William IV, 1830-37

Key Events

1830 – William IV succeeds his brother George IV. Liverpool-Manchester railway line opened.

1831 – The new London Bridge is opened over the River Thames.

1832 – The First Reform Act is passed.

1833 – Slavery abolished throughout the British Empire. Factory Act passed, prohibiting children under the age of nine working in factories and reducing the working hours of women and older children.

1834 – Poor Law Act passed, creating workhouses for the poor. The Tolpuddle Martyrs sentenced to transporation to Australia for attempting to form a trade union. The Houses of Parliament are destroyed by fire. Lord Melbourne resigns as Prime Minister, he is succeeded by Sir Robert Peel.

1835 – The Municipal Reform Act is passed.

1836 – Births, deaths, and marriages must be registered by law.

1837 – Charles Dickens publishes The Pickwick Papers. William IV dies at Windsor Castle.

1830 Medal, King Charles I

Kings and Queens of England series

Eimer 1236

1831 Coronation Medal

Eimer 1251 BHM 1475 Wollaston 25

The official Royal Mint issue

Coins

1831 Sixpence

S. 3836 ESC 1670

Slabbed and graded CGS 82 (Choice UNC)

1831 Farthing

S. 3648

1834 Halfcrown WW in script

S. 3834 ESC 662

Slabbed and graded LCGS 65 (GEF)

1834 Shilling

S. 3835 Bull 2489 ESC 1268

Slabbed and graded CGS 60 (EF)

1834 Threehalfpence

S. 3839 ESC 2250

Slabbed and graded CGS 82 (Choice UNC)

In 1834 silver coins of threepence and three half penny (1½ pence) were introduced to the colonies, Jamaica in particular, valued at ½ real and ¼ real. The three halfpenny came to be called “quartile” or “quatties.” These in particular were used in church collections due to a feeling by the black population that copper coins were inappropriate for that purpose. Hence, they came to be called “Christian quatties”.