Timeline of Lord Byron
This is a chronology of events in the life of George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824). Each year links to its corresponding "year in poetry" article:
- 22 January – Born, 16 Holles Street, London.
- Mother (Catherine Gordon) took lodgings in Queen Street, Aberdeen.
- 2 August – Father (John "Mad Jack" Byron) died in France never having seen his son.
- Mother moved to flat in 64 Broad Street, Aberdeen.
1794–1798 – At Aberdeen Grammar School.
- 21 May – George Gordon Byron became 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale on death of great-uncle.
- August – With his mother took up residence at ancestral home, Newstead Abbey, near Nottingham.
- Lived with Parkyns family, Nottingham. Tutored by "Dummer" Rogers.
- July – Removed to London by John Hanson, Byron’s lawyer & business agent.
- September – Attended Dr. Glennie's School, Dulwich Grove.
- Spent Christmas holidays with Hanson family at Earl's Court, London.
- Spent summer holiday in Newstead Abbey and fell in love with 1st cousin, Margaret Parker.
- April – Entered Harrow School.
- Spent summer with mother at Mrs Massingberd's, 16 Piccadilly, at Hanson's and in Cheltenham.
- Christmas holidays in Bath with mother.
- February – Newstead Abbey leased to Henry Edward Yelverton, 19th Baron Grey de Ruthyn.
- 21 July – Mother rented Burgage Manor, Southwell.
- September – Fell madly in love with neighbour's daughter, Mary Chaworth, of Annesley Hall. Refused to go back to Harrow.
- January – Fell out with Lord Grey and returned to Harrow.
- 22 March – Started holiday at Burgage Manor and met the Pigots who lived opposite.
- 2 August – Played for Harrow in annual cricket match v Eton at Lord's. Scored 6 notches.
- 24 October – Went up to Trinity College, Cambridge University.
- Friendships with E.N.Long & John Edleston began.
- February – Got heavily in debt with moneylenders; dissipation in London.
- April – Returned to Trinity College.
- July – At Burgage Manor writing poems.
- August – After acrimonious quarrel with mother escaped to London.
- November – Collection of poems, Fugitive Pieces, privately printed.
- January Second volume of poetry, Poems on Various Occasions, privately printed.
- June – Hours of Idleness published. Back at Cambridge started friendships with John Cam Hobhouse and Scrope Davies, Matthews and Hodgson.
- December – Came down from Cambridge University for good.
- February – Hours of Idleness ridiculed in the Edinburgh Review.
- March – Poems Original and Translated published.
- July–August – At Brighton with John Hobhouse and Scrope Davies.
- 13 March – Took seat in the House of Lords.
- English Bards and Scotch Reviewers published.
- 20 June – Travelled to Falmouth with Hobhouse.
- 2 July – Set sail with Hobhouse in the Lisbon packet, Princess Elizabeth.
- 7 July – Arrived in Lisbon.
- 12–16 July – Explored Sintra.
- 20 July – Departed for Spain.
- 29 July – Arrived Cádiz.
- 3 August – Sailed in the frigate, Hyperion.
- 4 August – Arrived at the Rock of Gibraltar.
- 16 August – Sailed for Malta in packet Townshend.
- 31 August – Arrived Malta.
- September – Had romantic affair with Mrs Spencer Smith.
- 19 September – Left Malta aboard the brig, Spider, for Greece & Albania.
- 26 September – Aboard the Spider, at anchor off Patras, and spent several hours on shore.
- 26–28 September – Aboard the Spider, passed by Missolonghi, Ithaca, Cephalonia, and Santa Maura.
- 28 September – 19:00. Anchored off Preveza.
- 29 September – Landed at Preveza.
- 30 September – Visited the ruins of Nicopolis.
- 1 October – Left on a large boat for Salaora, the port of Arta, en route for Ioannina.
- 1–2 October – Stayed for two nights in customs house at Salaora.
- 3 October – Left by horse and arrived in Arta.
- 11 October – Left for Tepelenë, Albania, to meet Ali Pasha.
- 12 October – First encounter with Ali Pasha of Tepelenë.
- 26 October – Returned to Ioannina.
- 31 October – At Ioannina. Started poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
- 3 November – Slept the night at St. Dimitrios Chan, south of Ioannina.
- 4 November – Arrived at Arta.
- 5 November – Arrived at Salaora.
- 6 November – Arrived at Preveza.
- 7 November – Left Preveza at noon aboard a turkish galleote for Santa Maura.
- 8 November – Due to bad weather they finished up at Porto Fanari.
- 9 November – Decided to return by horse to Preveza.
- 10 November – Visited the ruins of Nicopolis again.
- 13 November – Sailed from Preveza to Vonitsa.
- 14 November – Travelled towards Missolonghi.
- 20 November – Visited Missolonghi.
- 25 December – Arrived at Athens.
- Mar–Apr – Toured Turkey, visited Smyrna, Ephesus, Troy.
- 5 March – Arrived Smyrna aboard the brig Pylades.
- 3 May – Swam Hellespont from Sestos to Abydos.
- 13 May – Arrived Constantinople.
- 18 July – Arrived Athens.
- 21 July – Left for the Morea.
- 26 July – Arrived Patras.
- 19 August(?) – At Athens: stayed in Capuchin monastery.
- 18 October – Returned Athens.
- March – Wrote Hints from Horace & The Curse of Minerva
- 22 April – Sailed in the Hydra
- 30 April–2 June – At Malta. Sailed for England in frigate Volage
- 14 July – Landed Sheerness; at Reddish’s Hotel, St James' Street.
- 1 August – Mother died.
- 3 August – At Newstead Abbey; Matthews drowned at Cambridge.
- 16 October – Visited Cambridge University with Scrope Berdmore Davies.
- 28 October – Took up residence at 8 St James Street's, London.
- 4 November – Dinner with Samuel Rogers to meet the poet Thomas Moore.
- 19 December – After further visit to Cambridge left for Newstead, where Byron had an affair with Welsh maid, Susan Vaughan.
- 27 February – Maiden speech in House of Lords – opposing the Framework Bill 1812
- 10 March – Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage Cantos I & II published, which made Byron famous overnight.
- 25 March – First saw Annabella Milbanke.
- April – Affair with Lady Caroline Lamb started.
- 21 April – Second speech in the House of Lords – in favor of Catholic emancipation.
- 15 August – Thomas Claughton offered £140,000 for Newstead but delayed payment.
- September – Wrote Drury Lane Theatre Address at request of Lord Holland.
- October – Proposal of marriage to Annabella Milbanke rejected; Wrote The Waltz.
- 24 October – Left for Eywood, Presteign, to visit the Oxfords.
- 21 November – Left Eywood to stay with Jerseys at Middleton.
- 30 November – At Batt's Hotel, Dover Street, London.
- 14 December(?) – Back at Eywood.
- 19 January – Took lodgings at 4 Bennet Street, St James'.
- 29 May – Accompanied Moore to visit Leigh Hunt in prison.
- 1 June – Last speech in House of Lords.
- 8 June – First edition of The Giaour published.
- 20 June – Met Madame de Stael for first time.
- 26 June – Augusta Leigh arrives in London, and is met by her half-brother, Byron.
- 1 July – Third (and final) speech in the House of Lords – Debate on Major Cartwright’s Petition
- August – Correspondence with Miss Milbanke begun.
- September – Visit to James Wedderburn Webster and dallied with Lady Frances Webster.
- 19 October – "Spared" Lady Frances and returned to London.
- 14 November – Began Journal (continued to 19 April 1814).
- 2 December – Bride of Abydos published.
- 1 February – Corsair published. 10,000 copies sold on day of publication.
- March – Sat to Phillips for portrait.
- 28 March – Rented apartment in Albany, Piccadilly.
- 2 April – With Augusta at her home at Six Mile Bottom, Cambs [1].
- 16 April – Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte published anonymously.
- 1 July – At Duke of Wellington's Ball.
- 22 July – At Hastings with Augusta.
- 6 August – Lara published with Samuel Rogers' Jacqueline.
- 9 September – Tentative proposal to Annabella Milbanke.
- 15 September – Received Annabelle's acceptance of proposal of marriage.
- 29 October – Left for Seaham, near Durham, Annabella’s home.
- 30–31 October – At Six-Mile-Bottom with Augusta.
- 2 November – Arrived Seaham.
- 16 November – Left for London.
- 18 November – At Cambridge.
- 19–22 November – At Six Mile Bottom.
- 23 November – Applauded by undergraduates at Cambridge University.
- 24 November – London.
- 24 December – Left with Hobhouse for Seaham.
- 25 December – Christmas at Six Mile Bottom.
- 30 December – Arrived Seaham.
- 2 January – Married to Miss Annabella Milbanke at Seaham.
- 2–21 January – Treaclemoon at Halnaby, Yorkshire.
- 21 January – 9 March – At Seaham.
- 12–28 March – At Six Mile Bottom.
- 29 March – Settled at 13 Piccadilly Terrace, London.
- 7 April – Met Sir Walter Scott at John Murray, Albemarle Street.
- 17 April – Death of Lord Wentworth; Milbankes took name of Noel.
- April – Hebrew Melodies published with musical score by Nathan.
- May – Became member of Management Sub-Committee, Drury Lane Theatre.
- June–July – Visited Leigh Hunt at Maida Vale, London.
- 29 July – Signed new will leaving estate residue to Augusta Leigh.
- October – Wrote Siege of Corinth.
- November – Wrote Parisina.
- 10 December – Birth of Ada Lovelace, poet’s only legitimate daughter.
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- 19 April – Died of Malaria in Missolonghi, Greece.