Killing Suzie" (TW). Alex is 28 when he is killed.

The Creature from the Pit (DW1) 1-4: Answering a distress call, the 4th Doctor, the 2nd Romana and K-9 Mark II arrive Chloris, a world plant-rich but mineral-poor, and ruled by the cruel Lady Adrasta, who holds a monopoly on the planet's mineral wealth. There they discover Erato, a huge blob-like creature and ambassador from the metal-abundant planet of Tythonus, being held captive in "the Pit" by Adrasta and referred to only as "the Creature". Erato arrived years earlier to negotiate a trade agreement between the two planet, but Adrasta, in an attempt to retain her metal monopoly, had him imprisoned. After freeing Erato, the travellers also save Chloris from a neutron star sent by the Tythonians in retaliation for their ambassador's imprisonment.

No connection to Earth history and assumed contemporary.

Sergeant Benton leaves the army and takes up selling used cars.

"Mawdryn Undead" (DW1).

"Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" by Ian Drury and the Blockheads is a number one single in the UK.

As mentioned in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

Sarah Jane Smith's aunt Lavinia moves to the village of Moreton Harwood. Sarah visits her around this time, first meeting Bill Pollock.

"Two years" before "K9 and Company" (K9) (1981).

The head of a Cyberman, possibly a remnant of their 1971 invasion, is recovered from the sewers under London. It will eventually become part of American billionaire Henry van Stratten's private collection of extraterrestrial artefacts.

Although not very visible on screen, the date and details of the head's discovery are given on the plaque below it when it appears in "Dalek" (DW2). The head being the remnant of a Cyberman from "The Invasion" is conjectural and very possibly wrong, as it is the incorrect style of Cyberman design.

Eugene Jones is born.

Eugene is 28 years old at the time of his death in "Random Shoes" (TW) (2007).

November 21: Ian Drury and the Blockheads appear in concert at the Top Rank in Sheffield. The 10th Doctor and Rose attempt to attend this concert, but end up 100 years off course.

Actual event mentioned in "Tooth and Claw" (DW2).

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Or travel forward through time to the 1980s.