William Pitt

In 1797 Pitt appointed Lord Castlereagh as his Irish chief secretary. This was a time of great turmoil in Ireland and in the following year Castlereagh played an important role in crushing the Irish uprising. Castlereagh and Pitt became convinced that

More Events from January 31

• January 31, 1864
  Birth of Matilda Knowles, botanist
• January 31, 1881
  Anna Parnell sets up the Committee of the Ladies' Land League in Dublin
• January 31, 1913
  The Ulster Volunteer Force is founded by the Unionist Council, posing a threat to the legitimate government
• January 31, 1953
  The Princess Victoria, a British Railways car ferry steamer, bound for Larne in Northern Ireland, sinks in the Irish Sea in one of the worst gales in living memory, claiming the lives of 128 passengers and crew. Among the passengers who perish are the Nor