1703: John Wesley (1703 - 1791) born. Held religious
meetings on Blackheath prior to setting up the Methodist Church.
1705:
Greenwich Royal Park
open to public
1705:
Edmond
Halley identified the comet later to be named after him.
1707: 22 October: Royal Navy 4 ships sank- 2,000 lives lost
- public outcry results.
1714: King George I (1660 - 1724) arrives in England at
Greenwich as reigning monarch.
1714: Longitude Act offered rich prizes to anyone who could
determine longitude at sea.
c1717: Macartney House (home of General Wolfe & his parents)
was built.
1720:
Edmond
Halley appointed Astronomer Royal at Greenwich.
1727: 11 June -
George II succeeded his father George I
1727: Death of
Sir Isaac Newton
1727: Painted Hall at Greenwich Royal Naval College
completed by Sir James Thornhill.
1729: Aberration of light discovered by James Bradley
1730: John Harrison (1693 - ?) arrives at Greenwich with his
sea-going clock plans.
1732: Royal Charter founds Georgia
1737:
Samuel
Johnson "Dr. Johnson" (1709 - 1784), lexicographer, author & critic lived
in Greenwich.
1738: Methodist movement founded by John & Charles Wesley
who preached on Blackheath.
1739: 7 April - Dick Turpin (highwayman) hanged. Highwaymen
attacked at Shooters Hill.
1742: Handel's Messiah first performed
1742:
James
Bradley (1693 - 1762) appointed Astronomer Royal at Greenwich
1749: Transit Room built at
Greenwich
Royal Observatory - home of Bradley's Greenwich Meridian.
c1750: Antonio Canaletto (1687 - 1768) paints famous view of
Greenwich Hospital from across the River Thames.
1751: Greenwich Hospital completed to
Sir
Christopher Wren's (1632 - 1723) plans.
1752: 3-14 September - Britain adopts Gregorian calendar -
11 days 'lost'
1753: British Museum founded
1755: Dr Samuel Johnson (former Greenwich resident)
publishes Dictionary of the English Language
1758: Appearance of
Halley's
Comet
1759: Quebec taken by
James Wolfe
(resident of Greenwich)
1759: Kew Gardens established
1760: 25 October
George II dies - statue in
Royal Naval College
gardens.
1760: Succeeded by his grandson George III (immortalised on
movie filmed in Greenwich)
1762:
Nathaniel Bliss appointed Astronomer Royal at Greenwich
1763: Dreadnought Seaman's Hospital built in Greenwich.
1765:
Nevil Maskelyne appointed Astronomer Royal at Greenwich
1779: Fire in chapel at Greenwich Hospital.
1780: Archway of "Spread Eagle" built at Greenwich
1781: Uranus discovered by Sir William Herschel
1783: Greenwich Hospital School (now part of Davenport
House) built.
