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George II Succession to the throne
Upon his father's death, George II begins his reign (1727- 1760) at the age of 30. -
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George II Reign
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Charlotte Cibber Charke runs a puppet show
Charlotte Cibber Charke, actress and autobiographer, runs a puppet show from 1730-1740s after she is put out of work by the Licensing Act of 1737 -
Queen Caroline builds a hermitage at Kew
Queen Caroline builds a hermitage at Kew which is modelled on members of her court, an endeavor which is met with criticism. -
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Ilegitimacy trends in England during the 1730s
In the 1730s, 2.69 percemt of baptisms were of illegitimate-born children. -
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Women in Social History of the Decade
Sociopolitical issues for women pertaining to domestic and public spheres. -
Mary Astell dies
Mary Astell, English philosopher and author of Some Reflections Upon Marriage, dies. -
Elizabeth Carter begins writing for the Gentleman's Magazine
Elizabeth Carter, member of the Bluestocking circle, writes for the Gentleman's Magazine from 1734-139 as a means of supporting herself. During the 18th century, writing, particularly through journalism, became a way for women to support themselves financially. -
Caroline of Anspach dies
Caroline of Anspach, who was married to George II, dies. -
Marriage of John Smith and Elizabeth Huthall in London
In 1737, John Smith and Elizabeth Huthall marry at the Fleet in London, and there is speculation from the clerk that they were both women on the grounds that Smith is 'a little short fair thin man not above 5 feet'" (qtd in Laurence 69). -
Mrs. Stanley, a midwife who had delivered 128 babies, decides to deliver herself in England
Stanley, a midwife established in Savannah, Georgia, did not trust herself to the other midwives. According to this source, eighteenth-century English midwives had "some reputation," Stanley included (Laurence 77). -
Elizabeth Blackwell produces her two-volume Curious Herbal
Elizabeth Blackwell used her interest in botany to earn a living by producing illustrations of plants. -
Licensing Act of 1737
The Licensing Act of 1737 is passed in response to a wave of theatrical satires which mocked the government of Robert Walpole, most notable among these Henry Fielding's Pasquin. -
The Ladies Dispensatory publication
In 1739, The Ladies Dispensatory, published anonymously, highlights the socioreligious objections against female masturbation through "an account of a woman who, having between the ages of fourteen and nineteen often masturbated, fell into fits where she would scream out, throw off her clothes, 'endeavoring to lay hold of any man she saw, that he might lie with her', and finally died in a 'siddem ravomg fit' aged twenty three" (Laurence 67). -
Widespread Food Riots
Due to the very high price of grain, there were particularly widespread food riots during the years 1739 and 1740. Some suggest that "women most frequently initiated spontaneous demonstrations, and that those which were organized and advertised beforehand were prepared by men" (Laurence 266). -
George II Declares War on Spain
Against the wishes of the Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, George II declares war against Spain, purportedly over the incident pertaining to Captain Jenkins' ear. -
War of Jenkins' Ear
In 1738, Captain Robert Jenkins appeared before a committee of the House of Commons with what "he alleged to be his own amputated ear, cut off in April 1731 in the West Indies by Spanish coast guards, who had boarded his ship, pillaged it, and then set it adrift" (Britannica). This incident fueled George II's declaration of War against Spain. -
Death of George II
George II dies of a stroke on October 25, 1760.
