1837 in the United Kingdom

Events from the year 1837 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

*Monarch - William IV of the United Kingdom (until 20 June), Victoria of the United Kingdom
*Prime Minister - William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Whig

Events

* 13 February - Rowland Hill's government inquiry into postal reform discusses the idea of carrying letters in a separate sheet which folded to become an envelope and the idea of "a bit of paper" which could be affixed to a letter to flag that postage had been paid.
* March - A new city in the Australian colonies is named for the Prime Minister.cite book |last=Palmer |first=Alan & Veronica |year=1992 |title= The Chronology of British History|publisher= Century Ltd|location=London|pages= 261-263|isbn= 0-7126-5616-2]
* May - William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone patent the electrical telegraph.
* 3 June - The London Hippodrome opens in Bayswater.
* 20 June - King William IV dies from heart failure at Windsor Castle. His niece, Princess Victoria of Kent ascends the throne as Queen Victoria.cite web|url=http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/icons-timeline/1820-1840|title=Icons, a portrait of England 1820-1840|accessdate=2007-09-12]
* 30 June - The use of pillory as a punishment abolished by act of parliament.cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]
* July - General election results in a Whig victory.
* 1 July - General Register Office begins the practice of registering births, marriages and deaths.
* 13 July - Queen Victoria moves into Buckingham Palace in London, the first monarch to live there.
* 19 July - The Isambard Kingdom Brunel-designed steamship "SS Great Western" launched.
* 20 July - Euston Station, London's first railway station, is opened.
* 28 August - Lea & Perrins begin making Worcestershire sauce.
* 9 November - Stockbroker Moses Montefiore becomes the first Jewish person to receive a knighthood.
* 15 November - Isaac Pitman publishes Pitman Shorthand.

Publications

* Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" appears in serial form in "Bentley's Miscellany".

Births

* 7 February - James Murray, lexicographer (died 1915)
* 23 March - Charles Wyndham, actor and theatrical manager (died 1919)
* 5 April - Algernon Charles Swinburne, poet (died 1909)
* 28 May - George Ashlin, architect (died 1921)
* 14 November - Lucas Barrett, naturalist (died 1862)
* Gilbert Arthur à Beckett, writer (died 1891)

Deaths

* 20 January - John Soane, British architect (born 1753)
* 23 January - John Field, Irish composer (born 1782)
* 1 February - Edward Donovan, writer, traveller and amateur zoologist (born 1768)
* 19 February- Thomas Burgess author, philosopher and Bishop (born 1756)
* 31 March - John Constable, painter (born 1776)
* 31 May - Joseph Grimaldi, clown (born 1778)
* 20 June - King William IV (born 1765)
* 7 December - Robert Nicoll, poet (born 1814)

References

ee also