Born in Dorset - rural Southwestern region in agricultural England.

Martha Browne hung for murdering her husband

Horace Moule - son of Henry Moule, vicar of Fordington. Moule becomes Hardy's intellectual mentor, and encourages his study of Latin and Greek.

Inspires Hardy to write, 'Standing by the Mantelpiece'

They move into London

Applies more strain on the already fragile relationship between the Hardy's

Parliament enabled local poor law authorities to provide vaccination at the expense of ratepayers. Battles over the ethical and practical issues involved lasted for the remainder of Victoria's reign. Throughout the C19th many anti-vaccination campaigns took place.

Parliament passed legislation to improve conditions in urban areas with higher than average death rates.

The book created an immediate stir, since Darwin's theory appeared to contradict the bible's creation story and call into question ideas of divine providence. Despite the influence of Darwin's work, very few Victorian scientists took up an atheistic position as a result of reading it.

Almost doubling the electorate, it gave the working man the vote and offered representation to the working classes. In a few urban constituencies working men even formed the electoral majority.

Although law does not make education compulsory, it opens up schooling to children of the poor.

This act changed the previous legal situation, in which all property automatically transferred to the control of a husband on marriage. It granted some limited separate protection to a married woman's property and also permitted women to retain up to £200 of their own wages or earnings.

Workers attack factories and attempt to break up the machinery they fear will replace them.