1776 in Great Britain
Great Britain-related events during the year of 1776
Events from the year 1776 in Great Britain
Incumbents
Events
10 January – American Revolution : Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense Philadelphia arguing for independence from British rule in the Thirteen Colonies .[ 2]
27 February – American Revolution: at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge , Scottish American Loyalists are defeated by North Carolina Patriots .[ 3]
2–3 March – American Revolution:
9 March – economist Adam Smith publishes The Wealth of Nations
17 March – American Revolution: British forces evacuate Boston , Massachusetts,[ 3] George Washington commands the placement of artillery overlooking the city at Dorchester Heights , ending the 11‑month Siege of Boston .
12 April – American Revolution: The Royal Colony of North Carolina produces the Halifax Resolves , making it the first British colony officially to authorize its Continental Congress delegates to vote for independence from Great Britain.
4 May – American Revolution: Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to George III.
15–26 May – American Revolution: Battle of The Cedars – British forces skirmish with the American Continental Army around Les Cèdres, Quebec .
23 May – first purpose-built Freemasons' Hall in England opened in London to a design by Thomas Sandby .
8 June – American Revolution: Battle of Trois-Rivières – the invading American Continental Army is driven back at Trois-Rivières, Quebec .
29 June – American Revolution: Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet – the American Continental Navy successfully challenges the Royal Navy blockade off New Jersey .
4 July – American Revolution: United States Declaration of Independence – the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia ratifies the declaration by the United States of its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain .[ 4]
12 July – Captain James Cook sets off from Plymouth in HMS Resolution on his third voyage , to the Pacific Ocean and Arctic , which will be fatal.
27 August – American Revolution: At the Battle of Long Island Washington's troops are routed in Brooklyn by British under William Howe .[ 3]
11 September – American Revolution: abortive peace conference between British and Americans on Staten Island .[ 3]
15 September – American Revolution: Landing at Kip's Bay – British troops land on Manhattan at Kips Bay .[ 3]
16 September – American Revolution: Battle of Harlem Heights – the Continental Army under Washington are victorious against the British on Manhattan.
24 September – first running of the St. Leger Stakes horse race[ 4] British Classic Races , devised by Anthony St Leger , on Cantley Common at Doncaster . The winner is a filly (later named Allabaculia ) owned by the organiser, the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham .
11 October – American Revolution: Battle of Valcour Island – on Lake Champlain near Valcour Island , a British fleet led by Sir Guy Carleton defeats 15 American gunboats commanded by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold . Although nearly all of Arnold's ships are destroyed, the defense of Lake Champlain prevents a further British advance toward Albany, New York .
18 October – American Revolution: Battle of Pell's Point – troops of the American Continental Army resist a British and Hessian force in The Bronx .
28 October – American Revolution: Battle of White Plains – British forces arrive at White Plains, attack and capture Chatterton Hill from the Continental Army .[ 3]
16 November – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Washington – Hessian forces under Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen capture Fort Washington in New York from the Continental Army .
20 November – American Revolution: Fort Lee in New Jersey is captured by the British forces.[ 3]
26 December – American Revolution: The Continental Army led by Washington defeats a Hessian brigade at the Battle of Trenton .[ 3]
Undated – Member of Parliament David Hartley unsuccessfully introduces a motion to the House of Commons calling for the abolition of slavery .[ 3]
Publications
Births
10 January – George Birkbeck , doctor, academic and philanthropist (died 1841)
16 January – Richard Onslow , archdeacon (died 1849)
17 January (baptism date) – Jane Porter , novelist (died 1850)
23 January – Howard Douglas , army general (died 1861)
12 February – Richard Mant , writer and cleric (died 1848)
16 February – Abraham Raimbach , engraver (died 1843)
23 February
25 February – George William Tighe , expatriate (died 1837)
9 March – Thomas Evans , army general (died 1863)
12 March – Lady Hester Stanhope , archaeologist (died 1839)
20 March – Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos , politician (died 1839)
23 March – Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto , politician (died 1848)
11 April – Macvey Napier , lawyer and encyclopedia editor (died 1847)
12 April – Henry Hobhouse , archivist (died 1854)
20 April
25 April
28 April – Charles Bennet, 5th Earl of Tankerville , politician (died 1859)
6 May – Stephen Rumbold Lushington , politician and administrator in British India (died 1868)
8 May – Edward Leveson-Gower , admiral (died 1853)
10 May – George Thomas Smart , musician (died 1867)
8 June – Thomas Rickman , architect and architectural antiquary (died 1841)
11 June – John Constable , landscape painter (died 1837)
21 June
28 June – Charles Mathews , actor (died 1835)
3 July – Henry Parnell, 1st Baron Congleton , Anglo-Irish politician (died 1842)
18 July – John Struthers , Scottish poet (died 1853)
22 July – Etheldred Benett , geologist (died 1845)
30 July – Sir Edward Kerrison, 1st Baronet , army general (died 1853)
2 August – Thomas Assheton Smith II , landowner and sportsman (died 1858)
12 August – David Erskine, 2nd Baron Erskine , politician (died 1855)
18 August
25 August – Thomas Bladen Capel , admiral (died 1853)
11 September – Thomas Arbuthnot , army general (died 1849)
18 September – Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen, 2nd Viscount Newcomen , politician (died 1825)
21 September – John Fitchett , epic poet (died 1838)
6 October
13 October
14 October – Robert Townsend Farquhar , colonial administrator (died 1830)
20 October – John Rolls of The Hendre , judge (died 1837)
22 October – Edward Draper , army officer and colonial administrator (died 1841)
7 November – James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline , politician (died 1858)
10 November – Henry Seymour (Knoyle) , politician (died 1849)
15 November – Aaron Manby , ironmaster and civil engineer (died 1850)
16 November – Mary Matilda Betham , diarist, scholar and poet (died 1852)
30 November – Bartholomew Frere , diplomat (died 1851)
12 December – Nicholas Conyngham Tindal , lawyer and politician (died 1846)
19 December – Lord Robert Somerset , army general (died 1842)
Deaths
2 February – Francis Hayman , painter and illustrator (born 1708)
24 March – John Harrison , clockmaker (born 1693)
29 April – Edward Wortley Montagu , traveller and writer (born 1713)
13 June – William Battie , psychiatrist (born 1703 or 1704)
20 June – Benjamin Huntsman , inventor and manufacturer (born 1704)
7 July – Jeremiah Markland , classical scholar (born 1693)
17 July – Harriet Pelham-Holles, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne , widow of the Prime Minister (born 1701)
25 August – David Hume , Scottish philosopher (born 1711)
17 November – James Ferguson , Scottish astronomer (born 1710)
See also
References
Further reading
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