1878 in the United Kingdom

Events from the year 1878 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

*Monarch - Victoria of the United Kingdom
*Prime Minister - Benjamin Disraeli, Conservative

Events

* January - Cleopatra's Needle arrives in London.
* 14 January - Alexander Graham Bell demonstrates the telephone to Queen Victoria.cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]
* 23 January - Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield orders British fleet to the Dardanelles.
* 8 February - British fleet enters Turkish waters and anchors off Constantinople — Russia threatens to occupy Constantinople but does not carry out the threat.
* 11 February - First weekly Weather report published in UK.
* 24 February - Anti-Russian demonstrations in Hyde Park, London.
* 12 March - Britain annexes Walvis Bay.cite book |last=Palmer |first=Alan & Veronica |year=1992 |title= The Chronology of British History|publisher= Century Ltd|location=London|pages= 301-302|isbn= 0-7126-5616-2]
* 24 March - The frigate "Eurydice" sinks, killing 300.
* 25 March - Russia rejects British proposal to lay Treaty of San Stefano before European congress.
* 27 March - In anticipation with war with Russia, Disraeli mobilizes the reserves and calls up Indian troops to Malta.
* 25 May - First performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "HMS Pinafore", at the Opera Comique on the Strand, London.
* 4 June - Cyprus Convention: The Ottoman Empire cedes Cyprus to the United Kingdom but retains nominal title.
* 3 September - Over 640 die when the crowded pleasure boat SS|Princess Alice|1865|2 collides with the "Bywell Castle" in the River Thames.
* 12 September - Cleopatra's Needle erected on the Victoria Embankment.
* 14 October - The world's first recorded floodlit football fixture is played at Bramall Lane in Sheffield.
* 28 October - The first floodlit rugby match played in Salford. [cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk/community/rochdale_150/sport/s/512/512985_rugby_league_shedding_light_on_historic_night_match.html|title=RUGBY LEAGUE: Shedding light on historic night match"|accessdate=2008-03-18]
* 21 November - Second Afghan War commences when the British attack Ali Masjid in the Khyber Pass.

Undated

* William Crookes invents the Crookes tube which produced cathode rays. [cite book |title= The Hutchinson Factfinder |publisher= Helicon |year= 1999 |isbn= 1-85986-000-1 ]
* Newton Heath founded. Later the team was renamed as Manchester United F.C..
* West Bromwich Albion F.C. play their first match.
* Everton F.C., then known as St Domingo, formed.
* The Christian Mission, co-founded by now General William and Catherine Booth in London in 1865 has its name changed to The Salvation Army.

Publications

* Serialisation of Thomas Hardy's novel "The Return of the Native".

Births

* 4 January - Augustus John, painter (died 1961)
* 7 January - Samuel James Cameron, obstetrician (died 1959)
* 19 January - Herbert Chapman, football manager (died 1934)
* 3 March - Edward Thomas, poet (died 1917)
* 16 April - Owen Thomas Jones, geologist (died 1967)
* 26 April - Eric Campbell, silent film star (died 1917)
* 1 June - John Masefield, poet and novelist (died 1967)
* 28 June - Evan Roberts preacher (died 1951)
* 24 July - Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany, author (died 1957)
* 31 December - Caradoc Evans, writer (died 1945)

Deaths

* 16 March - William Banting, undertaker and dietician (born 1797)
* 25 April - Anna Sewell, author (born 1820)
* 28 May - John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1792)
* 6 June - Robert Stirling, clergyman and inventor (born 1790)
* 22 July - Samuel McGaw, VC recipient (born 1838)
* 30 August - James Geiss, businessman (born 1820)
* 30 September - Evan James, poet, lyricist of the Welsh national anthem (born 1809)
* 20 November - William Thomas, poet (born 1832)
* 11 December - William Thomas, minister and poet (born 1834)
* 14 December - Alice of the United Kingdom, member of the royal family (born 1843)
* 31 December - James Matheson, Scottish politician (born 1796)

References

ee also