1853 in the United Kingdom
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Events from the year 1853 in the United Kingdom.
Incumbents
Events
- 20 January â The United Kingdom annexes Lower Burma ending the Second Anglo-Burmese War.
- 4 February â Halifax Permanent Benefit Building Society takes its first deposits.[1]
- 14 February â United Kingdom Alliance for the Suppression of the Traffic in all Intoxicating Liquors formed in Manchester.
- 15 February â PS Queen Victoria sinks in a snowstorm at night entering Dublin Bay with the loss of more than 80 lives.
- 18 February â A treaty is signed with the United States concerning international copyright.[2]
- 29 March â Manchester is granted city status by letters patent.[3][4]
- May â The world's first public aquarium is opened in London Zoo.[5]
- 5 May â Perpetual Maritime Truce comes into force between the United Kingdom and the rulers of the Sheikhdoms of the Lower Gulf, later known as the Trucial States.[6]
- 6 June â Naval fleet travels to Besika Bay to fend off Russian threats to the Ottoman Empire.[7]
- 25 June â Hochster v De La Tour, a landmark case on anticipatory breach of contract in English contract law, is decided in the Court of Queen's Bench.
- 1 July â First constitution of the Cape Colony provides for a legislative council.[7]
- 1 August â Under terms of the Vaccination Act 1853, all children born after this date are to receive compulsory vaccination against smallpox during their first 3 months of life, with defaulting parents subject to a fine.[8]
- 12 August â Licensing (Scotland) Act (known after its sponsor as the 'Forbes Mackenzie Act') regulates the supply of intoxicating beverages in Scotland.[9]
- 20 August
- Penal Servitude Act provides for convicted criminals to serve their entire sentence in prison, rather than suffer transportation, and also to be freed on licence.[10]
- Betting Act (An Act for the Suppression of Betting Houses) prohibits betting shops, restricting legal betting on horse racing to racecourses.
- September (approx.) â First pillar box on the British mainland erected in Carlisle.[11][12]
- 14 September â West Australian becomes the first horse to win the English Triple Crown by finishing first in the Epsom Derby, 2,000 Guineas and St Leger.
- 28 September â Emigrant ship Annie Jane sinks in heavy seas off the Scottish island of Vatersay with the loss of 350 lives.[13]
- 31 Octoberâ15 May 1854 â Lockout of Preston cotton mill workers seeking reinstatement of ten percent of their pay, this will be Britain's longest industrial dispute up to this date.[14]
- 3 December â Crimean War: a protocol is signed with France, Austria, and Prussia for restoring peace between Russia and Turkey.[2]
- 14 December â Palmerston resigns as Home Secretary over demands for parliamentary reform, but changes his mind on 23 December.[7]
- 15 December â The Sierra redwood Sequoiadendron giganteum is introduced to England as Wellingtonia by William Lobb.[15]
Undated
- Highland Clearances in Skye and Raasay.[16]
- J. S. Fry & Sons of Bristol produce their Cream Stick, predecessor of Fry's Chocolate Cream and the first mass produced chocolate bar.
Publications
- Charlotte Brontë's novel Villette (published as by Currer Bell).
- Mrs Gaskell's novel Ruth.
- John Mason Neale and Thomas Helmore's adaptations Carols for Christmas-Tide, including the first appearance of "Good King Wenceslas".[17][18]
- Robert Smith Surtees' comic novel Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour.
- Charlotte M. Yonge's novel The Heir of Redclyffe.[19]
Births
- 15 January â Rutland Barrington, baritone in musical comedy (died 1922)
- 16 January
- Johnston Forbes-Robertson, actor (died 1937)
- Ian Hamilton, general (died 1947)
- 29 March â Elihu Thomson, electrical engineer and inventor (died 1937)
- 7 April â Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, member of the royal family (died 1884)
- 3 June â Flinders Petrie, Egyptologist (died 1942)
- 4 July â George Edward Bond, Medway architect and surveyor (died 1914)
- 5 July â Cecil Rhodes, businessman (died 1902)
Deaths
- 27 January â John Iltyd Nicholl, Welsh politician (born 1797)
- 12 April â James Foster, ironmaster (born 1786)
- 15 August â Frederick William Robertson, Anglican preacher (born 1816)
- 19 August â Sir George Cockburn, Naval commander (born 1772)
- 29 August â Sir Charles James Napier, general and Commander-in-Chief in India (born 1782)
- 6 September â George Bradshaw, cartographer and timetable publisher (born 1800)