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Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1863 in Great Britain
Explore 27 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1863.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1863
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 27 of 27 unique records.
27Unique records
1 of 1Page
25Named events on this page
18Named people on this page
10Places on this page
January
Metropolitan Railway
Fowler helps open the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground passenger railway.
Birth of David Lloyd George
Birth of David Lloyd George
March
Marriage
Marries Alexandra, eldest daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark
Lieutenant
Appointed Lieutenant Colonel with a force of 4,000 Chinese
October
October Australian Passenger Crossing Begins
Great Britain sailed again from Liverpool to Melbourne with hundreds of passengers during its continuing Australian service.
October Australian Passenger Crossing Begins
Under Captain John Gray SS Great Britain remained engaged in the long distance Australia trade in the early 1860s, carrying emigrants between Britain and Melbourne.
December
December Australian Arrival Achieved
Great Britain arrived in Melbourne after its October departure from Liverpool with a large passenger complement.
December Australian Arrival Achieved
Captain John Gray supervised the passage of SS Great Britain to Australia during the 1860s, when the vessel had an established reputation on the emigrant route.
Other events (month unknown)
Battersea Railway Bridges Improve Connections
Additional railway bridge works helped connect south London lines with terminals north of the Thames.
Chain Transport Traveller Runs Across Gorge
The Clifton construction team uses a wheeled travelling apparatus running along temporary cables to move heavy suspension links into place above the river.
Chippenham Branch Railway Connections Expand
The development of local branch railways increased Chippenham's importance as a centre for regional transport.
Chippenham To Calne Branch Opens
A railway branch linked Chippenham with Calne and enlarged the town's rail catchment area.
Clifton Bridge Deck Assembly Advances
Construction crews developed the roadway and iron suspension structure spanning the Avon Gorge.
Death of James Bruce
Death of James Bruce
Income Tax
Income tax was reduced to ninepence (pounds 00s9d) in 1861; in 1863 to sevenpence; in 1864 to fivepence; and in 1865 to fourpence
Invasion of Mexico
British troops withdraw but Palmerston gives moral support to Napoleon III
Invention of Locomotive
Pataents a locomotive with pivoting driving bogies to take tight curves
Mans Place in Nature
Publication of "Mans Place in Nature", expounds his theory of evolution
Mans Place in Nature", expounds his theory of evolution
Publication of "Mans Place in Nature", expounds his theory of evolution
Member of Parliament
Elected Member of Parliament
Nine Temporary Gorge Cables Installed
During the summer of 1863 the bridge builders stretch nine substantial cables between the towers to support working platforms, transport equipment and chain installation.
Paddington Metropolitan Railway Connection Opens
London's first underground railway linked the Paddington area with Farringdon during the growth of suburban transport.
Periodic Relationships of Elements
Publishes an early arrangement of elements by increasing atomic weight and notes recurring similarities in chemical properties.
Royal Society
Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Temporary Plank Platform Suspended Above Avon
Workers suspend a narrow planked platform over the Avon Gorge from temporary cables, allowing them to assemble the chains that will ultimately carry the roadway.
Utilitarianism
Publication of "Utilitarianism"
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.