1756 in Great Britain

Events from the year 1756 in the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Incumbents

*Monarch - George II of the United Kingdom
*Prime Minister - Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Whig (to 16 November), William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, Whig

Events

* 16 January - Treaty of Westminster signed between Britain and Prussia guaranteeing the neutrality of Hanover, the German province controlled by King George II.cite book|last=Williams|first=Hywel|title=Cassell's Chronology of World History|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|year=2005|isbn=0-304-35730-8|pages=318]
* 12 April - Seven Years' War: The French invade Minorca, then 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.
* 28 May - Seven Years' War: The British garrison in Minorca surrenders to the French.
* 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. [cite web|url=http://www.ms-sc.org/Corporate-Information/About-Us/History/The-Marine-Society |title=History of the Marine Society|accessdate=2007-09-03]
* 16 November - Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne resigns as Prime Minister. His successor is William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire."1756." The People's Chronology. Ed. Jason M. Everett. Thomson Gale, 2006. eNotes.com. 2006. 20 Jun, 2007]
* 4 December - William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham becomes Secretary of State for the Southern Department.

Undated

* Poet Christopher Smart confined to an asylum.
* Anonymous publication of Edmund Burke's "A Vindication of Natural Society".

Births

* 3 March - William Godwin, writer (died 1836)
* 4 March - Sir Henry Raeburn, painter (died 1823)
* 13 June - Edmund Lodge, writer (died 1839)
* 21 September - John Loudon McAdam, engineer and road builder (died 1836)
* Thomas Burgess, author, philosopher and Bishop (died 1837)

Deaths

* 25 February - Eliza Haywood, actress and writer (born 1693)
* 24 July - George Vertue, engraver and antiquary (born 1684)
* 28 October - Charles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort (born 1709)
* 8 December - William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, statesman and diplomat (born c.1690)

References

ee also