Byron (1788-1824)

1788

Byron born 22 January in London.

1790

Taken by his mother to Aberdeen, Scotland.

1791

Death of his father, Captain John Byron, in France.

1793

Enters his first school, in Aberdeen.

1794-95

Attends Aberdeen Grammar School. In 1794, on the death of his great uncle, becomes heir to the title, Baron Byron of Rochdale.

1798

Is made Lord Byron. Moves with his mother to Newstead Abbey, ancestral home of the Byrons.

1801-05

Attends Harrow School. In 1803 falls in love with Mary Chaworth, his neighbor at Newstead. (The attachment ends when he overhears Mary laugh to her maid, "What! Me care for that lame boy!") .

1805

Enters Trinity College, Cambridge.

1806

First volume of poems, Fugitive Pieces, privately printed. Upon the Reverend John Beecher's objections to certain of the poems, Byron withdraws the volume.

1807

Poems on Various Occasions, an expurgated version of Fugitive Pieces, privately printed. Later in the year the volume appears in a public printing as Hours of Idleness. On March 13, Byron takes his seat in the House of Lords.

1808

Hours of Idleness is the subject of scathing critique in The Edinburgh Review. On July 4 Byron receives his A.M. degree from Cambridge.

1809

Publication of English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. On July 2, sails from Falmouth for Lisbon with John Cam Hobhouse. Travels through Portugal, Spain, Malta, and Albania, reaching Athens at the end of the year. Writes the first Canto of "Childe Burun" (later Childe Harold's Pilgrimage).

1810

Travels through Greece and Turkey. On May 3 swims the Hellespont from Sestos to Abydos. Writes the second canto of "Childe Burun."

1811

Returns to England July 14. Death of Byron's mother and of the Cambridge chorister John Edleston ("Thyrza").

1812

Delivers speeches in the House of Lords. Childe Harold, Cantos I and II, published in March. First meeting with his wife-to-be, Annabella Milbanke. Affair with Lady Caroline Lamb. Affair with Lady Oxford.

1813

Publication of The Giaour (June) and The Bride of Abydos (December).

1814

Publication of The Corsair (January) and Lara (August). Becomes engaged to Annabella Milbanke.

1815

Marries Annabella on January 2. Publication of Hebrew Melodies. Daughter, Augusta Ada, born to Annabella on December 10.

1816

Byron's wife leaves him in January. The Siege of Corinth and Parisina are published in February. In April the separation from his wife is formalized. Byron leaves England forever on April 24. Arriving in Geneva, he befriends Percy and Mary Shelley and Claire Clairmont, spends the summer with them, and has an affair with Claire. Travels to Venice, has an affair with Marianna Segati, his landlord's wife. At the end of the year, Childe Harold Canto III and The Prisoner of Chillon are published.

1817

Daughter, Allegra, born to Claire Clairmont on January 12. Byron travels to Rome with Hobhouse, returns to settle in Venice. Affair with Margarita Cogni, wife of a Venetian baker. Sells Newstead Abbey. Manfred published in June.

1818

Beppo (satire in the ottava rima of Don Juan) published in February. The Shelleys come to Italy and are with Byron from March to November. Childe Harold Canto IV published in April. Allegra comes to Venice.

1819

Beginning of affair with Countess Teresa Guiccioli. Mazeppa published in June, Don Juan Cantos I and II in July. Moves to Ravenna at the end of the year to be near Teresa.

1820

Lives in the Guiccioli palace with his daughter Allegra. Becomes involved in the Carbonari movement, the Italian revolution against Austrian rule. Official separation between Teresa and her husband in July.

1821

Teresa's family, the Gambas, are banished to Pisa after the defeat of the Carbonari movement; Byron moves there with them. Marino Faliero published in April, Don Juan Cantos III-V in August, Cain, The Two Foscari, and Sardanapalus in December. Byron promises Teresa to discontinue Don Juan.

1822

Allegra dies in April. Leigh Hunt moves to Byron's house in June, where they collaborate on the journal The Liberal. Shelley is drowned July 8 in his boat, the Don Juan. The Vision of Judgment appears in The Liberal in October.

1823

Don Juan Cantos VI-XIV published. Byron sails for Greece, arriving at Missolonghi on December 30.

1824

Catches a chill in the rain on April 9. Dies at Missolonghi on April 19.

BYRON COMES HOME TO ENGLAND:

June 29

Ship The Florida brings body to estuary Thames.

July 5

Hobhouse goes aboard and brings body up the Thames to London.

On board finds Byron's precious dog Lion, big black Newfoundland at the foot of the coffin never leaving his master. Hobhouse almost breaks down.

In London, Dean of Westminster will not allow burial of Byron in Westminster Abey.

Take body to home of one of the lords where lies in state for several days. thousands file past. Sir Edward Knatchbull at 20 Great George Street.

July 10

Set out from London for journey to Nottinghamshire for burial in family crypt near Newstead Abbey.

In Nottinghamshire more thousands file past bier.

July 16

Morning at 8:00 AM
Mourners led by Hobhouse journey to little church of
St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard (near Newstead).
Hobhouse the dearest friend there.
Augusta did not come. Her husband Colonel Leigh did.
Augusta had posted on north wall of the chancel of the church:

   
 
	       IN THE VAULT BENEATH

WHERE MANY OF HIS ANCESTORS AND HIS MOTHER ARE BURIED

                LIE THE REMAINS OF

             GEORGE GORDON NOEL BYRON

              LORD BYRON, OF ROCHDALE
                 
            IN THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER

      THE AUTHOR OF CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE. 

            HE WAS BORN IN LONDON ON THE

               22nd OF JANUARY 1788

  HE DIED AT MISSOLONGHI, IN WESTERN GREECE ON THE

                19th OF APRIL 1824

  ENGAGED IN THE GLORIOUS ATTEMPT TO RESTOR THAT

     COUNTRY TO HER ANCIENT FREEDOM AND RENOWN

             HIS SISTER, THE HONORABLE

                AUGUSTA MARY LEIGH

          PLACED THIS TABLET TO HIS MEMORY.