Events from the year 1739 in Great Britain.
Incumbents Monarch – George II Prime Minister – Robert Walpole (Whig)
Events 14 January – Britain and Spain sign the Convention of Pardo. 16 January – first performance of George Frideric Handel's oratorio Saul at the His Majesty's Theatre, London. February – George Whitefield first preaches in the open air, to miners at Kingswood, South Gloucestershire. April – John Wesley first preaches in the open air, at Whitefield's invitation. 4 April – first performance of Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt at the King's Theatre, London. 12 May – John Wesley lays the foundation stone of the New Room, Bristol, the world's first Methodist meeting house. 17 October – the Foundling Hospital in London, established by Thomas Coram, is granted its royal charter. 23 October – "War of Jenkins' Ear" (1739–1742) begins when Britain declares war on Spain. 20–22 November – War of Jenkins' Ear: Battle of Porto Bello: British marine forces capture the Panamanian silver exporting town of Porto Bello from the Spanish. 25 December–February 1740 – the 'Great Frost': unusually harsh winter in southern England and Ireland.
Publications January (dated 9 February) – The Scots Magazine first published. David Hume's anonymous A Treatise of Human Nature (issued late 1738 but dated this year). John Mottley's pseudonymous Joe Miller's Jests, or the Wits Vade-Mecum. John and Charles Wesley's Hymns and Sacred Poems, including the first publication of Charles's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", anonymously as "Hymn for Christmas-Day", opening "Hark how all the welkin rings".
Births 6 January – David Dale, philanthropist (died 1806) 26 January – George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (died 1817) 4 February – John Robison, physicist (died 1805) 25 March – Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany (died 1767) 16 May – Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, peer and politician (died 1779) 5 November – Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton, peer (died 1819) 4 December – Henry Temple, 2nd Viscount Palmerston, politician (died 1802)
Deaths 7 April – Dick Turpin, highwayman (hanged) (born 1705) 19 April – Nicholas Saunderson, scientist and mathematician (born 1682) 10 August – William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven, nobleman. (born 1700) 4 September – George Lillo, playwright (born 1693) 21 October – William Montagu, 2nd Duke of Manchester (born 1700)
See also 1739 in Wales
References