1742 in Great Britain
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1742 in Great Britain:

Other years

1740 | 1741 | 1742 | 1743 | 1744

Sport

1742 English cricket season

Events from the year 1742 in the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Incumbents

• Monarch - George II of the United Kingdom
• Prime Minister - Robert Walpole, Whig (to 11 February), Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Whig

Events

• January - The House of Commons votes on the alleged rigging of the Chippenham by-election. It becomes a motion of no confidence which leads to the resignation of Robert Walpole.¹
• 9 January - Robert Walpole made Earl of Orford and resigns as First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer.²
• 12 February - John Carteret, 2nd Lord Carteret becomes Secretary of State for the Northern Department.
• 16 February - Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain.³
• 18 February - British attack La Guayra.
• 7 July - War of Jenkins' Ear: British troops defeat those of Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh in the Province of Georgia.
• 14 July - William Pulteney is created as 1st Earl of Bath.
• September - Construction starts on the Foundling Hospital in London.⁴

Undated

• James Bradley succeeds Edmond Halley as Astronomer Royal.

Publications

• Henry Fielding's novel Joseph Andrews.²

Births

• 1 January - Isaac Reed, Shakespearean editor (died 1807)
• 8 January - Philip Astley, circus organiser (died 1814)
• 28 April - Henry Dundas, statesman (died 1811)
• date unknown
  • George Chalmers, antiquarian (died 1825)
  • John Stackhouse, botanist (died 1819)

Deaths

• 1 January - Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, statesman (born 1686)
• 14 January - Edmond Halley, astronomer (born 1656)
• 22 February - Charles Rivington, publisher (born 1688)
• 2 April - James Douglas, physician and anatomist (born 1675)
• 18 June - John Aislabie, politician (born 1670)
• 27 June - Nathan Bailey, philologist and lexicographer (year of birth unknown)
• 9 July - John Oldmixon, historian (born 1673)
• 14 July - Richard Bentley, scholar and critic (born 1662)
• 19 July - William Somervile, poet (born 1675)

References

See also