# 1853 in the United Kingdom

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Events from the year 1853 in the United Kingdom.

## Incumbents

* Monarch – Victoria
* Prime Minister – George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (Coalition)

## Events

* 20 January – the United Kingdom annexes Lower Burma ending the Second Anglo-Burmese War.
* 4 February – Halifax Permanent Benefit Building Society takes its first deposits.
* 14 February – United Kingdom Alliance for the Suppression of the Traffic in all Intoxicating Liquors formed in Manchester.
* 15 February – PS Queen Victoria sinks in a snowstorm at night entering Dublin Bay with the loss of more than 80 lives.
* 18 February – a treaty is signed with the United States concerning international copyright.
* 29 March – Manchester is granted city status by letters patent.
* May – the world's first public aquarium is opened in London Zoo.
* 5 May – Perpetual Maritime Truce comes into force between the United Kingdom and the rulers of the Sheikhdoms of the Lower Gulf, later known as the Trucial States.
* 6 June – naval fleet travels to Besika Bay to fend off Russian threats to the Ottoman Empire.
* 25 June – Hochster v De La Tour, a landmark case on anticipatory breach of contract in English contract law, is decided in the Court of Queen's Bench.
* 1 July – first constitution of the Cape Colony provides for a legislative council.
* 1 August – under terms of the Vaccination Act 1853, all children born after this date are to receive compulsory vaccination against smallpox during their first 3 months of life, with defaulting parents subject to a fine.
* 12 August – Licensing (Scotland) Act (known after its sponsor as the 'Forbes Mackenzie Act') regulates the supply of intoxicating beverages in Scotland.
* 20 August – Penal Servitude Act provides for convicted criminals to serve their entire sentence in prison, rather than suffer transportation, and also to be freed on licence.
* September (approx.) – first pillar box on the British mainland erected in Carlisle.
* 14 September – West Australian becomes the first horse to win the English Triple Crown by finishing first in the Epsom Derby, 2,000 Guineas and St Leger.
* 28 September – emigrant ship Annie Jane sinks in heavy seas off the Scottish island of Vatersay with the loss of 350 lives.
* 31 October–15 May 1854 – lockout of Preston cotton mill workers seeking reinstatement of ten per cent of their pay; this will be Britain's longest industrial dispute up to this date.
* 3 December – Crimean War: a protocol is signed with France, Austria, and Prussia for restoring peace between Russia and Turkey.
* 14 December – Palmerston resigns as Home Secretary over demands for parliamentary reform, but changes his mind on 23 December.
* 15 December – the Sierra redwood Sequoiadendron giganteum is introduced to England as Wellingtonia by William Lobb.

### Undated

* Betting Houses Act prohibits betting shops, restricting legal betting on horse racing to racecourses.
* Highland Clearances in Skye and Raasay.
* J. S. Fry & Sons of Bristol produce their Cream Stick, predecessor of Fry's Chocolate Cream and the first mass produced chocolate bar.

## Publications

* Charlotte Brontë's novel Villette (published as by Currer Bell).
* Mrs Gaskell's novel Ruth.
* John Mason Neale and Thomas Helmore's adaptations Carols for Christmas-Tide, including the first appearance of "Good King Wenceslas".
* Robert Smith Surtees' comic novel Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour.
* Charlotte M. Yonge's novel The Heir of Redclyffe.

## Births

* 15 January – Rutland Barrington, baritone in musical comedy (died 1922)
* 16 January
** Johnston Forbes-Robertson, actor (died 1937)
** Ian Hamilton, general (died 1947)
* 29 March – Elihu Thomson, electrical engineer and inventor (died 1937)
* 7 April – Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, member of the royal family (died 1884)
* 3 June – Flinders Petrie, Egyptologist (died 1942)
* 5 July – Cecil Rhodes, businessman (died 1902)

## Deaths

* 27 January – John Iltyd Nicholl, Welsh politician (born 1797)
* 12 April – James Foster, ironmaster (born 1786)
* 15 August – Frederick William Robertson, Anglican preacher (born 1816)
* 19 August – Sir George Cockburn, Naval commander (born 1772)
* 29 August – Sir Charles James Napier, general and Commander-in-Chief in India (born 1782)
* 6 September – George Bradshaw, cartographer and timetable publisher (born 1800)