Events from the year 1836 in the United Kingdom. Incumbents Monarch – William IV Prime Minister – William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (Whig) Foreign Secretary – Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Parliament – 12th Events 8 February The London and Greenwich Railway opens its first section, the first railway in London. Commencement of Hampden Controversy: Lord Melbourne's appointment of Renn Dickson Hampden (a supporter of toleration for Dissenters) as Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford splits the Church of England into high church and liberal factions. 29 February – the first running of what would become known as the Grand National Steeplechase takes place at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, and is won by The Duke. 2 March – first organised point-to-point horse race held, at Madresfield, Worcester. 23 April – the workhouse at Heckingham, Norfolk, becomes the first of several to suffer an arson attack in protest at the imposition of more restrictive conditions for the inmates under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. 23 May – Irish Constabulary Act provides central organisation for the police in Ireland. 7 June – Huddersfield Choral Society formed. 9 June – London Working Men's Association founded; later a centre for Chartism. June Legal & General formed as the New Law Life Assurance Society by London lawyers. Origin of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester. 5 July – main provisions of the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 (passed 21 June) come into effect: the previous secular jurisdiction of the Prince-bishop of Durham over the County Palatine of Durham is vested in the Crown and the Court of the County of Durham is abolished; an Act of 17 August also removes secular jurisdictions of the Archbishop of York and Bishop of Ely. 13 August Tithe Commutation Act replaces the ancient system of payment of tithes in kind with monetary payments. Last hanging for robbery, Lawrence Curtis at Shrewsbury. 15 August – Liverpool Lime Street railway station opens in the centre of Liverpool, the first grand terminus building in the world, replacing the smaller Crown Street station and accessed via a long railway tunnel from Edge Hill in the east of the city. 17 August – Marriage Act establishes civil marriage and registration systems that permit marriages in nonconformist chapels, and a Registrar General of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. 20 August – an Act for enabling Persons indicted of Felony to make