Births on May 20

Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet

Born on May 20, 1772

Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet, English inventor and politician, developed Congreve rockets (d. 1828)

Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet KCH FRS (20 May 1772 – 16 May 1828) was an English soldier, publisher, inventor, rocket artillery pioneer renowned for his development and deployment of Congreve rockets, and a Tory Member of Parliament (MP).

References

Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet
Congreve rockets

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Events on 1772

9 Jun

Gaspee Affair
The British schooner Gaspee is burned in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.
21 Aug

Swedish Constitution of 1772
King Gustav III completes his coup d'état by adopting a new Constitution, ending half a century of parliamentary rule in Sweden and installing himself as an enlightened despot.