Timeline: Eliza Perrin Burles: Steven's Genealogy

Steven's Genealogy
Willingale, Wright, Savill, Murrell, Burles, Bradd, Galley, Stein & Stebbing Family Names

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1839 - 1924 (85 years)

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Timeline

Eliza Perrin Burles (1839 - 1924)

	Date	Event(s)
1	1839	1839: First Opium War First Opium War between Britain and China (to 1842) - Britain captures Hong Kong 1839: Kirkpatrick MacMillan Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick MacMillan refines the primitive bicycle adding a mechanical crank drive to the rear wheel,thus creating the first true 'bicycle' in the modern Sense 1839: Charles Goodyear Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber
2	1840	1840: Census Population Act relating to taking of censuses in Britain 1840: Last convicts landed in NSW Last convicts landed in NSW (some say 1842 or 1849, but these probably landed elsewhere) 10 Jan 1840: Penny Postage Uniform Penny Postage introduced nationally
3	1841	1841: Thomas Cook Thomas Cook starts package tours 10 Feb 1841: Penny Red Penny Red replaces Penny Black postage stamp 6 Jun 1841: First full census June 6: First full census in Britain in which all names were recorded(Population 18.5M)
4	1842	1842: Income Tax reintroduced Income Tax reintroduced in Britain 30 Mar 1842: Ether used as an anesthetic Ether used as an anesthetic for the first time (by Dr Crawford Long in America) 29 Aug 1842: Treaty of Nanking Treaty of Nanking - End of First Opium War - Britain gains Hong Kong
5	1843	1843: First Christmas card First Christmas card in England 27 May 1843: Great Hall of Euston station opens The Great Hall of Euston station opened in London 19 Jul 1843: SS Great Britain Brunel's 'Great Britain' launched
6	1844	6 Jun 1844: YMCA founded YMCA founded in London by Sir George Williams
7	1845	1845: Tarmac laid for first time Tarmac laid for first time (in Nottingham) 17 Mar 1845: Rubber band patented The rubber band patented by Stephen Perry
8	1846	10 Sep 1846: Sewing machine is patented The sewing machine is patented by Elias Howe
9	1847	1847: Mormons US Mormons make Salt Lake City their centre Jan 1847: Anesthetic used for the first time in England An anesthetic used for the first time in England (James Simpson used ether to numb the pain of labour)
10	1848	1848: Chewing gum First commercial production of chewing gum 24 Jan 1848: California gold rush Gold found at Sutter's Mill, California - starts the California gold rush 11 Jul 1848: Waterloo station opens Waterloo railway station in London opens
11	1849	1849: Florin introduced Florin(2 shilling coin) introduced as the first step to decimalisation - which finally occurred in 1971!
12	1851	1851: Gold Rush Gold discovered in Australia 1 May 1851: 'Crystal Palace' exhibition Great exhibition of the works of industry of all nations ('Crystal Palace' exhibition) opened in Hyde Park
13	1852	1852: Tasmania Tasmania ceases to be a convict settlement 1852: Wells Fargo Wells Fargo established in USA
14	1853	1853: Vaccination against smallpox Vaccination against smallpox made compulsory in Britain
15	1854	1854: Cigarettes introduced into Britain Cigarettes introduced into Britain 27 Mar 1854: Crimean War Britain declares war on Russia (Crimean War) 25 Oct 1854: charge of the Light Brigade Battle of Balaklava in Crimea (charge of the Light Brigade)
16	1856	1856: End of Crimean War End of Crimean War 29 Jan 1856: Victoria Cross created by Royal Warran Victoria Cross created by Royal Warrant, backdated to 1854 to recognise acts during the Crimean War (first award ceremony 26 June 1857)
17	1857	1857: Transatlantic cable Work starts on the laying of the Transatlantic cable
18	1858	1858: The great stink 'The great stink' - smell of the River Thames forced Parliament to stop work 1858: Royal Opera House Royal Opera House opens in Covent Garden, London
19	1859	25 Apr 1859: Work Started on the Suez canal Work started on building the Suez canal (opened 17 Nov 1869) 4 May 1859: Royal Albert Bridge opened Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge opened at Saltash giving rail link between Devon and Cornwall 24 Nov 1859: The Origin of Species published Charles Darwin publishes 'The Origin of Species'
20	1860	29 Aug 1860: First tram service in Europe starts First tram service in Europe starts in Birkenhead
21	1861	25 May 1861: American Civil War begins American Civil War begins
22	1862	20 Apr 1862: First pasteurisation test First pasteurisation test completed by Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard
23	1863	1863: Football Association founded Football Association founded (UK) 1863: Broadmoor opens Opening of state institution for criminally insane at Broadmoor, England 10 Jan 1863: London Underground First section of the London Underground Railway opens - In 1855 an Act of Parliament was passed approving the construction of an underground railway between Paddington Station and Farringdon Street via King's Cross which was to be called the Metropolitan Railway.
24	1864	1864: First recorded successful attack by a submarine on a surface ship A man-powered submarine, 'Hunley' sank a Federal steam ship USS Housatonic at the entrance to Charleston harbour in 1864 - the first recorded successful attack by a submarine on a surface ship 11 Mar 1864: Great Sheffield Flood The Great Sheffield Flood - over 250 died when a new dam broke while it was being filled for the first time 20 Aug 1864: Red Cross established Red Cross established - Twelve nations sign the First Geneva Convention 8 Dec 1864: Clifton Suspension Bridge Clifton Suspension Bridge over the River Avon officially opened
25	1865	1865: First woman doctor in England Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917) becomes first woman doctor in England [she later became the first woman mayor in England, in Aldeburgh 1908] 1865: Last convicts landed in NSW First concrete roads built in Britain 14 Apr 1865: End of American Civil War End of American Civil War - slavery abolished in USA 14 Apr 1865: Abraham Lincoln assassinated Abraham Lincoln assassinated in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth 5 Jul 1865: Salvation Army founded William Booth (1829-1912) founds Salvation Army, in London
26	1867	1 Jul 1867: Canadian Confederation The British North America Act takes effect, creating the Canadian Confederation
27	1868	1868: Last convicts landed in Australia Last convicts landed in Australia (Western Australia)
28	1869	1869: Washing machines Ball bearings, celluloid, margarine, and washing machines, all invented 23 Nov 1869: Cutty Sark Cutty Sark launched in Dumbarton
29	1870	1870: General Post Office GPO takes over the privately-owned Telegraph Companies (nationalised) 1870: Dr Thomas Barnardo Dr Thomas Barnardo opens his first home for destitute children 1870: Water closets Water closets come into wide use 1870: Diamonds Diamonds discovered in Kimberley, South Africa 1 Oct 1870: First British postcard First British postcard - halfpenny post
30	1871	27 Mar 1871: First Rugby Football international First Rugby Football international, England v Scotland, played in Edinburgh 29 Mar 1871: Royal Albert Hall Opening of Royal Albert Hall, London 29 Jun 1871: Trades Unions legalised Trades Unions legalised in Britain, but picketing made illegal
31	1872	1872: Licensing hours introduced Licensing hours introduced 1872: Penalties introduced Penalties introduced for failing to register births, marriages & deaths (Eng & Wales) 4 Dec 1872: Mary Celeste American ship 'Mary Celeste' is found abandoned by the British brig 'Dei Gratia' in the Atlantic Ocean
32	1874	1874: 56-hour week Factory Act introduces 56-hour week 5 Apr 1874: Birkenhead Park opened Birkenhead Park opened, said to be the first civic public park in the world - features of it later copied in Central Park, New York
33	1875	1875: London's main sewage system completed. Joseph Bazalgette, a civil engineer and Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works, was given responsibility for the work. He designed an extensive underground sewerage system that diverted waste to the Thames Estuary, downstream of the main centre of population. Six main interceptor sewers, totalling almost 100 miles (160 km) in length, were constructed, some incorporating stretches of London's 'lost' rivers. Three of these sewers were north of the river, the southernmost, low-level one being incorporated in the Thames Embankment. 1 Jan 1875: Second Class passenger facilities abolished Midland Railway abolishes Second Class passenger facilities, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies followed during the rest of the year. (Third Class was renamed Second Class in 1956)
34	1876	14 Feb 1876: Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray each file a patent for the telephone - Bell awarded the rights
35	1877	1877: Edison invents microphone Edison invents microphone and phonograph
36	1878	1878: Electric lamp invented Edison & Swan invent electric lamp 1878: Red Flag Act in Red Flag Act in Britain limits mechanical road vehicles to 4mph 1878: CID established Criminal Investigation Department established at New Scotland Yard
37	1879	18 Sep 1879: Blackpool illuminations Blackpool illuminations switched on for first time
38	1880	1880: Education Act: Education Act: schooling compulsory for 5-10 year olds 1880: Malaria Mosquito found to be the carrier of malaria 2 Aug 1880: Greenwich Mean Time Greenwich Mean Time adopted throughout UK
39	1881	1881: Postal Orders introduced Postal Orders introduced 1881: Flogging abolished Flogging abolished in Army and Royal Navy Sep 1881: First town with electricity supply Godalming in Surrey became the first town in England to have a public electricity supply installed (but in 1884 it reverted to gas lighting until 1904) 26 Oct 1881: Gunfight at OK Corral Gunfight at OK Corral
40	1882	1882: Fourth Eddystone Lighthouse completed Fourth Eddystone Lighthouse completed
41	1883	1883: Statue of Liberty Statue of Liberty presented to USA by France 24 May 1883: Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge, New York opens (crosses East River) 1 Aug 1883: Parcel post starts in Britain Parcel post starts in Britain 27 Aug 1883: Eruption of Krakatoa Eruption of Krakatoa near Java - 30,000 killed by tidal wave
42	1884	31 May 1884: Kellogg's corn flakes John Harvey Kellogg patents corn flakes 13 Oct 1884: Greenwich made prime meridian Greenwich made prime meridian of the world
43	1885	1885: Carl Benz Carl Benz builds the 'Motorwagen', a single-cylinder motor car 1885: Gottlieb Daimler Gottlieb Daimler patents the world's first motorcycle 1885: first coated photographic paper Eastman makes first coated photographic paper Mar 1885: First UK cremation in modern times First UK cremation in modern times took place at Woking 5 Sep 1885: Severn Tunnel The first train runs through the Severn Tunnel 29 Sep 1885: Blackpool Trams First electric tramcar used at Blackpool
44	1886	20 Jan 1886: Mersey railway opened Mersey railway (under Mersey) opened by Prince of Wales May 1886: Coca-Cola Pharmacist John Styth Pemberton invents a carbonated beverage later named 'Coca-Cola' 29 May 1886: Putney Bridge Putney Bridge opens in London
45	1887	1887: Daimler produces a four-wheeled motor car Daimler produces a four-wheeled motor car
46	1888	1888: Suez Canal Convention of Constantinople guarantees free maritime passage through Suez Canal in war and peace 1888: Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper active in east London during the latter half of the year 1888: County Councils County Councils set up in Britain 1888: Pneumatic tyre invented Dunlop invents pneumatic tyre 1888: First box camera First box camera - George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak, and receives a patent for his camera which uses roll film 20 Mar 1888: Football League Football League formed
47	1889	1889: Celluloid film Celluloid film produced 1889: Dock Strike Dock Strike - docker's won their 'Docker's Tanner' 6 old pennies 31 Mar 1889: Eiffel Tower Eiffel Tower completed (to mark centenary of French Revolution) 14 May 1889: NSPCC charity launched Children's charity NSPCC launched in London 3 Jun 1889: Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway completed from coast to coast 28 Sep 1889: Length of a metre defined Length of a metre defined
48	1890	4 Mar 1890: Forth railway bridge opens Forth railway bridge opens - took six years to build 4 Nov 1890: City & South London Railway opens City & South London Railway opens - London's first deep-level tube railway and first major railway in the world to use electric traction
49	1891	1891: Primary education Primary education made free and compulsory 18 Mar 1891: London & Paris First telephone link between London & Paris 4 May 1891: Reichenbach Falls Fictional date when Sherlock Holmes throws Moriarty over Reichenbach Falls, then disappears for 3 years! (published in 1893) 24 Aug 1891: Thomas Edison Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera
50	1892	1892: Electric oven invented Electric oven invented 1892: Shop Hours Act Shop Hours Act - limit 74 hours per week for under-18's 6 Oct 1892: Alfred Lord Tennyson Alfred Lord Tennyson dies, aged 83, at his house Aldworth, near Haslemere
51	1893	1893: Henry Ford Henry Ford's first car 1893: Zip fastener invented Zip fastener invented
52	1894	1894: Picture postcard Picture postcard introduced in Britain 1 Jan 1894: Manchester Ship Canal Manchester Ship Canal opens 1 Mar 1894: Blackpool Tower opens Blackpool Tower opens 30 Jun 1894: Tower Bridge Tower Bridge first opens 2 Aug 1894: Death duties Death duties first introduced in Britain
53	1895	1895: Promenade Concerts Sir Henry Wood starts Promenade Concerts in London 12 Jan 1895: The National Trust The National Trust founded in England 24 May 1895: Henry Irving Henry Irving becomes the first person from the theatre to be knighted 28 May 1895: Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde sent to prison 12 Jul 1895: First recorded motor journey of any length First recorded motor journey of any length (56 miles) in Britain 17 Oct 1895: First motor offences First people in Britain to be charged with motor offences - John Henry Knight and James Pullinger of Farnham, Surrey Nov 1895: X-rays discovered X-rays discovered
54	1896	5 Apr 1896: First modern Olympic Games First modern Olympic Games held in Athens 2 Jun 1896: Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Marconi receives a British patent (later disputed) for the radio
55	1897	1897: Thomas Edison Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope, the first movie projector
56	1898	1898: First photograph using artificial light First photograph using artificial light 1898: Zeppelin airship Zeppelin builds airship 17 Mar 1898: USS Holland launched USS Holland launched, the first practical submarine 27 Jun 1898: First solo circumnavigation of the globe The first solo circumnavigation of the globe completed at Rhode island by Joshua Slocum in Spray (started from Boston, Mass on Apr 24, 1895)
57	1899	6 Mar 1899: Aspirin Aspirin first marketed by Bayer 11 Oct 1899: Second Boer War Start of Second Boer War
58	1900	1900: School leaving age School leaving age in Britain raised to 14 years 1900: Central Line Central Line opens in London: underground is electrified 1900: Escalators Escalator shown at Paris exhibition 9 Feb 1900: Davis Cup Davis Cup tennis competition established 27 Feb 1900: Labour Party formed Labour Party formed
59	1901	1901: Commonwealth of Australia Commonwealth of Australia founded 1901: Vacuum cleaner Hubert Cecil Booth patents the vacuum cleaner 22 Jan 1901: Queen Victoria dies Queen Victoria dies - Edward VII king 2 Feb 1901: Queen Victoria's funeral Queen Victoria's funeral - interred beside Prince Albert in the Frogmore Mausoleum at Windsor Great Park Jun 1901: Concentration camps Denunciation of use of concentration camps by British in Boer War 2 Oct 1901: Britain's first submarine launched Britain's first submarine launched 12 Dec 1901: Radio transmission across the Atlantic First successful radio transmission across the Atlantic, by Marconi - Morse code from Cornwall to Newfoundland
60	1902	1902: Balfour's Education Act Balfour's Education Act provides for secondary education 1902: Cremation Act Cremation Act - cremation can only take place at officially recognised establishments, and with two death certificates issued 1902: Marie Curie Marie Curie discovers radioactivity 24 May 1902: Empire Day Empire Day (later Commonwealth Day) first celebrated 31 May 1902: Treaty of Vereeniging Treaty of Vereeniging ends Second Boer War 9 Aug 1902: Edward VII Coronation of Edward VII
61	1903	1903: Workers' Education Association (WEA) Workers' Education Association (WEA) formed in Britain 1903: Women's Social and Political Union Women's Social and Political Union formed in Britain by Emmeline Pankhurst 1903: Henry Ford Henry Ford sets up his motor company 14 Dec 1903: First flight First flight of Wilbur & Orville Wright
62	1904	1904: Leeds University established Leeds University established 8 Apr 1904: Entente Cordiale France and UK sign the Entente Cordiale 4 May 1904: Panama Canal America takes over construction of the Panama Canal from the French (completed 1914)
63	1905	1905: Prime Minister The title 'Prime Minister' noted in a royal warrant for the first time - placed the Prime Minister in order of precedence in Britain immediately after the Archbishop of York 1905: Aliens Act in Britain Aliens Act in Britain: Home Office controls immigration 11 Apr 1905: Special Theory of Relativity Einstein publishes Special Theory of Relativity
64	1906	1906: Free school meals Introduction of free school meals for poor children 10 Feb 1906: HMS Dreadnought Launching of HMS Dreadnought, first turbine-driven battleship 15 Mar 1906: Rolls-Royce Ltd Rolls-Royce Ltd registered 26 May 1906: Vauxhall Bridge Vauxhall Bridge opened in London 20 Sep 1906: RMS Mauretania Launching of Cunard's RMS Mauretania on the Tyne
65	1907	1907: New Zealand New Zealand becomes a Dominion 1907: Imperial College, London Imperial College, London, is established 1907: First airship flies over London First airship flies over London 1907: colour photography Lumiere develops a process for colour photography Jul 1907: Bakelite Leo Hendrik Baekeland patents Bakelite, the first plastic invented that held its shape after being heated 1 Aug 1907: Baden-Powell Baden-Powell leads the first Scout camp on Brownsea Island 9 Nov 1907: Cullinan Diamond The Cullinan Diamond presented to Edward VII on his birthday
66	1908	1908: Coal Mines Regulation Act Coal Mines Regulation Act in Britain limits men to an eight hour day 1908: Separate courts for juveniles Separate courts for juveniles established in Britain 1908: Lord Baden-Powell Lord Baden-Powell starts the Boy Scout movement 1 Jul 1908: SOS SOS became effective as an international signal of distress 12 Aug 1908: First Ford Model T First 'Model T' Ford made
67	1909	1909: Beveridge Report Beveridge Report prompts creation of labour Exchanges 1909: Peary reaches the north pole Peary reaches the north pole 1909: First commercial manufacture of Bakelite First commercial manufacture of Bakelite - start of the plastic age 1 Jan 1909: Old Age Pensions Act Old Age Pensions Act came into force 16 Jan 1909: Ernest Shackleton Ernest Shackleton's expedition finds the magnetic South Pole 15 Mar 1909: Selfridges Selfridges department store opens in London 25 Jul 1909: Bleriot flies across the Channel Bleriot flies across the Channel (36 minutes, Calais to Dover)
68	1910	1910: Railway and coal strikes Railway strike and coal strikes in Britain 1910: Constitutional crisis in Britain The 1909 People's Budget was a product of then British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith's Liberal government, introducing many unprecedented taxes on the wealthy and radical social welfare programmes to Britain's political life. It was championed by Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George and his strong ally Winston Churchill, who was then President of the Board of Trade; the duo was called the "Terrible Twins" by contemporaries 1910: Dr Crippen Dr Crippen caught by radio telegraphy; hanged 23 Nov at Pentonville 1910: Madame Curie Madame Curie isolates radium 1910: Halley's comet Halley's comet reappears 1910: Tango becomes popular Tango becomes popular in North America and Europe 6 May 1910: Edward VII dies Edward VII dies - George V becomes King
69	1911	1911: Parliament Act Parliament Act in Britain reduces the power of the House of Lords 1911: British MPs receive a salary British MPs receive a salary 1911: Official Secrets Act First British Official Secrets Act 1911: theory of atomic structures Rutherford: theory of atomic structures 1911: Strikes by seamen, dock and transport workers Strikes by seamen, dock and transport workers (1911-1912) 2 Apr 1911: Census Census: Population - England and Wales: 36 Million; Scotland: 4.6 Million; N Ireland: 1.25 Million 22 Jun 1911: George V Coronation of George V 14 Dec 1911: National Insurance National Insurance introduced in Britain
70	1912	1912: Irish Home Rule crisis Irish Home Rule crisis grows in Britain 1912: Britain nationalises the telephone system Britain nationalises the telephone system 1912: Discovery of the 'Piltdown Man' Discovery of the 'Piltdown Man' - The significance of the specimen remained the subject of controversy until it was exposed in 1953 as a forgery, consisting of the lower jawbone of an orangutan deliberately combined with the skull of a fully developed modern human. 18 Jan 1912: Captain Scott's last expedition Captain Scott's last expedition - he and his team reach the south pole on Jan 18th; all die on the way back, their bodies found in November 14 Apr 1912: Titanic sinks The 'unsinkable' Titanic sinks on maiden voyage - loss of 1,513 lives 13 May 1912: Royal Flying Corps Royal Flying Corps (later merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to become the RAF) founded in Britain
71	1913	1913: Third Irish Home Rule Bill rejected by House of Lords Third Irish Home Rule Bill rejected by House of Lords - threat of civil war in Ireland - formation of Ulster Volunteers to oppose Home Rule 1913: Suffragette demonstrations Suffragette demonstrations in London - Mrs Pankhurst imprisoned 1913: Trade Union Act Trade Union Act in Britain establishes the right to use Union funds for political purposes 1913: Stainless steel invented Invention of stainless steel by Harry Brearley of Sheffield 1913: Geiger Counter Geiger invents his counter to measure radioactivity 4 Jun 1913: Emily Davison Emily Davison, a suffragette, runs out in front of the king's horse, Anmer, at the Epsom Derby and dies
72	1914	1914: Irish Home Rule Act Irish Home Rule Act provides for a separate Parliament in Ireland; the position of Ulster to be decided after the War 1914: Chaplin and De Mille Chaplin and De Mille make their first films 28 Jun 1914: Archduke Ferdinand Archduke Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo 4 Aug 1914: Britain declares war on Germany Britain declares war on Germany, citing Belgian neutrality as reason 5 Aug 1914: British cableship Telconia British cableship Telconia cut through all five of Germany's undersea telegraph links to the outside world 15 Aug 1914: Panama Canal opened Panama Canal opened, the Canal cement boat 'Ancon' making the first official transit (plans for a grand opening were cancelled due to the start of WW1) Oct 1914: Battle of Ypres Battle of Ypres - beginning of trench warfare on western front 27 Nov 1914: First policewoman First policewoman goes on duty in Britain 16 Dec 1914: German battleships German battleships bombard Hartlepool and Scarborough
73	1915	1915: Junkers Junkers construct first fighter aeroplane 1915: Automatic telephone exchange First automatic telephone exchange in Britain 19 Jan 1915: Zeppelin air raid First Zeppelin air raid on England, over East Anglia - four killed Feb 1915: Submarine blockade Submarine blockade of Britain starts Apr 1915: Second Battle of Ypres Second Battle of Ypres - poison gas used for first time 25 Apr 1915: Gallipoli campaign Gallipoli campaign starts (declared ANZAC Day in 1916) 7 May 1915: RMS Lusitania RMS Lusitania sunk by German submarine off coast of Ireland - 1,198 died 16 May 1915: Women's Institute First meeting of a British WI (Women's Institute) took place in Llanfairpwll (aka Llanfair PG), Anglesey
74	1916	1916: Compulsory military service Compulsory military service introduced in Britain Feb 1916: Battle of Verdun Battle of Verdun - appalling losses on both sides, stalemate continues 24 Apr 1916: Easter Rising in Ireland Easter Rising in Ireland - after the leaders are executed, public opinion backs independence 21 May 1916: Daylight Saving Time First use of Daylight Saving Time in UK 31 May 1916: Battle of Jutland Battle of Jutland - only major naval battle between the British and German fleets 5 Jun 1916: Death of Kitchener Sinking of HMS Hampshire and death of Kitchener 3 Aug 1916: Sir Roger Casement Sir Roger Casement, Irish nationalist, activist, patriot and poet, hanged at Pentonville Prison for treason 15 Sep 1916: First use of tanks in battle First use of tanks in battle, but of limited effect (Battle of the Somme 1 July to 18 Nov: over 1 million casualties) 7 Dec 1916: David Lloyd-George Lloyd-George becomes British Prime Minister of the coalition government
75	1917	1917: Battle of Cambrai Battle of Cambrai - first use of massed tanks, but effect more psychological than actual 1917: Ministry of Labour Ministry of Labour is established in Britain Feb 1917: February revolution in Russia February revolution in Russia; Tsar Nicholas abdicates 16 Apr 1917: Lenin returns to Russia Lenin returns to Russia after exile 17 Apr 1917: USA declares war on Germany USA declares war on Germany 26 May 1917: George V George V changes surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor (Royal proclamation on 17 July) Jul 1917: Battle of Passchendaele Battle of Passchendaele - little gained by either side (Jul-Nov) 7 Nov 1917: 'October' Revolution 'October' Revolution in Russia - Bolsheviks overthrow provisional government; Lenin becomes Chief Commissar 6 Dec 1917: Halifax (Nova Scotia) Explosion Halifax (Nova Scotia) Explosion, one of the world's largest artificial non-nuclear explosions to date: a ship loaded with wartime explosives blew up after a collision, obliterating buildings and structures within two square kilometres of the explosion 9 Dec 1917: British forces capture Jerusalem British forces capture Jerusalem
76	1918	1918: The Vote Vote for women over 30, men over 21 (except peers, lunatics and felons) 1918: War of Independence War of Independence in Ireland 18 Jan 1918: Bentley Motors Bentley Motors founded 8 Mar 1918: 'Flu pandemic Start of world-wide 'flu pandemic Jul 1918: Battle of the Marne Second Battle of the Marne: last major German offensive in WW1 (Jul-Aug) 1 Oct 1918: Lawrence of Arabia Arab forces under Lawrence of Arabia capture Damascus 11 Nov 1918: Armistice signed Armistice signed - end of the Great War Dec 1918: First woman elected to House of Commons First woman elected to House of Commons, Countess Markiewicz as a Sinn Fein member refused to take her seat
77	1919	1919: Working Week Britain adopts a 48-hour working week 1919: Sir Ernest Rutherford Sir Ernest Rutherford publishes account of splitting the atom 15 Jun 1919: Alcock and Brown Alcock and Brown complete first nonstop flight across the Atlantic 28 Jun 1919: Treaty of Versailles Treaty of Versailles signed
78	1920	1920: The Channel Regular cross-channel air service starts 1920: Marconi Marconi opens a radio broadcasting station in Britain 1920: Tommy Gun Thompson patents his machine gun (Tommy gun) Feb 1920: 1st Petrol Station First roadside petrol filling station in UK - opened by the Automobile Association at Aldermaston on the Bath Road
79	1921	1921: Railway Act Railway Act in Britain amalgamates companies - only four remained 1921: Insulin Insulin discovery announced 1921: Birth Control First birth control clinic 19 Jun 1921: Census Census: Population - England and Wales: 37.9 Million; Scotland: 4.9 Million; N Ireland: 1.25 Million 6 Dec 1921: Anglo-Irish Treaty Anglo-Irish Treaty signed in London, leading to the formation of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland
80	1922	1922: Law of Property Act Law of Property Act - the manorial system effectively ended 1 Jun 1922: RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary founded Oct 1922: BBC BBC established as a monopoly, and begins transmissions in November (2LO in London on 14 Nov; 5IT in Birmingham and 2ZY in Manchester on 15 Nov)
81	1923	1923: Road Classification Roads in Great Britain classified with A and B numbers 1923: Edwin Hubble Edwin Hubble shows there are galaxies beyond the Milky Way 1923: Radio Broadcasts First American broadcasts heard in Britain 1 Jan 1923: Railway Grouping The majority of the railway companies in Great Britain grouped into four main companies, the Big Four: LNER, GWR, SR, LMSR - lasted until nationalisation in 1948 16 Feb 1923: Tutankhamun Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Tutankhamun 28 Apr 1923: Wembley First Wembley cup final (West Ham 0, Bolton 2) - 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles ' popular song of the time became the West Ham anthem 28 Sep 1923: Radio Times First publication of Radio Times
82	1924	4 Jan 1924: Labour government First Labour government in Britain, headed by Ramsay MacDonald 5 Feb 1924: Greenwich Time Signals Hourly Greenwich Time Signals from the Royal Greenwich Observatory were first broadcast by the BBC 31 Mar 1924: British Imperial Airways British Imperial Airways begins operations (formed by merger of four British airline companies - became BOAC in 1940)