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Catholic Emancipation Act is passed by Parliament
(used Jan 1st) They did this by passing the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829; this act allowed Catholics to enter Parliament and hold other important political offices without taking the oath. -
Slavery is banned in all British colonies
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 was an 1833 Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire (with the exceptions "of the Territories in the Possession of the East India Company," the "Island of Ceylon," and "the Island of Saint Helena", which were later repealed).The Act was repealed in 1998 as part of a wider rationalisation of English statute law, but later anti-slavery legislation remains in force. -
Queen Victoria ascends to the throne
(Used Jan 1st) Queen Victoria at 18 ascends British throne following death of uncle King William IV Ruled for 63 years ending in 1901 -
Irish Potato Famine begins
(Could'nt find the exact day so just made it the 1st.) The Famine began quite mysteriously in September 1845 as leaves on potato plants suddenly turned black and curled, then rotted, seemingly the result of a fog that had wafted across the fields of Ireland. The cause was actually an airborne fungus (phytophthora infestans) originally transported in the holds of ships traveling from North America to England. -
Second Reform Act is passed by British Parliament
(Used Jan 1st) the reform act introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales. According to its preamble, the act was designed to "take effectual Measures for correcting divers Abuses that have long prevailed in the Choice of Members to serve in the Commons House of Parliament." -
British Parliament ends all public hangings
(Used Jan 1st; did not know exact date) After the passing of the Capital Punishment Amendment Act of 1868, all executions had to take place within the walls of county prisons. The existing gallows was generally used, set up in the prison yard rather than in public, e.g. at Durham, Lewis and Gloucester. Some of these still required the prisoner to ascend steps up to the platform, which could be problematic. -
Use of Secret Ballot in Great Britain passes
The Ballot Act 1872 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that introduced the requirement that parliamentary and local government elections in the United Kingdom be held by secret ballot. -
Queen Victoria dies
Queen Victoria died on 21 January 1901 at the age of 81. She had been the Queen of Great Britain for 63 years, presiding over the industrialization of Britain and the expansion of the British Empire overseas. But perhaps her most lasting influence was on the values of the time: the Victorian age became synonymous with prudish gentility and repression. -
All women 30 and older gain the right to vote in Great Britain
(used Jan 1st because did not know exact date) The 1918 Representation of the People Act was the start of female suffrage in Great Britain. The bill was passed by an overwhelming majority in the House of commons an element of support that surprised the Suffragettes and other suffragist movements. The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave women of property over the age of 30 the right to vote not all women, therefore, could vote but it was a major start.
