Reform of Government
Provides for the confiscation of emblems & arms of rival Orange & Catholic parties
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1850 in Great Britain
Explore 44 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1850.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1850
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 44 unique records.
44Unique records
1 of 2Page
34Named events on this page
26Named people on this page
12Places on this page
March
April
Death of William Wordsworth
Death of William Wordsworth, 80
May
Birth of Arthur
Birth of Arthur, 7th child of Victoria & Albert, 2nd in line to the throne
Birth of Arthur
Birth of Arthur, 7th child of Victoria & Albert, 2nd in line to the throne
Birth of Arthur
Birth of Arthur, 7th child of Victoria & Albert, 2nd in line to the throne
June
Birth of Horatio Herbert Kitchener
Birth of Horatio Herbert Kitchener
August
National Gall
Lays the foundation stone of William Playfairs National Gallery
November
Calls Pius IXs brief to establish a Catholic hierarchy in England &
Calls Pius IXs brief to establish a Catholic hierarchy in England & Wales "insolent"
Poet Laureate
After William Wordsworths death in 1850, and Samuel Rogers refusal, Tennyson was appointed to the position of Poet Laureate, which he held until his own death in 1892, by far the longest tenure of any laureate
Other events (month unknown)
Battersea Railway Freight Activity Expands
Railway companies developed sidings and connections in the Battersea district to handle growing London freight traffic.
Birth of Arthur
Birth of Arthur, 7th child of Victoria & Albert, 2nd in line to the throne
Brunel Swivel Bridge
The Brunel Swivel Bridge is completed as part of improvements to the locks at Bristol Harbour.
Burial
Buried in Drayton
Chippenham Railway Junction Planning Develops
Railway proposals during the mid nineteenth century considered further connections with the surrounding Wiltshire area.
Death of Robert Peel
Death of Robert Peel, falls to his death from his horse
Discovery of Andromeda Galaxy
Makes the first drawing of Andromeda's spiral structure
Dundrum Salvage Expense Undermines Original Company
The cost of recovering SS Great Britain after her 1846 grounding placed severe financial pressure on the original Great Western Steamship Company.
Eastern Trade Becomes Important At Salthouse
The dock's principal mid nineteenth century commercial connections increasingly included China and the East Indies. It connected dock geometry to the commercial requirements of shipping.
Factory Act Clarifies Working Hours
Legislation in 1850 addressed evasions of the Ten Hours Act by specifying a more definite factory working day for women and young persons.
Factory Act Regulates Daily Shifts
The 1850 Factory Act reorganized permitted working periods for women and young persons, reducing opportunities for irregular relay shifts.
Factory Regulation Establishes Fixed Working Day
The 1850 Factory Act prescribed clearer working day arrangements for women and young persons, although it modified the strict ten hour position.
France, Britain & Russia sign a protocol recognizing Danish rule in Schleswig
France, Britain & Russia sign a protocol recognizing Danish rule in Schleswig. France, Britain & Russia sign a protocol recognizing Danish rule in Holstein
Great Britain Sold For Australian Service
The former Atlantic liner was sold to new interests for a change of service toward Australian passenger voyages.
Great Britain Sold For Australian Service
Gibbs Bright and Company bought SS Great Britain in 1850 and prepared the former Atlantic steamship for the growing Australia emigrant trade.
Great Western Continues West Indies Voyages
The former Atlantic pioneer served maritime routes linking Britain with Caribbean ports.
Hungerford Thames Bridge Maintenance Continues
The operator maintained the pedestrian crossing and its suspension structure above the river.
Institution of Civil Engineers
Brunel becomes a vice-president of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Menai Bridge
Completes the suspension bridge & opens it to traffic
Painting
Completion of the painting, "Christ in the House of His Parents"
Party Leader
Appointed Leader of the free trade Peelites on the death of Peel
Peelites
After Peel's death in 1850 Gladstone emerged as the leader of the Peelites in the House of Commons
Peelites
After Peels death in 1850 Gladstone emerges as the leader of the Peelites in the House of Commons
Peelites
Appointed Leader of the Peelites
Portsmouth Mechanisation Becomes Engineering Model
The historic block works offered a widely noted demonstration of powered repetitive manufacturing. It provided an early model for integrated industrial manufacture.
Privations of political prisoners make Gladstone a Nationalist & Revolutionary
Privations of political prisoners make Gladstone a "Nationalist" & "Revolutionary"
Ring Out, Wild Bells
Tennyson reaches the pinnacle of his career, finally publishing his masterpiece, In Memoriam A.H.H., dedicated to Hallam. Publication of "Ring Out, Wild Bells"
Royal Academy
Appointed President of the Royal Academy
Rule of Australia
Publishes letters to Lord Aberdeen pressing him for Austrian reform
Shaftesbury Negotiates Factory Hours Compromise
Ashley Cooper accepted a legislative compromise designed to restrict factory relay systems and secure enforceable hours limits.
Sonnets From the Portuguese
Publication of "Sonnets From the Portuguese"
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.