Hosken Receives Commemorative Telescope
Passengers presented Captain Hosken with a telescope to commemorate an exceptionally rapid westbound crossing in May 1839.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1839 in Great Britain — Page 2
Explore 63 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1839.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1839
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 23 of 63 unique records.
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21Named events on this page
17Named people on this page
11Places on this page
Other events (month unknown)
Hungerford Suspension Bridge Layout Planned
Design work considered a high central suspension span supported by masonry towers and anchored iron chains.
Invasion of Afghanistan
The official British position that their troops were merely supporting Shah Shujas small army in retaking what was once his throne was generally seen (at the time, as well as now) as pretext for incorporating Afghanistan into the British empire. The British denied that they were invading Afghanistan, instead claiming they were merely supporting its legitimate Shuja Government "against foreign interference and factious opposition"
Invasion of Afghanistan
With Persia ruled by a pron, it may well have been the case that Britain was trying to install a pro-British leader in Afghanistan to prevent Russia from becoming the dominant power and threatening the North-West Frontier. The British denied that they were invading Afghanistan, instead claiming they were merely supporting its legitimate Shuja Government "against foreign interference and factious opposition"
Iron Hull Recommended for Great Britain
Brunel and the building committee recommend changing the new steamship from wood to iron construction.
Lord Privy Seal
Appointed Lord Privy Seal
Marriage
Marries Catherine Glynne, to whom he remained married until his death 59 years later
Marriage
On their 2nd meeting Victoria asks Prince Albert to marry her
May Voyage Improves Westbound Atlantic Record
A May crossing by Great Western established a faster westbound Atlantic passage time under Captain Hosken.
National League Promotes Grain Repeal
The Anti Corn Law League organized campaigns for the abolition of protective import duties on grain.
Paddington Electric Telegraph Demonstrated
Cooke and Wheatstone's telegraph was used on the Great Western Railway between Paddington and West Drayton.
Paddington Railway Telegraph Technology Advances
The railway telegraph link connected Paddington with West Drayton and demonstrated practical electrical communication.
Paddington-West Drayton Telegraph
The Paddington-West Drayton link becomes an early commercial telegraph installation.
Petition
The Chartist petition is delivered to the House of Commons
Postal Reform
His postal reform ideas draw on experience as a Birmingham educator and campaigner.
Review Maintains Scholarly Breadth
The Edinburgh Review combined literature, political economy and social commentary under Napier despite changing public tastes.
River Avon Viaduct Design Developed
Brunel develops the masonry viaduct carrying the Great Western Railway across the River Avon in Wiltshire.
Ross Expedition
Commands the Antarctic expedition of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, with Francis Crozier as second-in-command, and begins charting much of the coastline of the continent
Royal Society
Appointed Member of Royal Society
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Appointed Secretary for War & the Colonies
Ship Lengthening Work Commences
Refitting work in the period from 1839 to 1840 lengthened Great Western and increased her accommodation capacity.
Steamship Refit Increases Internal Space
Alterations to Great Western during the 1839 to 1840 period expanded the space available for commercial operations.
Town Council
Serves as Birmingham’s first mayor after incorporation.
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.