1922 in the United Kingdom
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The social and political problems which attained the most prominence in the United Kingdom in 1922 showed a further departure from those which had chiefly occupied public attention during World War I, and the country had by now almost returned to its normal condition. Prices continued to fall during the early part of the year, but very slowly as compared with the previous decline, and in the latter half of the year the fall ceased almost entirely, prices becoming comparatively stabilized at about 80% above the level of July 1914. Labour problems, which had occupied so much attention during and after the war, were less constantly in the public eye. The principle of inevitable reductions in wages had been accepted by the working classes as a whole, and there were few strikes on a large scale, the worst being that in the engineering trade. Unemployment continued to be very great, but it was recognized that little more could be done by government measures for its alleviation, and the subject was much less prominent in the political world than it had been in the previous year. A further indication of the return to normal conditions was in the gradual decay of the coalition government; the combination of parties which had been brought about in the presence of a common danger was no longer found to work satisfactorily when the normal problems of peace were at issue. Very early in the year signs of disintegration became manifest in the coalition. On several occasions the two wings threatened to fall apart, but the government was successfully held together by the personality of Prime Minister David Lloyd George until the last quarter of the year, when the internal dissensions which had made themselves felt for so many months past reached a bursting-point, and the coalition was finally rent asunder in a day.
Irish affairs occupied an important place in politics throughout the year. 1922 saw the establishment of the Irish Free State in the south and west of the island.
Contents |
[edit] Events
Unionists and General Election.—Speeches on the Situation by Chamberlain.—Asquith, Churchill.—Lloyd George and Lord Grey.—Further Speeches by Asquith and Churchill.—Ireland: Debate in Dáil Éireann on the Treaty.—De Valera's Resignation.—Griffith elected President of the Dáil.—Provisional Government appointed.—Transfer of Dublin Castle.—Agreement between Michael Collins and Sir James Craig.
- 12 January - British government releases remaining Irish prisoners captured in the War of Independence.
- 13 January - Flu epidemic has claimed 804 victims in Britain.
Outrages in Ireland.—Election in Ireland postponed for three months.—Coalition defended by the Lord Chancellor and Austen Chamberlain.—Report of the Geddes Committee.—Reply of the Admiralty.—Opening of Parliament: King's Speech.—Debate on Address: Lloyd George's Speech.—Government and Ulster.—Debate on the Unemployment Problem.—Debate on Expenditure.—Debate on India.—Debate on Civil Service Pensions.—Austen Chamberlain and the Lord Chancellor on the Coalition.—The Irish Free State Bill in the Commons: Churchill's Speech.—The Debate.—Further Report of Geddes Committee.—Government's Egyptian Policy.
- 28 February - The United Kingdom accepts the independence of Egypt.
Chancellor of Exchequer's Speech.—Outrages in Ireland.—Irish Free State Bill passed.—Future of the Coalition.—Resignation of Edwin Montagu.—Montagu at Cambridge.—Lord Curzon's Reply.—Crisis in the Coalition.—Army Estimates Debate.—Navy Estimates.—Air Service Recommendations.—Air Estimates.—Unemployed Insurance Bill.—Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades Crisis.—Conferences between Masters and Men.—Lockout Notices.
- 1 March - The British Civil Aviation Authority is established.
Attitude of the Unions.—The Republican Party in Ireland.—Fresh Outbreak of Disturbances.—Commons Debate on Genoa Conference.—Conservative Challenge to Coalition Government.—Old Age Pensions Amendment.—Speeches by Winston Churchill on Foreign Politics and Lord Inchcape on Taxation.—Second Reading of Empire Settlement Bill.—Savings in Education.
The Budget Introduced.—Debate.—Sir Eric Geddes on the Budget.—Post Office Vote.—Prevention of Unemployment Bill.—Chamberlain on Government Economics.—On Turkish Outrages.—Government Defeat on School Teachers' Bill.—Further Bills discussed.—Lloyd George's Statement on Genoa Conference.—Ireland in May.—Sinn Féin Coalition.—Churchill and the Irish Leaders.—Shipyard Dispute Settled.—Sir William Mackenzie's Report on Engineering Dispute.
- 29 May - British Liberal MP Horatio Bottomley jailed for 7 years for fraud.
Progress and Close of Engineering Dispute.—Cabinet and Draft Irish Constitution.—Conflict between British troops and Irish Republicans.—Revised Draft of Constitution.—General Election in Ireland.—Irish Government's Statement.—Debate in the Commons: Speeches by Churchill, Bonar Law, and Lloyd George.—Fighting in Dublin—Discussions in Parliament on the Cabinet Secretariat— India—Telephones—Aerial Defense.—Palestine Mandate Discussed in the Lords.—In the Commons.—Debate in Lords on Genoa Conference.—Discussions on the Award of Honours.
- 1 June - Official founding of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
- 22 June - IRA agents assassinate British field marshal Henry Wilson in Belgravia - assassins are sentenced to death July 18.
Fighting in Dublin.—Discussion in House of Lords.—Destruction of the Four Courts.—Measures of the Provisional Government.—Fighting at Limerick.—Discussion of Economy Bill.—Of Teachers' Superannuation Bill.—On Allied Indebtedness.—On Award of Honours.—Charges against Lord Waring and Lord Forres.—Their Defense.—House of Lords Reform.—The Embargo on Canadian Cattle.—Navy Estimates.—War Service Canteens Bill.—Lords' Debate on the Air Service.—Post Office and Broadcasting.—Lord Grey on Government's Policy.—Debate on Importation of Fabric Gloves.
- 18 October - The British Broadcasting Company is formed.
- 19 October - David Lloyd George's Coalition Ministry resigns (Coalition Government 1916-1922).
- 24 October - Bonar Law's Conservative Ministry took office (Conservative Government 1922-1924).
- 1 November - The broadcasting license fee of ten shillings introduced.
- 4 November - In Egypt, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his men find the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
- 14 November - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) begins radio service in the United Kingdom. 2LO became the first radio station in the United Kingdom.
- 15 November - First BBC broadcasts from Birmingham (station 5IT) and Manchester (station 2ZY).
- 5 December - UK Parliament enacts the Irish Free State Constitution Act, by which it legally sanctions the new Constitution of the Irish Free State.
- 6 December - The Irish Free State officially comes into existence. George V becomes the Free State's monarch.
- 24 December - First BBC broadcast from Newcastle upon Tyne (station 5NO).
[edit] Unknown dates
- Meteorologist Lewis Fry Richardson proposes a scheme for weather forecasting by solution of differential equations, the method used today, in his work Weather Prediction by Numerical Process. [1]
- Francis William Aston wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his discovery, by means of his mass spectrograph, of isotopes, in a large number of non-radioactive elements, and for his enunciation of the whole-number rule". [2]
- Archibald Hill wins the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discovery relating to the production of heat in the muscle". [3]
[edit] Births
- January 21 - Paul Scofield, actor
- 26 January - Michael Bentine, actor (d. 1996)
- February 6 - Patrick Macnee, actor
- February 6 - Denis Norden, television and radio scriptwriter
- February 7 - Hattie Jacques, actress (d. 1980)
- 9 February - Jim Laker, cricketer (d. 1986)
- February 26- Margaret Leighton, actress
- March 9 - Tommy Cooper, comedian and magician (d. 1984)
- April 5 - Tom Finney, footballer
- April 5 - Christopher Hewett, actor (d. 2001)
- April 16 - Kingsley Amis, novelist (d. 1995)
- April 28 - Alistair MacLean, writer (d. 1987)
- May 27 - Christopher Lee, actor
- May 31 - Denholm Elliott, actor (d. 1992)
- August 6 - Freddie Laker, airline entrepreneur (d. 2006)
- August 9 - Philip Larkin, poet (died 1985)
- December 26 - Richard Mayes, actor (died 2006)
[edit] Deaths
- 5 January - Ernest Shackleton, explorer (b. 1874)
- 3 February - John Butler Yeats, artist (b. 1839)
- 24 March - Walter Parr, preacher (b. 1871)
- 2 August - Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish-born inventor (b. 1847)