1768 in Great Britain

Events from the year 1768 in the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Incumbents

*Monarch - George III of the United Kingdom
*Prime Minister - William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, Whig (to 14 October), Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, Whig

Events

* 9 January - Philip Astley stages the first modern circus, with acrobats on galloping horses in London.
* March - General election; Whigs remain in power.cite book |last=Palmer |first=Alan & Veronica |year=1992 |title= The Chronology of British History|publisher= Century Ltd|location=London|pages= 224-225|isbn= 0-7126-5616-2]
* 10 May - John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for "The North Briton" severely criticising King George III. This action provokes rioting in London.
* 8 August - James Cook departs Plymouth on his first voyage of discovery. [cite web|url=http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/cook/17680807.html|title=Cook's Journal: Daily Entries, 7 August 1768|accessdate=2007-08-10]
* 14 October - Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton succeeds William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham as Prime Minister after Pitt's resignation due to ill health.
* 10 December - Royal Academy founded in London.cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]

Undated

* Secretary of State for colonies appointed.
* Boston citizens refuse to quarter British troops.
* Frederick Cornwallis enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Publications

* First of the weekly numbers of the "Encyclopædia Britannica" are published; 100 are planned.
* "A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy" by Laurence Sterne.cite book|last=Williams|first=Hywel|title=Cassell's Chronology of World History|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|year=2005|isbn=0-304-35730-8|324–325pages=]

Births

* 17 May - Caroline of Brunswick, queen of George IV (died 1821)
* 17 May - Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, general (died 1854)
* 23 August - Astley Cooper, surgeon and anatomist (died 1841)
* 24 September - Sharon Turner, historian (died 1847)
* 2 October - William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, general and politician (died 1854)

Deaths

* 1 February - Sir Robert Rich, 4th Baronet, cavalry officer (born 1685)
* 2 February - Robert Smith, mathematician (born 1689)
* 8 February - George Dance the Elder, architect (born 1695)
* 17 February - Arthur Onslow, politician (born 1691)
* 18 March - Laurence Sterne, Irish-born English novelist (born 1713)
* 15 June - James Short, mathematician and optician (born 1710)
* 24 July - Nathanial Lardner, theologian (born 1684)
* 1 October - Robert Simson, mathematician (born 1687)
* 17 November - Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Prime Minister (born 1693)
* Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury (born 1693)

References

ee also