On This Day

What Happened in May 1737

Famous Birthdays


Person of interestWilliam Petty

May 2 William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, Prime Minister of Great Britain (1782-83), born in Dublin, Kingdom of Ireland (d. 1805)

British Prime Minister William Petty
British Prime Minister
William Petty
  • May 3 Friedrich Schwindl, Dutch composer, born in Amsterdam (d. 1786)

Person of interestEdward Gibbon

May 8 Edward Gibbon, English historian (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire), born in Putney, England (d. 1794)

Historian Edward Gibbon
Historian
Edward Gibbon
  • May 14 George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, British statesman (d. 1806)
  • May 23 Louis François Chambray, French composer, born in Château de Chambray, Evreux, France (d. 1807)

Famous Deaths

  • May 3 Abraham Patras, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1735-37), dies at 65
  • May 4 Eustace Budgell, English writer (The Spectator, writing 37 numbers signed X), dies at 50
  • May 10 Nakamikado Emperor of Japan (b. 1702)
  • May 12 Cornelis van Alkemade, Dutch historian, dies at 83
  • May 17 Claude Buffier, French philosopher and historian, dies at 75


What Happened in 1737