1809 in the United Kingdom

Events from the year 1809 in the United Kingdom.

[edit] Events

The Theatre Royal, Covent Garden as drawn by Augustus Pugin. This building opened in 1809 to replace its predecessor, which had burned down in 1808.

January 5 - Treaty of the Dardanelles between Britain and the Ottoman Empire concluded
January 16 - Peninsular War: The British defeat the French at the Battle of Corunna.
May 24 - Dartmoor Prison opens, first to house French prisoners of war.
June 7 - Shoja Shah of Afghanistan signs a treaty with the British. Only weeks later, he is succeeded by Mahmud Shah.
July 28 - Sir Arthur Wellesley's British, Portuguese and Spanish army defeats a much larger French force at the Battle of Talavera de la Reina.
July 30 - British invasion army lands in Walcheren.
September 18 - A new theatre to hold the Royal Opera House opens in London to replace the first burnt down in a fire in 1808 (pictured). The price increases led to the Old Price Riots which lasted for 64 days.
December 26 - British invasion force leaves Vlissingen
Unknown date
- First running of the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes horse race.
- "Preventive Water Guard", forerunner of Her Majesty's Coastguard formed.