1708 in Great Britain:

Other years

1707 | 1708 | 1709 | 1710

Events from the year 1708 in the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Incumbents

• Monarch - Anne of Great Britain

Events

• 13 February - Robert Harley is dismissed from his position as Secretary of State for the Northern Department and Robert Walpole becomes Secretary at War.^[1]
• 11 March - Queen Anne withholds Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill, the last time a British monarch vetoes legislation.
• 23 March - James Francis Edward Stuart unsuccessfully tries to land at the Firth of Forth with a French fleet.^[1]
• 1 May - the Privy Councils of England and Scotland merged into the Privy Council of Great Britain.^[2]
• 11 July - War of the Spanish Succession: allied victory under the commander John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough against the French at the Battle of Oudenarde.^[1]
• 18 August - War of the Spanish Succession: Capture of Minorca by British forces.^[1]
• 12 October - War of the Spanish Succession: British forces capture Lille after a two-month siege, although the citadel continues to hold out for another six weeks.^[3]
• 20 October - Completion of the construction of St Paul's Cathedral in London.^[4]

Unknown dates

• A general election is held in Great Britain for returning members serving in the House of Commons of the 2nd Parliament of Great Britain, the first after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election results in a victory for the Whigs.^[3]

Births

• 15 November - William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham ("the Elder"), Prime Minister (died 1778)
• Richard Dawes, classical scholar (died 1766)
• Francis Hayman, painter and illustrator (died 1776)

Deaths

• 29 March - John Partridge, English astrologer and almanack-maker (born 1644)
• 6 September - John Morden, English merchant and philanthropist (born 1623)
• 1 October - John Blow, composer (born 1649)
• 10 October - David Gregory, Scottish astronomer (born 1659)
• 28 October - Prince George of Denmark, consort of Queen Anne (born 1653, Denmark)

References

See also