A Dictionary of British and Irish History

(b. 14 Sept. 1728 at Birmingham, Warwickshire, England; d. 17 Aug. 1809 at Handsworth, Warwickshire, aged 80). Boulton expanded his father's silver‐stamping business (in BIRMINGHAM), building the ‘Soho’ factory (finished 1766, at Handsworth, near Birmingham) and becoming the leading manufacturer in the W Midlands of ‘toys’ (small metal items such as buckles).

In 1768 Boulton met the Scottish inventor James WATT, and in 1773 he accepted a share in Watt’s patent for an improved steam engine. From 1775 their business manufactured engines, producing over 500 by 1800. They pioneered the application of steam power to a variety of industrial processes. See also INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION; LUNAR SOCIETY OF BIRMINGHAM.

BOUNDARY COMMISSIONA committee of three representatives, established in 1924 (under the 1921 ANGLO‐IRISH TREATY), to review and adjust the boundary between the Irish Free State (IFS) and Northern Ireland. Many politicians in the IFS expected the Commission to reduce Northern Ireland's size, possibly making it economically unviable. On 7 Nov. 1925 a British newspaper revealed that only minor changes were proposed, causing the Commission to collapse. (The IFS commissioner, Eoin MAC NEILL, and chairman resigned.) The British, IFS and Northern Ireland governments revoked the Commission (3 Dec.). The boundary remained unchanged. See also IRISH FREE STATE, FOUNDING OF. BOW GROUPA discussion group within the British CONSERVATIVE PARTY which first met in Feb. 1951 at the Bow and Bromley Constitutional Club in the East End of London. Membership was originally restricted to university graduates aged under 36. Its influence on party thinking fluctuated, as did its own ideological complexion. Its chairmen included Geoffrey HOWE (1955–6). BOXER RISINGAn outbreak of violence against foreigners in China in 1900. With official connivance, the ‘Society of Harmonious Fists’ besieged European legations in Beijing from 19 June. Great Britain contributed to the international force which relieved them (14 Aug.), and sought to avoid this intervention precipitating partition of the Chinese Empire. See also CHINA, ENGLISH AND BRITISH RELATIONS WITH. BOYCOTT, CHARLES(b. 12 March 1832 at Burgh St Peter, Norfolk, England; d. 19 June 1897 in Suffolk, England, aged 65). A land agent in Ireland (Co. Mayo) from 1873, Boycott suffered ostracism in 1880, at the behest of the LAND LEAGUE, for evicting tenants; for example, on 24 Sept. tenants refused to harvest crops under his management. He imported Orangemen volunteers from Ulster (N Ireland), who were protected by 1000 troops (12–26 Nov.). The case generated publicity and Boycott's name was immediately used to denote non‐violent intimidation. Boycott left Ireland in 1886. See also LAND AGITATION AND REFORM, IRELAND; ORANGE ORDER, IRELAND. BOYLE, HENRY

(b. between 1681 and 1687 at Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, Ireland; d. 27 Dec. 1764 at Dublin, Ireland). A member of the Irish House of Commons from 1707, Boyle (a Whig) was elected speaker in Oct. 1733. To secure his support, the government appointed him to lucrative posts (e.g., chancellor of the Exchequer from Nov. 1733). He and his allies dominated the Commons until 1753 when they were challenged by allies of Archbishop George STONE. Boyle responded by allowing the defeat of a money Bill. The government retaliated by dismissing Boyle and others from their government posts (spring 1754).

In 1756 a new chief governor made a ‘peace' agreement: Boyle would retire as speaker, be created earl of Shannon, and receive a pension. Though now based in the House of Lords, he controlled the largest Commons faction until his death. See also UNDERTAKERS; MONEY BILL DISPUTE; PROTESTANT ASCENDANCY.

BOYLE, ROBERT(b. 25 Jan. 1627 at Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland; d. 30 Dec. 1691 at London, England, aged 64). Educated in England, Boyle travelled in Continental Europe 1639–44. On returning, he became involved with leading natural philosophers (scientists) and undertook research. Based in OXFORD 1654–68, and associated initially with the group of natural philosophers centred on Wadham College, Boyle studied the properties of air through experiments using an air pump, publishing his discoveries in New Experiments … (1660). A second edition (1662) included what became known as ‘Boyle’s Law’ – that the volume of a gas varies inversely to the pressure on it – though it was discovered by an assistant, Richard Towneley. Boyle also advocated a ‘corpuscularist’ theory of matter (that matter is constituted from indivisible corpuscles). He was a founder of the ROYAL SOCIETY (1660). See also SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION. BOYNE, BATTLE OF THEMajor battle of the WILLIAMITE WAR (1688–91), fought near the R. Boyne in Co. Meath (E Ireland), near Drogheda, on 1 July 1690. Protestant forces commanded by King WILLIAM III (English, Irish, Huguenots, Danish, Germans, totalling 36,000; ‘Williamites') defeated forces commanded by (the former king) James VII/II (Irish, French, mostly Catholics, totalling 25,000; ‘Jacobites'). Afterwards James fled abroad (4 July), while William took E Ireland. War continued for another year. See also JAMES VII/II AND IRELAND; ORANGE ORDER, IRELAND. BOYNE VALLEYsee BEND OF THE BOYNE BRACTONCommonly used name for the 13th‐century legal treatise On the Laws and Customs of England (written in Latin). It was named after its supposed author, the justice Henry of Bratton or Bracton (d. 1268). But much of the treatise was written by the mid 1230s when Bratton was young. The justice and bishop William of Raleigh (d. 1250), for whom Bratton worked as clerk, is the likely author. Bratton probably revised the work (1240s–50s) before it was circulated. The major concerns of Bracton are criminal and property law. See also LAW, ENGLAND FROM 1066. BRADLAUGH, CHARLES(b. 26 Sept. 1833 at London, England; d. 30 Jan. 1891 at London, aged 57). Propagandist for atheism, republicanism and BIRTH CONTROL. Elected a Liberal MP in 1880, Bradlaugh objected to swearing an oath on the Bible for admission to the UK House of Commons. Denied his request to affirm instead, he asked to take the oath but was refused. The FOURTH PARTY exploited his expulsion and repeated re‐election to embarrass W.E. GLADSTONE. Bradlaugh was permitted to take the oath and admitted in 1886. An Act to allow affirmation was passed in 1888. BRAOSE FAMILY

An important noble family in the MARCH OF WALES c .1165–1230, originally from NORMANDY (N France); they descended from Philip de Braose, who settled at Radnor (C Wales) by c .1095 ( see BUILTH).

William Braose (d. perhaps 1175) acquired Brecon c .1165 by marriage; by the early 13th century his descendants had accumulated vast territories in SE Wales. Braose involvement ended with William Braose (d. 1230); succeeded by the BOHUN and MORTIMER families. See also JOHN.

BREADALBANE, 1ST EARL OF(b. c.1635 in Scotland; d. 19 March 1717 in Scotland, aged about 80). A powerful HIGHLAND chief (of the Campbell CLAN of Glenorchy) and presbyterian, John Campbell was granted titles in 1677 and made earl of Breadalbane in 1681. In 1689 he reluctantly supported the accession of William of Orange (see WILLIAM III). Afterwards, with Sir John DALRYMPLE, Breadalbane was required to obtain loyalty oaths from dissident chiefs. A consequence was the GLENCOE MASSACRE (1692), in which Breadalbane was implicated. In 1695 he was briefly imprisoned for suspected JACOBITISM. Breadalbane opposed the UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND (1707) but sat in the British House of Lords (1713–15). He contributed troops to the JACOBITE REBELLION of 1715, but escaped punishment on account of his age. BRÉAUTÉ, FALKES DE