Pitt, William(Pitt the Elder; the Great Commoner; Earl of Chatham)

1759 – He was born on the 28th day of May this year in Hayes, Kent. He was educated at home due to his poor health, but later studied at Cambridge, from where he graduated at the age of just seventeen.

1780 – He then went on to study law, and was called to the Bar. He stood unsuccessfully for the parliamentary seat of Cambridge University this year, but the next year was returned as MP for Appleby in Cumbria at the age of 21. He later represented Cambridge University.

1781 – He first entered parliament on the 8th day of January this year.

1784 – His popularity rose steadily, and he won a very large majority in a well-timed General Election this year. He became the Prime Minister at the age of 24 years old. Pitt set about reducing the national debt and fighting smuggling.

1785 – He launched a Reform Bill, which would rationalise dozens of "rotten borough" constituencies. This key bill was rejected, as was a Union with Ireland Bill.

1789 – His opponent King George III to advocate that sovereignty should pass to the Prince of Wales. However, the King recovered this year, just after a Regency Bill had been passed in the House of Commons.

1790 – Early this year, the development of the revolution in France caused Pitt to worry about its effects in Britain. He reacted by expelling the French ambassador, and was blamed by Fox for the war with France that began in 1793.

1800 – His Act of Union with Ireland sought to resolve the conflicts there and grant Catholics equality.

1806 – He died at the age of 46 on 23 January of this year in Putney Heath; London. His last words were 'Oh my country! How I love my country!'
 

• "The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been."