Reported On This Day 280 Years Ago (April 7 1739): Congratulations on birth of royal baby

From Belfast News Letter of March 27 1739, April 7 1739 in the new calendar. This is the ‘first’ News Letter of 1739 according to the calendar then in use, because the new year then began on March 25. The previous edition, March 23, was dated 1738 because it was considered part of the preceding year:
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Apr 2019, 21:38 BST
Updated 8th Apr 2019, 01:17 BST
The Belfast News Letter of March 27 1739 (which is April 7 1739 in the modern calendar)The Belfast News Letter of March 27 1739 (which is April 7 1739 in the modern calendar)
The Belfast News Letter of March 27 1739 (which is April 7 1739 in the modern calendar)

LONDON, March 17.

Yesterday the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, attended by the Aldermen, Recorder, and Sheriffs, waited on his Majesty [George II] at St. James’s, with a congratulatory Address on the Birth of the Prince.

On Thursday the Members of the Hon. House of Commons that were of his Majesty’s most Hon. Privy Council, waited on his Majesty at St. James’s with a congratulatory Address on the Birth of the Prince; when his Majesty was pleased to return a most gracious Answer; wherein he thanked the Gentlemen of the House of Commons for that farther instance of their Duty and Affection.

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The same Day the Commons waited on his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales [king’s son] at Norfolk-house, with a congratulatory Address on the same Occasion; when his R. Highness was pleased to return the following Answer: ‘Gentlemen, I return you my Thanks for this Mark of your Duty to the King, and Regard to me.’

The House of Commons is adjourn’d till Tuesday.

A Committee of Council is appointed to search Precedents, in relation to the Birth of the second Son of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

The Wife of Mr. Murray, Porter to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at Norfolk-house is appointed Wet-Nurse to the new-born Prince.

His Royal Highness is about taking another House in Pall-Mall, upon the increase of his Family.

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[These celebrations mark the birth of Prince Edward, Duke of York & Albany, who would die in 1767 age 28. He was second son of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, who was estranged from his own father, King George II.

Frederick predeceased his father, but his eldest son – Edward’s older brother, who had been born a year earlier, 1738 – became George III, a long reigning monarch who ‘lost America’]

We hear, that some Time last Month a large Whale was drove in at a Place called Clochaneely in the County of Donegall, with two harping Irons sticking fast in her, which she had received last Year, since which Time she has been driving by the Westerly Winds, and had wrought a long Way by them before she died.

There was likewise two Whales drove ashore last Summer, one near the Arras, and the other into the Bay of Sligoe.

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It appears those large Creatures are very plenty on those Coasts, so that its a Pity the Whale Fishery does not meet with proper Encouragement on the Coasts of this Kingdom, that People might be prevented from destroying them when cast ashore, as it would keep an immediate Sum of Money at home, which we yearly remit to the Dutch for Whalebone and Oil, and would employ a Number of Poor by the Manufactory thereof.

Last week died the Rev. Archibold Dickson Dissenting Minister at Saintfield in the County of Downe, in the 57th Year of his Age, whose death is very much lamented by all his People and Acquaintance.

Related topics:MayorHouse of Commons