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Date |
Event(s) |
| 1 | 1729 | - 9 Nov 1729: Treaty of Seville
Treaty of Seville signed between Britain, France and Spain - Britain maintained control of Port Mahon and Gibraltar
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| 2 | 1730 | - 1730: Irish famine
Irish famine
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| 3 | 1731 | - 1731: Invention of seed drill
Invention of seed drill by Jethro Tull [others say 1701]
- 1731: Invention of sextant
Invention of sextant by John Hadley
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| 4 | 1732 | - 7 Dec 1732: Opera House opens
Covent Garden Opera House opens
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| 5 | 1733 | - 1733: Excise crisis
Excise crisis: Sir Robert Walpole wanted to add excise tax to tobacco and wine - Pulteney and Bolingbroke oppose the excise tax
- 1733: Latin in parish registers
Law forbidding the use of Latin in parish registers generally obeyed - some continued in Latin for a few years
- 1733: John Kay invents the flying shuttle
John Kay invents the flying shuttle, revolutionised the weaving industry
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| 6 | 1734 | - 1734: Kent's Directory
Kent's Directory published
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| 7 | 1737 | - 1737: Licensing Act
Licensing Act restricts the number of London theatres and subects plays to censorship of the Lord Chamberlain (till 1950s)
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| 8 | 1738 | - 24 May 1738: John Wesley
John Wesley has his conversion experience
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| 9 | 1739 | - 1739: Methodist revival
Wesley and Whitefield commence great Methodist revival
- 7 Apr 1739: Dick Turpin
Dick Turpin, highwayman, hanged at York
- 23 Oct 1739: War of Jenkins' Ear
War of Jenkins' Ear starts: Robert Walpole reluctantly declares war on Spain
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| 10 | 1741 | - 1741: Benjamin Ingham
Benjamin Ingham founded the Moravian Methodists or Inghamites - Earliest Moravian registers
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| 11 | 1742 | - 1742: England goes to war with Spain
England goes to war with Spain - incited by William Pitt the Elder (Earl of Chatham) for the sake of trade
|
| 12 | 1743 | - 16 Jun 1743: Battle of Dettingen
(June 27 in Gregorian calendar): Battle of Dettingen - last time a British sovereign (George II) led troops in battle
|
| 13 | 1744 | - 1744: God Save the King
Tune 'God Save the King' makes its appearance
|
| 14 | 1745 | - 1745: Jacobite rebellion in Scotland
Jacobite rebellion in Scotland ('The Forty-five')
- 19 Aug 1745: Bonnie Prince Charlie
Bonnie Prince Charlie (The Young Pretender) lands in the western Highlands - raises support among Episcopalian and Catholic clans - The Pretender's army invades Perth, Edinburgh, and England as far as Derby
|
| 15 | 1746 | - 16 Apr 1746: Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden - last battle fought in Britain - 5,000 Highlanders routed by the Duke of Cumberland and 9,000 loyalists Scots - Young Pretender Charles flees to Continent, ending Jacobite hopes forever - the wearing of the kilt prohibited
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| 16 | 1747 | - 1747: Abolition of Heritable Jurisdictions
Abolition of Heritable Jurisdictions in Scotland. It abolished the traditional rights of jurisdiction afforded to a Scottish clan chief.
- 1747: Act for Pacification
Act for Pacification of the Highlands
|
| 17 | 1749 | - 27 Apr 1749: Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks
First performance of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks (in Green Park,
London)
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| 18 | 1750 | - Feb 1750: Earthquakes in London and the Home Counties
Series of earthquakes in London and the Home Counties cause panic with
predictions of an apocalypse (Feb/Mar)
- 16 Nov 1750: Westminster Bridge opened
Original Westminster Bridge opened (replaced in 1862 due to subsidence)
|
| 19 | 1751 | - Mar 1751: Chesterfield's Calendar Act
Chesterfield's Calendar Act passed - royal assent to the bill was given on 22
May 1751 - It reformed the calendar of England and British Dominions so that a new year began on 1 January rather than 25 March (Lady Day) and would run according to the Gregorian calendar, as used in most of western Europe.
|
| 20 | 1752 | - 1752: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin invents the lightning conductor
- 3 Sep 1752: Julian Calendar dropped
Julian Calendar dropped and Gregorian Calendar adopted in England and Scotland, making this Sep 14
|
| 21 | 1753 | - 1753: British Museum
Private collection of Sir Hans Sloane forms the basis of the British Museum
- 1 May 1753: Species Plantarum
Publication of 'Species Plantarum' by Linnaeus and the formal start date of plant taxonomy
|
| 22 | 1754 | - 1754: Hardwicke Act
Hardwicke Act (1753): Banns to be called, and Printed Marriage Register forms to be used - Quakers & Jews exempt
- 1754: Cow Inn at Haslemere
In the General Election, the Cow Inn at Haslemere, Surrey caused a national scandal by subdividing the freehold to create eight votes instead of one
- 1754: British troops
First British troops not belonging to the East India Company despatched to India
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| 23 | 1755 | - 1755: Dr Samuel Johnson
Publication of Dictionary of the English Language' by Dr Samuel Johnson
- 1755—1827: Canal construction began
Period of canal construction began in Britain (till 1827)
- 2 Dec 1755: Eddystone Lighthouse destroyed
Second Eddystone Lighthouse destroyed by fire
|
| 24 | 1756 | - 15 May 1756: Seven Years War
The Seven Years War with France (Pitt's trade war) begins
- Jun 1756: Black Hole of Calcutta
Black Hole of Calcutta - 146 Britons imprisoned, most die according to British
sources
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| 25 | 1757 | - 1757: Empire of India
The foundation laid for the Empire of India
- 14 Mar 1757: Admiral Byng
Admiral Byng shot at Portsmouth for failing to relieve Minorca
- 23 Jun 1757: battle of Plassey
The Nawab of Bengal tries to expel the British, but is defeated at the battle of Plassey (Palashi, June 23) - the East India Company forces are led by Robert Clive
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| 26 | 1759 | - 1759: Methodist chapels
Wesley builds 356 Methodist chapels
- 15 Jan 1759: British Museum
British Museum opens to the public in London
- 16 Oct 1759: Third Eddystone Lighthouse
Third Eddystone Lighthouse (John Smeaton's) completed
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| 27 | 1760 | - 1760: Carron Iron Works
Carron Iron Works in operation in Scotland
- 5 May 1760: First use of hangman's drop
First use of hangman's drop
- 25 Oct 1760: George II dies
George II dies - George III Hanover, his grandson, becomes king. The date conventionally marks the start of the so-called first Industrial Revolution'
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| 28 | 1761 | - 16 Jan 1761: British capture Pondicherry
British capture Pondicherry, India from the French
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| 29 | 1762 | - 1762: Cigars introduced
Cigars introduced into Britain from Cuba
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| 30 | 1763 | - 10 Feb 1763: Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris - The Treaty of Paris, also known as the Peace of Paris and the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763 by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, after Britain's victory over France and Spain during the Seven Years' War.
|
| 31 | 1764 | - 1764: Lloyd's Register of shipping
Lloyd's Register of shipping first prepared
- 1764: Practice of numbering houses
Practice of numbering houses introduced to London
- 1764: James Hargeaves
James Hargeaves invents the Spinning Jenny. The device reduced the amount of work needed to produce yarn.
- 1764: Mozart
Mozart produces his first symphony at age eight
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| 32 | 1765 | - 1765: The potato
The potato becomes the most popular food in Europe
- 22 Mar 1765: Stamp Act passed
Stamp Act passed - imposed a tax on publications and legal documents in the
American colonies (repealed the following year)
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| 33 | 1766 | - 1766: National records on rainfall start
Start of 'composite' national records on rainfall in the UK
- 5 Dec 1766: Christie's auction house
Christie's auction house founded in London by James Christie
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| 34 | 1767 | - 1767: James Watt
Newcomen's steam pumping engine perfected by James Watt
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| 35 | 1768 | - 9 Jan 1768: Philip Astley starts his circus
Philip Astley starts his circus in London
- 6 Dec 1768: Encyclopaedia Britannica
The first edition of the 'Encyclopaedia Britannica' published in Edinburgh by
William Smellie
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| 36 | 1769 | - 1769: Arkwright invents water frame
Arkwright invents water frame (textile production)
- 1769: New Zealand
Capt James Cook maps the coast of New Zealand
- 6 Sep 1769: First Shakespeare festival
David Garrick organises first Shakespeare festival at Stratford-upon-Avon
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| 37 | 1770 | - 1770: Clyde Trust
Clyde Trust created to convert the River Clyde, then an insignificant river, into a major thoroughfare for maritime communications
- 28 Apr 1770: Botany Bay
Capt James Cook lands in Australia (Botany Bay) ? Aug 21: formally claims
Australia for Britain
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| 38 | 1771 | - 1771: Right to report Parliamentary debates
Right to report Parliamentary debates established in England
|
| 39 | 1772 | - 1772: First Travellers' Cheques
First Travellers' Cheques issued by the London Credit Exchange Company
- 1772: Morning Post first published
'Morning Post' first published (until 1937)
- 14 May 1772: Judge Mansfield
Judge Mansfield rules that there is no legal basis for slavery in England
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| 40 | 1774 | - 13 Sep 1774: Easter Island
Cook arrives on Easter Island
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| 41 | 1775 | - 19 Apr 1775: Battle of Lexington
Battle of Lexington: first action in American War of Independence (1775- 1783)
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| 42 | 1776 | - 1776: Somerset House
Somerset House in London becomes the repository of records of population
- 1776: First commercial steam engine
Watt and Boulton produce their first commercial steam engine
- 4 Jul 1776: American Declaration of Independence
American Declaration of Independence
- 7 Sep 1776: First submarine attack
First attack on a warship by a submarine - David Bushnell's 'Turtle' attacked
HMS Eagle in New York harbour. The attack was perhaps spectacular (a charge did
detonate beneath the ship) but was nevertheless unsuccessful. 'Turtle' was a one man - man-powered affair
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| 43 | 1777 | - 1777: Circular saw
Samuel Miller of Southampton patents the circular saw.
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| 44 | 1779 | - 1779: Marc Isambard Brunel
Marc Isambard Brunel opens the first steamdriven sawmill at Chatham Dockyard in Kent
- 1779: First iron bridge built
First iron bridge built, over the Severn by John Wilkinson
- 1779: First Spinning Mills
First Spinning Mills operational in Scotland
- 14 Feb 1779: Capt James Cook
Capt James Cook killed on Hawaii
- 23 Sep 1779: Naval engagement between Britain and USA
Naval engagement between Britain and USA off Flamborough Head
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| 45 | 1780 | - 1780: Male Servants Tax
Male Servants Tax
- 1780: English Reform Movement
The English Reform Movement - until now, only landowners and tenants (freeholders with 40 shillings per year or more) allowed to vote, and in open poll books
- 1780: Quiz
About this time the word 'Quiz' entered the language, said to have been invented as a wager by Mr Daly, a Dublin theatre manager
- 4 May 1780: The Derby
First Derby run at Epsom (some say 2nd June)
- 2 Jun 1780—8 Jun 1780: The Gordon Riots
The Gordon Riots - Parliament passes a Roman Catholic relief measure and for days, London is at the mercy of a mob and destruction is widespread
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| 46 | 1782 | - 1782: The Relief of the Poor Act 1782
Thomas Gilbert's Act establishes outdoor poor relief - the way of life of the poor beginning to alter due to industrialisation - New factories in rapidly expanding towns required a workforce that would adjust to new work patterns
- 1782: James Watt patents his steam engine
James Watt patents his steam engine
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| 47 | 1783 | - 1783: Parish Register
Duty payable on Parish Register entries (3d per entry - repealed 1794) - led to a fall in entries!
- 3 Nov 1783: Public execution
Last public execution at Tyburn in London (John Austin, a highwayman)
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| 48 | 1784 | - 1784: Pitt's India Act
Pitt's India Act - the Crown (as opposed to officers of the East India Company) has power to guide Indian politics
- 1784: Wesley
Wesley breaks with the Church of England
- 1784: St Andrews
First golf club founded at St Andrews
- 1784: Threshing Machine
Invention of threshing machine by Andrew Meikle
- 2 Aug 1784: 1st Mail Coaches
First mail coaches in England (4pm Bristol / 8am London)
|
1728 - 1784 (56 years)