1756 in Great Britain - Events

Events

  • 16 January - Treaty of Westminster signed between Britain and Prussia guaranteeing the neutrality of Hanover, the German province controlled by King George II.
  • 12 April - Seven Years' War: The French invade Minorca, at this time under British control.
  • 17 May - Seven Years' War: The Seven Years' War formally begins when Britain declares war on France.
  • 20 May - Seven Years' War: Battle of Minorca: The British fleet under John Byng is defeated by the French under Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière.
  • 20 June - A garrison of the British Army in India is imprisoned in the Black Hole of Calcutta.
  • 25 June - Foundation of The Marine Society in London, the world's oldest seafarers' charity.
  • 29 June - Seven Years' War - Siege of Fort St Philip at Port Mahon: The British garrison in Minorca surrenders to the French after two months' siege by Armand de Vignerot du Plessis.
  • 16 November - Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne resigns as Prime Minister. His successor is William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire.
  • 4 December - William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham becomes Secretary of State for the Southern Department.
  • Undated - Completion of William Edwards' Old Bridge, Pontypridd. With a 140 ft (43 m) span it becomes (by 10 ft) the longest single span bridge in Great Britain, remaining so for 40 years.

Read more about this topic:  1756 In Great Britain

Famous quotes containing the word events:

    “Genius is present in every age, but the men carrying it within them remain benumbed unless extraordinary events occur to heat up and melt the mass so that it flows forth.”
    —Denis Diderot (1713–1784)

    “Turn where we may, within, around, the voice of great events is proclaiming to us, Reform, that you may preserve!”
    —Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859)

    “A curious thing about atrocity stories is that they mirror, instead of the events they purport to describe, the extent of the hatred of the people that tell them.
    Still, you can’t listen unmoved to tales of misery and murder.”
    —John Dos Passos (1896–1970)