Rescue
Brunel is pulled from the flooded tunnel after being trapped by timber and swept through the workings.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1828 in Great Britain
Explore 41 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1828.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1828
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 41 unique records.
41Unique records
1 of 2Page
36Named events on this page
21Named people on this page
10Places on this page
January
Thames Tunnel
A major tunnel flood kills six workers and seriously injures Brunel, forcing him to withdraw from the project.
Tunnel Flood
A major flood kills six workers, seriously injures Isambard Kingdom Brunel and forces suspension of the tunnel works.
Resignation of Frederick John Robinson Goderich
Unable to keep the Tories united
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain by George IV
Government
Only Huskisson, Peel & the "Canningites" serve as Minister's in Wellingtons Cabinet
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Fills a vacuum after refusal by Whig & Tory Party leaders to accept the office
May
Legislation
The Test & Corporation Acts dating from Charles II are repealed. Acts of indemnity are passed annually
Reform of Religious Tests
The Test & Corporation Acts dating from Charles II are repealed
June
Foreign Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Foreign Minister, 1st term
July
Member of Parliament
Refuses to take the oath of supremacy & cannot take his seat in Parliament
Supremacy
Refuses to take the oath of supremacy & cannot take his seat in Parliament
Corn Law
Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815
Legislation
Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815. Corn prices are based on a sliding scale compared with domestic prices
Reform of Corn Laws
Reduces high prices caused by the Corn Law of 1815. Corn prices are based on a sliding scale compared with domestic prices
August
Rule of Morea
Codringtons presence at Alexandria led to the Treaty of the 6 August 1828, by which the evacuation of the Morea was settled
December
Death of Robert Banks Jenkinson
Death of Robert Banks Jenkinson, second Earl of Liverpool.
Other events (month unknown)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Appointed Duchy of Lancaster
Education
Matriculates at Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Classics and Mathematics, although he had no great interest in mathematics
Farm Workers Living Conditions Examined
Cobbett's writings continued to connect economic distress, wages and rural living conditions with demands for political change.
Frome Discharge Rerouted Away From Harbour
Bristol created an alternative outlet for Frome water to prevent pollution and sediment accumulating in the impounded port. This altered the relationship between the river and urban buildings.
Industrial Revolution
Hot blast, patented by James Beaumont Neilson in 1828, was the most important development of the 19th century for saving energy in making pig iron
Invention of Hot Blast
Hot blast, patented by James Beaumont Neilson in 1828, was the most important development of the 19th century for saving energy in making pig iron
Invention of Iron Furnace
Devises a furnace to improve the manufacture of iron
Lord President
Appointed Lord President of the Council
Mylne Culvert Carries River Flow
The newly engineered culvert carried the Frome beneath central quays toward the tidal Avon. The improvement addressed a specific constraint in river engineering.
New British Museum Construction Advances
Robert Smirke oversaw work on the new museum buildings as growing collections outstripped the old mansion.
Newcastle Branch Opens
Samuel Drewe serves as Governor as the Bank of England extends its branch network to Newcastle upon Tyne.
Peerage
Created Earl Grey, succeeds to his fathers peerage
Peerage
Created Viscount Melbourne, 2nd
Pelham
Publication of "Pelham"
Recovery
While recovering from his tunnel injuries Brunel develops ideas for a suspension bridge across the Avon Gorge.
Religious Disabilities Reform Debate
Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts provided a national reform issue as Cobbett continued publishing his political views.
Religious Equality Issues Debated
The repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts contributed to the reform agenda that mattered to the Review's Whig readership.
Resignation of William Lamb
Resigns after Wellington creates a Tory Government
Secretary of State for Ireland
Appointed Irish Secretary, 2nd term
Sliding Scale Replaces Import Threshold
Wellington's government introduced a sliding scale of duties that varied with the domestic price of grain.
Stone Bridge Floodgate Controls Frome
A mitre floodgate at Stone Bridge helped regulate how river flow entered the new underground waterway. It changed the balance between navigation and flood control.
Tariff Debate Broadens Free Trade Arguments
Commercial reformers used debates about grain duties to promote freer trade and criticize agricultural protection.
Thames Tunnel
Brunel leaves the Thames Tunnel project because his injuries prevent him from continuing as resident engineer.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.