William Woollett
4 of 5 portraits of William Woollett
William Woollett
by and published by John Keyse Sherwin
line engraving, published 12 August 1784
12 in. x 10 in. (306 mm x 255 mm) plate size; 17 5/8 in. x 13 3/4 in. (449 mm x 348 mm) paper size
Given by Sir Herbert Henry Raphael, 1st Bt, 1913
Reference Collection
NPG D19406
Sitterback to top
- William Woollett (1735-1785), Engraver. Sitter in 5 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 3 portraits.
Artistback to top
- John Keyse Sherwin (1751-1790), Draughtsman and engraver. Artist or producer associated with 50 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.
Events of 1784back to top
Current affairs
Theatre proprietor and postal reformer John Palmer runs the first mail coach in England, between Bristol and London. A three day journey is now completed in 16 hours.Commutation Act reduces punitive duties on tea to combat smuggling.
Art and science
Aeronaut James Sadler makes the first hot air balloon flight in Britain, from Oxford to Woodeaton.Chemist Henry Cavendish's paper Experiments on Air reveals the composition of water.
Writer Samuel Johnson dies.
Joshua Reynolds succeeds Allan Ramsay as Painter to the King.
International
Thomas Jefferson's Land Ordinance passed by the United States' Continental Congress, coming into effect the following year. It allows for the sale of land in the largely unmapped west of the country.Britain receives its first bales of cotton from the United States since before the War of American Independence.
William Pitt's India Act creates a Board of Control to oversee the affairs of the British East India Company and centralise power.
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