1740 in Great Britain

Events from the year 1740 in the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Incumbents

*Monarch - George II of the United Kingdom
*Prime Minister - Robert Walpole, Whig

Events

* By an act of the Parliament, alien immigrants (including Huguenots and Jews) in the colonies receive British nationality.
* The song "Rule, Britannia!" is first performed at Cliveden, the country home of Frederick, Prince of Wales.cite book|last=Williams|first=Hywel|title=Cassell's Chronology of World History|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|year=2005|isbn=0-304-35730-8|pages=308]
* George Anson sets out on a voyage around the world.
* Henry Hindley invents a device to cut the teeth of clock wheels.
* William Hogarth paints a portrait of Captain Thomas Coram (pictured).
* A now-discredited account of William Stukeley asserts that Stonehenge was built by druids. [cite web|url=http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/icons-timeline/1700-1750|title=Icons, a portrait of England 1700-1750|accessdate=2007-08-24]

Births

* 17 September - John Hamilton Mortimer, painter (died 1779)
* 29 October - James Boswell, author (died 1795)
* 24 November - John Bacon, sculptor (died 1799)
* Henry Cort, ironmaster (died 1800)
* Francis Light, founder of the British colony of Penang (died 1794)

Deaths

* 23 April - Thomas Tickell, writer (born 1685)
* 6 June - Alexander Spotswood, governor of Virginia Colony (born 1676)
* 17 June - Sir William Wyndham, politician (born 1687)
* 20 December - Richard Boyle, 2nd Viscount Shannon, military officer and statesman (born 1675)

References

ee also