Historedia
Group or institution

British Government

Events
6
Episodes
12
Years
1808–1888

Every event in Historedia whose sources name British Government, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Sierra Leone becomes a British Crown Colony

    1808

    Role: Assumed direct responsibility for Sierra Leone in 1808

    1. 1808 · FreetownEstablishment of the Crown Colony

      The British government assumed direct control of Sierra Leone in 1808, converting the settlement into a Crown Colony centered on Freetown.

  2. Charles Babbage proposes the difference engine

    1822–1842

    Role: Sponsor

    1. 14 June 1822 · Royal Astronomical SocietyAnnouncement to Royal Astronomical Society

      Babbage announced his invention in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society on 14 June 1822.

    2. 1823 · British GovernmentInitial Government Funding

      The British government provided £1700 to Babbage in 1823 to start work on the difference engine.

    3. 1842 · British GovernmentAbandonment of Construction

      The British government abandoned the project in 1842 after Babbage spent over £17,000 without a working engine.

  3. Arrow Incident and outbreak of the Second Opium War

    1856–1857

    Role: Political Entity

    1. 8 October 1856 · CantonSeizure of the Arrow

      Qing officials in Canton seized the lorcha Arrow on suspicion of piracy, arresting twelve Chinese crew members on 8 October 1856.

    2. 3 March 1857 · LondonParliamentary Vote on the Incident

      The British government lost a Parliamentary vote in March 1857 regarding the Arrow incident and events at Canton.

    3. December 1857 · CantonOccupation of Canton

      A joint British and French army attacked and occupied Canton in late 1857, following the Arrow Incident.

  4. Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory admitted to Canada

    1869–1870

    Role: Executive Authority

    1. 19 November 1869 · Unresolved siteCharter Surrender

      The Hudson's Bay Company surrendered its charter to the British Crown in 1869, receiving £300,000 in compensation.

    2. 15 July 1870 · Unresolved siteAdmission to Canada

      The British government admitted the territory to Canada on 15 July 1870, following an order-in-council dated 23 June 1870.

  5. First telegraph submarine cable between Great Britain and India completed

    1870

    Role: Commissioned Bombay-London link

    1. 1870 · Porthcurno, Cornwall, EnglandCable landed at Porthcurno, 1870

      The first submarine telegraph cable between Great Britain and India was landed at Porthcurno, Cornwall, in 1870.

    2. 1870 · London, EnglandBombay-London submarine cable link, 1870

      Bombay was linked to London via submarine cable in 1870, establishing a direct telecommunications link.

  6. North Borneo becomes a British protectorate

    1888

    Role: Protector

    1. 12 May 1888 · North BorneoEstablishment of the Protectorate

      North Borneo was declared a British protectorate on 12 May 1888 to secure the territory against rival European claims.

Sources

  1. Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-26
  2. Difference engine Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29
  3. Second Opium War Wikipedia
  4. Rupert's Land Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-15
  5. North-Western Territory Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-13
  6. Submarine communications cable Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
  7. North Borneo Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-19