The British Peerage - Historic UK
WEBAs well as hereditary titles, the British peerage also includes life peerages, part of the British honours system. Life peerages are granted by the Government to honour individuals and give the recipient the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Today, most of those who sit in the House of Lords are life peers: only 90 of the 790 or so ...
Timeline of the British Empire - Historic UK
WEBFeb 8, 2019 · 1664 – The English gained control of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, renaming the settlement New York. 1666 – The Bahamas were successfully colonised. 1668 – English East India Company takes over Bombay. 1690 – Job Charnock formally founded Calcutta on behalf of the East India Company.
Who was King Arthur and where was Camelot? - Historic UK
WEBCaerleon, South Wales. Both Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes place Camelot, Arthur’s chief court and fortress, in Caerleon, South Wales, one of three Roman legionary forts in Britain. Although the name ‘Caerleon’ sounds typically Celtic, it is actually a corruption of the Latin words castrum (fortress) and legio (legion).
The history of afternoon tea - a great British tradition
WEBAfternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. The Duchess would become hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon. The evening meal in her household was served fashionably late at eight o’clock, thus leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner.
The Abolition of Slavery In Britain - Historic UK
WEB13 min read. On 28th August 1833 a very important act received its Royal Assent. The Slavery Abolition Law would finally be enacted, after years of campaigning, suffering and injustice. This act was a crucial step in a much wider and ongoing process designed to bring an end to the slave trade. Only a few decades previously, in 1807 another act ...
The History of Fish and Chips - National Dish of Britain
WEBThe populace soon decided that putting fried fish and chips together was a very tasty combination and so was born our national dish of fish and chips! The first fish and chip shop in the North of England is thought to have opened in Mossely, near Oldham, Lancashire, around 1863. Mr Lees sold fish and chips from a wooden hut in the market and ...
St George – Patron Saint of England - Historic UK
WEBKing Edward III made him the Patron Saint of England when he formed the Order of the Garter in St. George’s name in 1350, and the cult of the Saint was further advanced by King Henry V, at the battle of Agincourt in northern France. Shakespeare made sure that nobody would forget St. George, and has King Henry V finishing his pre-battle speech ...
Alfred the Great - Historic UK
WEBApr 1, 2019 · Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, a defender against Viking invasion and a social reformer; just few of the reasons why he is the only English monarch to be known as “the Great”. Alfred was born in 849 and served as King of Wessex, a Saxon kingdom based in the southwest of modern day England, from 871 to his death on 26th October 899 AD.
The Great Fire of London - Historic UK
WEBThe people of London who had managed to survive the Great Plague in 1665 must have thought that the year 1666 could only be better, and couldn’t possibly be worse! Poor souls… they could not have imagined the new disaster that was to befall them in 1666. A fire started on September 2nd in the King’s bakery in Pudding Lane near London Bridge.
Timeline of events in 1942 during the Second World War - Historic …
WEBImportant events of 1942, including the battle of El Alamein in North Africa (pictured to the left). 9 Jan. Japanese forces start to attack the Philippines. 10 Jan. The Allies in the south-west Pacific set up a combined force ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australia) under the command of General Sir Archibald Wavell. 14 Jan.