Sinking Fund
Pitt establishes a sinking fund intended to reduce the national debt.
Role range: 1783-1801
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
William Pitt Biography and Timeline
Follow William Pitt through 9 dated historical records for Great Britain.
William Pitt, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
9Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1786–1805Years on this page
1786
1791
Constitutional Act
His ministry passes the Constitutional Act dividing Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada
Role range: 1783-1801
1797
Bank Restriction
The government permits the Bank of England to suspend cash payments after wartime pressure drains reserves, interrupting the earlier gold-based convertibility of banknotes.
Role range: 1783-1801
Bank Restriction
Pitt authorises suspension of Bank of England gold payments during wartime financial pressure.
Role range: 1793-1802 – 1783-1801
Bank Restriction
Pitt orders the Bank of England to suspend gold payments after a wartime run on reserves.
Role range: 1783-1801
Paper Currency
The Bank issues one-pound and two-pound notes to replace scarce gold coin during restriction.
Role range: 1783-1801
1804
War Funding Debate Recorded
Parliamentary debate records from Pitt's final premiership trace arguments about taxation and the cost of Britain's war against Napoleonic France.
1805
News of Trafalgar
Receives news of the victory and Nelson's death.
Role range: 1804-1806 – 1804-1806
Coalition, 3rd
Builds the Third Coalition while Trafalgar secures British command of the sea.
Role range: 1800-1815 – 1804-1806
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.