1742 in Great Britain
Encyclopedia
1742 in Great Britain: |
Other years |
1740 1740 in Great Britain Events from the year 1740 in Great Britain.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George II*Prime Minister - Robert Walpole, Whig-Events:... | 1741 1741 in Great Britain Events from the year 1741 in Great Britain.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George II*Prime Minister - Robert Walpole, Whig-Events:* 30 April–11 June... | 1742 | 1743 1743 in Great Britain Events from the year 1743 in Great Britain.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George II*Prime Minister - Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, Whig , Henry Pelham, Whig-Events:... | 1744 1744 in Great Britain Events from the year 1744 in Great Britain.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George II*Prime Minister - Henry Pelham, Whig-Events:* 22 February–23 February - War of the Austrian Succession: British fleet defeated by a Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Toulon.* 27 February - A planned French invasion... |
Sport |
1742 English cricket season 1742 English cricket season The 1742 English cricket season is notable for the two great London versus Slindon matches in September.- Matches :-External sources:* * -Further reading:* H S Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 , George Allen & Unwin, 1962... |
Events from the year 1742 in Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
.
Incumbents
- Monarch - George II of the United Kingdom
- Prime Minister - Robert WalpoleRobert WalpoleRobert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, WhigBritish Whig PartyThe Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
(to 11 February), Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of WilmingtonSpencer Compton, 1st Earl of WilmingtonSpencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington KG, KB, PC was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He served as the nominal head of government from 1742 until his death in 1743, but was merely a figurehead for the true leader of the government, Lord...
, Whig
Events
- January - The House of CommonsBritish House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
votes on the alleged rigging of the ChippenhamChippenham, WiltshireChippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located east of Bath and west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065....
by-election. It becomes a motion of no confidenceMotion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
which leads to the resignation of Robert WalpoleRobert WalpoleRobert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
. - 9 January - Robert Walpole made Earl of OrfordEarl of OrfordEarl of Orford is a title that has been created three times. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1697 in favour of the naval commander Edward Russell, who served three times as First Lord of the Admiralty. He was created Baron Shingay and Viscount Barfleur at the same time...
and resigns as First Lord of the TreasuryFirst Lord of the TreasuryThe First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is now always also the Prime Minister...
and Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. - 12 February - John Carteret, 2nd Lord Carteret becomes Secretary of State for the Northern DepartmentSecretary of State for the Northern DepartmentThe Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet of the government of Great Britain up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English government, not the British. Even after the Union, there was...
. - 16 February - Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of WilmingtonSpencer Compton, 1st Earl of WilmingtonSpencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington KG, KB, PC was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He served as the nominal head of government from 1742 until his death in 1743, but was merely a figurehead for the true leader of the government, Lord...
becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain. - 18 February - British attack La Guayra.
- 7 July - War of Jenkins' EarWar of Jenkins' EarThe War of Jenkins' Ear was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748, with major operations largely ended by 1742. Its unusual name, coined by Thomas Carlyle in 1858, relates to Robert Jenkins, captain of a British merchant ship, who exhibited his severed ear in...
: British troops defeat those of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the Battle of Bloody MarshBattle of Bloody MarshThe Battle of Bloody Marsh took place on July 18, 1742 between Spanish and British forces, and the latter were victorious. Part of the War of Jenkin's Ear, the battle was for control of the road between the British forts of Frederica and St. Simons, to control St. Simons Island and the forts'...
in the Province of GeorgiaProvince of GeorgiaThe Province of Georgia was one of the Southern colonies in British America. It was the last of the thirteen original colonies established by Great Britain in what later became the United States...
. - 14 July - William PulteneyWilliam Pulteney, 1st Earl of BathWilliam Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the...
is created as 1st Earl of BathEarl of BathEarl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once Peerage of the United Kingdom...
. - September - Construction starts on the Foundling HospitalFoundling HospitalThe Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Births
- 1 January - Isaac ReedIsaac ReedIsaac Reed was an English Shakespearean editor.-Life:The son of a baker, he was born in London. He was articled to a solicitor, and eventually set up as a conveyancer at Staple Inn, where he had a large practice.-Works:...
, Shakespearean editor (died 18071807 in the United KingdomEvents from the year 1807 in the United Kingdom.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George III*Prime Minister - Lord Grenville coalition , Duke of Portland, Tory-Events:...
) - 8 January - Philip AstleyPhilip AstleyPhilip Astley was an English equestrian, circus owner, and inventor, regarded as being the "father of the modern circus"...
, circus organiser (died 18141814 in the United KingdomEvents from the year 1814 in the United Kingdom.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George III*Prime Minister - Lord Liverpool, Tory-Events:* 14 January** Treaty of Kiel cedes Danish Heligoland to Britain.** Last River Thames frost fair in London....
) - 28 April - Henry Dundas, statesman (died 18111811 in the United KingdomEvents from the year 1811 in the United Kingdom. This is a Census year and the start of the British Regency.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George III*Prime Minister - Spencer Perceval, Tory-Events:...
) - date unknown
- George ChalmersGeorge ChalmersGeorge Chalmers was a Scottish antiquarian and political writer.-Biography:Chalmers was born at Fochabers, Moray, in 1742. His father, James Chalmers, was a grandson of George Chalmers of Pittensear, a small estate in the parish of Lhanbryde, now St Andrews-Lhanbryde, in Moray, owned by the family...
, antiquarian (died 18251825 in the United KingdomEvents from the year 1825 in the United Kingdom.-Incumbents:*Monarch - King George IV*Prime Minister - Earl of Liverpool, Tory-Events:* 23 April - Royal Charter granted to the Geological Society of London....
) - John StackhouseJohn Stackhouse (botanist)John Stackhouse was an English botanist, primarily interested in Spermatophytes, algae and mycology. He was born in Probus, Cornwall and built Acton Castle, above Stackhouse Cove, Cornwall in order to further his studies in the propagation of algae from their spores...
, botanist (died 18191819 in the United KingdomEvents from the year 1819 in the United Kingdom.-Incumbents:*Monarch — King George III*Prime Minister — Lord Liverpool, Tory-Events:...
)
- George Chalmers
Deaths
- 1 January - Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and KestevenPeregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and KestevenPeregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 2nd Marquess of Lindsey, 5th Earl of Lindsey, 18th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC , also styled Hon...
, statesman (born 16861686 in EnglandEvents from the year 1686 in the Kingdom of England.- Events :* 10 July - Court of Ecclesiastical Commission created.* 17 July - King James appoints four Catholics to the Privy Council of England.-Undated:...
) - 14 January - Edmond HalleyEdmond HalleyEdmond Halley FRS was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist who is best known for computing the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, following in the footsteps of John Flamsteed.-Biography and career:Halley...
, astronomer (born 16561656 in EnglandEvents from the year 1656 in the The Protectorate.-Events:* 2 April - Anglo-Spanish War: King Philip IV of Spain signs a treaty with Charles II of England for the reconquest of England.* 17 September** The Second Protectorate Parliament assembles....
) - 22 February - Charles RivingtonCharles RivingtonCharles Rivington , British publisher, eldest son of Thurston Rivington, was born at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1688....
, publisher (born 16881688 in EnglandEvents from the year 1688 in the Kingdom of England.-Events:* March - William Dampier makes first recorded landing on Christmas Island.* 4 May - Declaration of Indulgence ordered to be read aloud in all churches on two consecutive Sundays....
) - 2 April - James DouglasJames Douglas (physician)James Douglas was a Scottish physician and anatomist, and Physician Extraordinary to Queen Caroline.One of the seven sons of William Douglas and his wife, Joan, daughter of James Mason of Park, Blantyre, he was born in West Calder, West Lothian, in 1675...
, physician and anatomist (born 1675) - 18 June - John AislabieJohn AislabieJohn Aislabie or Aslabie was a British politician, notable for his involvement in the South Sea Bubble and for creating the water garden at Studley Royal.-Background and education:...
, politician (born 16701670 in EnglandEvents from the year 1670 in England.-Events:* 1 June - The secret treaty of Dover is signed between King Charles II of England and France.* 8 July O.S...
) - 27 June - Nathan BaileyNathan BaileyNathan Bailey was an English philologist and lexicographer.-Life:Bailey was a Seventh Day Baptist, admitted 1691 to a congregation in Whitechapel, London. He was probably excluded from the congregation by 1718. Later he had a school at Stepney...
, philologist and lexicographer (year of birth unknown) - 9 July - John OldmixonJohn OldmixonJohn Oldmixon was an English historian.He was a son of John Oldmixon of Oldmixon, Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. His first writings were poetry and dramas, among them being Amores Britannici; Epistles historical and gallant ; and a tragedy, The Governor of Cyprus...
, historian (born 16731673 in EnglandEvents from the year 1673 in the Kingdom of England.-Events:* 8 March - Under pressure from Parliament, King Charles II withdraws the Royal Declaration of Indulgence.* 29 March - The Test Act is passed, preventing Roman Catholics from holding public office....
) - 14 July - Richard BentleyRichard BentleyRichard Bentley was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge....
, scholar and critic (born 16621662 in EnglandEvents from the year 1662 in the Kingdom of England.-Events:* 17 March - Two old women are hanged after being found guilty of witchcraft at the Bury St. Edmunds witch trial.* 2 May/3 May - Catherine of Braganza marries Charles II of England...
) - 19 July - William SomervileWilliam SomervileWilliam Somervile or Somerville was an English poet.-Ancestry:The name Somervile is derived from a town near Caen in Normandy subsequently named Somervile....
, poet (born 16751675 in EnglandEvents from the year 1675 in the Kingdom of England.-Events:* 4 March - John Flamsteed appointed as "astronomical observator", in effect, the first Astronomer Royal.* 25 March - Loss of HMY Mary off Anglesey....
)