1874
Publication of Thomas Hardy's “Far from the Madding Crowd”
Annexation of Fiji by Britain, influenced by Sir Julius Vogel
Revolt of Herzogovinian peasants against Turkish rule – supported by Bosnia
The year in which “Blazing Saddles” (Mel Brooks) was set
British capture and burn Coomassie (ending Second Ashanti War), (Feb 4). The wars were precipitated by a British refusal to yield up a fugitive Fanti slave
Tichborne claimant sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for perjury following 188 day trial (Feb 28)
Czar Alexander II visits England (May 13-21)
Marshal Bazaine escapes from prison and flees to Madrid (Aug 9). He was the French military leader who had capitulated to the Prussians in 1870
Alfonso XII (son of Isabella II) declared King of Spain, ending the first republic
Series production of ladies' bicycles began when James Starley & Hillman introduced a specially adapted version of the “Ariel” (side-saddle)
Johann Strauss wrote “Die Fledermaus”
Lawn Tennis invented – using cloth-covered ball (Conington Castle, Hunts)
Factory Act – minimum age raised to 9
“Scholes & Glidden” typewriter first marketed by E Remington & Sons, gunsmiths, re-named “Remington in 1876
Pullman cars (the first carriages to be heated) introduced by Midland Railway, London/Bradford (1 Jun)
Thomas Burt (Morpeth), the first elected working-class MP (Radical-Labour)
Ice-cream soda introduced at Franklin Institute, Philadelphia by Robert Green
The first advertising bookmark – Bainbridge & Co, London
The first riveted jeans sold at $13.50 per dozen. The idea originated with a prospector named Alkali taking his trousers to a blacksmith to be riveted, on account of the rock specimens he carried in his pockets
Claude Monet paints “Impression – Sunrise”, giving name to the Impressionists
Brahms composes “Hungarian Dances”
Iceland becomes independent of Denmark
H Solomon introduces pressure-cooking for canning foods
Cézanne paints “Vase of Flowers”
Verdi composes “Requiem”
Stanley sets out on his journey down the Congo (lasts to 1877)
J R Green publishes his “Short History of the English People”
France establishes protectorate over Annam
Gold Coast (Ghana) colony founded by Britain
Mrs Nassau Senior, (sister of Thomas Hughes, author of “Tom Brown's Schooldays”), becomes Poor Law Inspector, thus being the first female civil servant of the administrative class, (18 Jan). She was later to be accused of “bias, bad faith and sensationalism”.
Dr Andrew Taylor Still, the first osteopath, commenced practice at Macon, Montana (22 Jun)
Charley Ross, aged 4, kidnapped at Philadelphia and held to $20,000 ransom (1 Jul)
USA beat Ireland 934 – 931 in international rifle competition (long-range) at Creedmore, Long Island, (26 Sept)
First recorded example of double glazing at Cranfield Court, Bedsa
The first electric car built by Sir David Salomons at Tunbridge Wells, 1-hp three-wheeler powered by Bunsen cells
The first butter factory opened By Holmes Cheese & Butter, Rewlack, Derbyshire
The discovery of DDT was reported by Othmar Zeidler at Strasbourg ( 1 Aug)
The first religious knowledge summer school was held, at Fair Point, N.Y., (4 Aug)
The Dewey Decimal System was developed by Melvil Dewey at Amherst College, Mass., (Jun)
Abbas Hilmi Pasha born. He later succeeded his father to the throne of Egypt to become the last Turkish viceroy – deposed by the British
Universities of Adelaide (Australia), Alabama State and Nevada-Reno founded
“The Three-cornered Hat” written by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, on which Manuel de Falla's ballet was based
Alberta's first North West Mounted Police post established at Fort MacLeod
Fred James Archer, born Cheltenham, becomes champion jockey. He went on to retain the title for a further twelve consecutive years, riding 2748 winners from 8084 mounts. He was 5'10”
State of Arkansas founded
H H Asquith graduates from Balliol
Nicholás Avellaneda becomes President of Argentina, putting down a revolt led by Bartolomé Mitre
The Great Mosque and Sultan's Palace at Banda Acet (Sumatra) destroyed by invading Dutch
Sarah Bernhardt, the best-known stage figure of her time, gained recognition through her leading role in Phèdre (Jean Racine) at the Comédie Francaise
Birth of Count Stephen Bethlen in Transylvania. He became Hungarian political leader – went into hiding when Germans invaded, captured by Russians in 1945 and “disappeared”
Second siege of Bilbao by Carlists
Gold discovered in Black Hills causing an alliance to be formed between Crazy Horse (Oglala Sioux) and Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Sioux) and eventually to the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876
Catherine Breshkovsky (known as “Babushka” – the little grandmother), Russian revolutionary, imprisoned in St Petersburg
G K Chesterton born
Death (peaceful) of Cochise, Chief of Chiricahua Apaches
Casting of Great Bell “Kaiserglocke” from a cannon captured in Franco-Prussian War, hung in south tower of Koln Cathedral
Saint-Saens writes “Danse Macabre”, the first orchestral use of the xylophone
First Scottish FA Cup held
William Somerset Maugham (author) and Herbert Hoover (31st President of USA) born
David Livingstone's remains buried in Westminster Abbey
Jules Verne's “Voyage au centre de la terre” translated into English
Orchestration of Richard Wagner's Gotterammerung completed (Nov)
“The Wheeler Compromise”, when the 19th US President stepped in to prevent the collapse of the Louisiana legislature following a disputed election
First staged polo match in London by Hurlingham Polo Association whose committee drew up the rules
Public education system set up in Newfoundland
John D Rockefeller Jnr born in Cleveland, Ohio
The Southern Union formed, the first Rugby Union administrative body in Australia
Robert William Service, Canada's national poet, born Preston, Lancs. He went to the Yukon and there wrote verse, most famously “The Shooting of Dan McGrew”
Sir Ernest Shackleton born at Kilkee, Co Clare
National Woman's Christian Temperance Union formed in USA by Frances Willard, a prohibition crusader
Reorganisation of Texas Rangers into six companies each of 75 men, bringing peace from horse thieves and cattle rustlers
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