1756

Erasmus Darwin moved to Lichfield to practice medicine.

1758

William Small was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy at William and Mary College, Virginia, where he taught Thomas Jefferson.

Erasmus Darwin met Matthew Boulton.

Benjamin Franklin visited Birmingham and met Boulton, Darwin and Whitehurst.

1759

Beginning of the construction of the Bridgewater Canal by James Brindley.

1761

Joseph Priestley joined the staff at Warrington Academy.

Opening of the Bridgewater Canal. Its economic success encourages canal development in the Midlands.

John and Charles Wood at Wednesbury took out patents in 1761 and 1763 for converting pig iron into wrought iron.

1763

Coventry was the first town in the West Midlands to secure an act establishing town commissions to collect a rate for better paving, lighting and cleaning.

The Treaty of Paris with France confirmed Britain's colonial dominance in Canada and India.

James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny.