Articles on Events in History (Jul - Sep)
Five Miles of Mud Costs a Million Casualties
The Battle of the Somme, which began on this day, left one man dead every five seconds. It was one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history.
July 1, 1916
Final Hours of Ernest Hemingway
Why did Ernest Hemingway, with everything to live for, kill himself on this day? The one thing he did not write is a suicide note but scientists have some answers.
July 2, 1961
Churchill’s Deadly Attack On His Ally
French battleships could have fallen into German hands in 1940. There seemed to be only one thing to do. And on this day Winston Churchill did it . . .
July 3, 1940
Yippee! It's Independence Day for the U.S.
The United States declared itself independent of Britain on this day. Ever since, celebrations marking the event have taken place every year across the country.
July 4, 1776
Swimwear Reduced to Bare Essentials
Now a common sight on beaches across the world, the bikini created a sensation when a French mechanic launched it on this day in history.
July 5, 1946
One, Two, Three o'Clock, Four o'Clock . . . riot!
A chubby middle-aged performer caused riots across the world when his music was used as the soundtrack to a movie featuring rebellious teenagers.
July 6, 1925
The Rise and Fall of Boris Becker
Boris Becker stunned the tennis world on this day by becoming the youngest player to win Wimbledon at just 17. But financial ruin lay ahead for the young star.
July 7, 1985
The Age of Zeppelins
Through peace and war the sky was the limit for Zeppelin airships, named after their German inventor – until the Hindenburg disaster put an end to the dream.
July 8, 1838
$48 Million Prize Money: Anyone For Tennis?
The first Wimbledon Men’s Singles championship began on this day. The winner received prize money of $15. In 2022 the champion took away more than $2 million.
July 9, 1877
Rainbow Warrior Destroyed
In what turned out to be an act of state terrorism, Rainbow Warrior, flagship of the Greenpeace environment campaigners, was destroyed by two bombs on this day.
July 10, 1985
Spiderman! Web Feat Inspires Woebegone Warrior
Battle-weary, defeated and dejected, it took a spider to convince Robert the Bruce, born on this day, that his cause was not lost.
July 11, 1274
Killing Spree of Lady Death
Soviet sniper, Lyudmila Pavlichenko is the most successful female sniper in history, having killed 309 German soldiers during the Second World War.
July 12, 1916
Voice Of The Century – 'And Not Even Close'
Frank Sinatra cut his first disc on this day. It was a flop. But he would go on to be hailed as the “Voice of the Century”.
July 13, 1939
France Celebrates Bastille Day
July 14 is Bastille Day, marking the fall in 1789 of the massive Paris fortress, the start of the French Revolution and the end of the country’s monarchy.
July 14, 1789
Emmeline Pankhurst: Trailblazer for Women's Right To Vote
The founder of the Suffragette movement in Britain was born on this day. Sadly, Emmeline Pankhurst would not live to see equal voting rights for all women.
July 15, 1858
Valentino, The First Screen Sex Symbol
He became known as the ‘Latin lover’ – Hollywood’s first silent screen sex symbol adored by women across the world. But fate would be cruel to Rudolph Valentino
July 16, 1926
Stormy Birth for the House of Windsor
Britain’s King with his German connections faced resentment when World War 1 bombs fell on London. It led, on this day, to a change of name for the monarchy.
July 17, 1917
Franklin Roosevelt – ‘Britain’s Greatest Friend’
On this day Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated by the Democratic Party in Chicago for an unprecedented third term as President of the United States.
July 18, 1940
American Women Demand Their Rights
On this day a group of determined women organised the first formal meeting in America to discuss women’s rights. It became known as the Seneca Falls Convention.
July 19, 1848
Lunar Landing Makes 'Giant Leap For Mankind'
It was “one giant leap for mankind” as Neil Armstrong stepped from the ladder of his lunar module on this day to become the first man ever to walk on the Moon.
July 20, 1969
First Lady Pours Scorn Upon a King
American independence from Britain was declared and on this day a future US President's wife expressed her joy.
July 21, 1776
Spoonerism – Or Just A Lack Of Pies?
A Spoonerism is a phrase that comes out all wrong, and the man responsible for them, William Spooner, was born on this day. Did he just get bad Press?
July 22, 1844
Ulysses S. Grant’s Race Against Time
One newspaper called Ulysses S. Grant America’s ‘most corrupt’ President. Historians now doubt that and admire his courage in telling his remarkable story.
July 23, 1885
Light and Air For All – With No Charge!
One of Britain's most hated taxes, which had been in force for more than 250 years, was finally abolished on this day.
July 24, 1851
The Story of Writer O. Henry’s Short Life
William Porter was sent to prison for embezzlement in 1897. The sentence gave him time to write and the celebrated short stories of “O.Henry” were born.
July 25, 1897
Oh! Calcutta! - The Bare Facts
Born when free love and anything goes were the mantra of youth, the show "Oh! Calcutta!" opened in London on this day. Police considered a prosecution for obscenity.
July 26, 1970
How 200 Conquistadors Conquered an Empire of 10 Million
How did a mere 200 Spanish conquistadors capture the Incan Emperor-god Atahualpa, execute him and conquer an entire empire?
July 26, 1533
Just Perfect! Torvill And Dean Skate To Glory
Ice skater Christopher Dean was born on this day. With his partner Jayne Torvill he would create Olympic history by achieving never to be beaten perfect scores.
July 27, 1958
Johann Sebastian Bach, The Pop Chart Wizard!
Celebrated for his choral and sacred music composed nearly 400 years ago, Johann Sebastian Bach has had surprising influence on modern pop charts.
July 28, 1750
Vivaldi Dies On ‘Black Day’ of July 28
Composer Antonio Lucio Vivaldi died on this day, exactly nine years before the death of Johann Sebastian Bach. So July 28 remains a black day for music lovers.
July 28, 1741
William Wilberforce’s Fight Against Slavery
William Wilberforce, who died on this day, was a leading figure in the fight against slavery, especially the horrific transportation of people from Africa.
July 29, 1833
'Iron Chancellor' Bismarck Dies
They called him the “Iron Chancellor”. Had Otto von Bismarck been made of softer stuff the history of the Twentieth Century might have been very different.
July 30, 1898
Cricket's Most Prolific Run-Scorer Of All Time
A world record was set up on this day when Graham Gooch, captain of England, stepped up to the crease at Lord’s, the legendary home of cricket.
July 31, 1990
Swimming Pool Diplomacy: Khrushchev, Mao and the Sino-Soviet Split
Diplomacy requires a lot of skill, but not normally the ability to swim. Much to Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev's horror when he met Mao Zedong in 1958.
August 1, 1958
Wild Bill, The Wild West, and Wild Exaggeration
Wild Bill Hickok is a legend of the Wild West, a gunfighting sheriff who shot dead numerous men as he fought for law and order. But is it all a bit exaggerated?
August 2, 1876
Otis Rises To The Occasion
Archimedes may have invented the elevator centuries ago, but Elisha Otis, born on this day, worked out how to make it safe – and the skyscraper was born.
August 3, 1811
The Greatest 45 Minutes in Sports History
He had broken three world records and equalled another, all in 45 minutes. Then, on this day, Jesse Owens made a mockery of Hitler’s belief in black inferiority
August 3, 1936
Why The World Went To War in 1914
The dismissal of a straightforward demand led to the Second World War, but 25 years earlier the cause of the first global conflict was much more complex.
August 4, 1914
The Strange, Mysterious Story of the Balloon Expedition to the North Pole
The discovery of Swedish engineer S. A. Andrée's tragic, long-lost polar expedition in 1930 led to more questions than answers.
August 5, 1930
A Pill to Cure All Ills
Not well? Take a Beecham’s Pill was often the advice. So popular was it that nobody doubted it’s extravagant claim in the world’s first advertising slogan.
August 6, 1859
Why Mata Hari Was Not the Spy You Thought She Was
The controversial life and death of Mata Hari, the glamorous WWI double agent, executed in 1917, has recently been reassessed in the light of new evidence.
August 7, 1876
Beauty Contest Winner Claws Her Way To Victory
A beauty contest held every year in America since 1973 has a unique feature – every contestant is a crab! It’s the Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant.
August 8, 1996
‘Dirty Rat’ Lets His Mother Die
Before Abraham Lincoln was assassinated there was a plan to kidnap the President, which resulted on this day in the arrest of John Surratt, one of the plotters.
August 9, 1867
Did a Snake Kill Cleopatra?
Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of Egypt, is said to have died on this day, famously submitting to the bite of a poisonous snake. The story might even be true. . .
August 10, 30 AD
‘Jack The Dripper’ Paintings Sell For Millions
A newspaper described the paintings of Jackson Pollock, who died on this day, as “a joke”. But the artist had the last laugh: his works have sold for millions.
August 11, 1956
Ship of Gold Sails Into Oblivion
A frigate with more than 150 souls on board, as well as nearly three tons of gold, sailed out of Melbourne on this day – never to be seen again.
August 12, 1853
Defiance in the Hundred Years' War
Up Yours! Threatened archers develop a new sign of defiance as the blistering Hundred Years' War continues to rage between England and France.
August 13, 1415
America's Last Public Hanging
The last man to be publicly hanged in the United States met his fate on this day in history. It was a squalid affair watched by about 10,000 people.
August 14, 1936
First Faltering Steps of Jane Eyre
With hope, pride – and some subterfuge – Charlotte Brontë sent her hefty manuscript of Jane Eyre to publishers in London on this day, then crossed her fingers.
August 15, 1847
A Kiss For Adolf Hitler
A woman spectator leaned over and kissed Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympic Games on this day. Hitler pretended to be amused, but his guards were to suffer.
August 15, 1936
Why The King Became a Party Pooper
A man who tried to impress his king on this day with one of the most lavish and extravagant parties of all time, ended up spending the rest of his life in jail.
August 17, 1661
What Happened To America's Lost Colony?
Virginia Dare, the first person of English parents born in the USA, began her life on this day. And then she disappeared – along with her fellow 107 colonists.
August 18, 1587
The Battle For Western Civilisation
The history books abound with battles against impossible odds. One of the first was being fought on this day with no less than Western civilisation at stake.
August 20, 480 AD
Fighter Pilot Shows Mercy
Compassion was not expected of a fighter pilot in the Second World War but it was just that quality that saved the lives of a struggling American bomber crew.
August 21, 1915
Thomas Cromwell Backs The Wrong Horse
Thomas Cromwell became chief advisor to King Henry VIII and led the hunt for a new royal wife. Unfortunately for him he championed the cause of Anne of Cleves.
August 22, 1540
Neil, The Rebel Vanderbilt
Wealth meant that Cornelius Vanderbilt IV, known as Neil, had the world at his feet. But he chose paths that set him adrift from high society and his family.
August 24, 1918
Captain Webb Conquers the English Channel
After 22 hours in the water Captain Matthew Webb stepped ashore at Calais on this day – the first person ever to swim across the Channel from England to France.
August 25, 1875
Lady With Twin Passions: Art And Men
American art collector extraordinaire and socialite Peggy Guggenheim, born on this day, was heiress to the family fortune and a highly colourful figure.
August 26, 1898
Krakatoa: The World’s Mightiest Explosion
The world’s biggest-ever explosion – 13,000 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb – happened on this day as eruptions of the Krakatoa volcano reached a climax
August 27, 1883
Horse in Race Against a Train
Early trains were pulled by horses along special tracks. Then an American inventor built a steam locomotive and proved its worth by racing it against a horse.
August 28, 1830
Fighting The Scourge of Child Labour
Britain’s first Factory Act came into law on this day. It was passed mainly to save children from the dreadful conditions that they endured in their workplace.
August 29, 1833
Ernest Rutherford, The Man Who ‘Split’ The Atom
New Zealand’s Ernest Rutherford, the first man to “split” the atom, and who would become world-famous as “the Father Of Nuclear Physics” was born on this day.
August 30, 1871
How Paula Yates Discovered Her Real Father
Controversial television presenter Paula Yates married pop star Bob Geldof on this day. Fate decided she would not remain happy ever after
August 31, 1986
John Snow, Cholera and the Battle for Broad Street
In 1854, John Snow made his name as the father of modern epidemiology in response to the Broad Street cholera outbreak. He traced the outbreak and helped to establish the germ theory of disease.
August 31, 1854
Bobby Fischer, The World Chess Champ
The Soviet Union saw its domination of the chess world as proof of intellectual superiority. Then, on this day, American Bobby Fischer faced the Russian champion
September 1, 1972
The Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London began on this day when sparks from a baker’s oven ignited his home. Fanned by strong winds, the blaze consumed 80 per cent of the city.
September 2, 1666
Tragedy of Macbeth Brings Fits of Laughter
Lawrence of Arabia star Peter O’Toole returned to the stage on this day playing Shakespeare’s Macbeth in London. Critics savaged the production but the fans?
September 3, 1980
Wildlife Warrior Steve Irwin Killed By Stingray
In a tragic accident, highly popular Australian wildlife expert and conservationist Steve Irwin was killed on this day after being attacked by a huge stingray.
September 4, 2006
Jesse James – Hero or Cold Killer?
Hailed by some as a folk hero and by others as a cold-bloodied killer, Jesse James, one of America’s most infamous outlaws, was born on this day.
September 5, 1847
Woman Jockey Rides Into Record Books
Jockey Gay Kelleway is the only woman to ride a winner at England’s famous Royal Ascot. She was also the first jockey to wear a TV camera on her helmet.
September 6, 1992
The Boxing Match That Lasted 111 Rounds
American John L Sullivan reigned as world boxing champion for ten years – until new rules tamed the sport and put a stop to bare-knuckle fighting
September 7, 1892
Hey, Hey – We're The Monkees
We have the formula, the music and the female fans standing by ready to scream. All we need now is four likely lads to form the band. Enter "The Monkees".
September 8, 1965
Mutiny On The Bounty
William Bligh, born on this day, became known as a sadistic sea captain who drove his men to the Mutiny on the Bounty. But was he in fact a victim of fiction?
September 9, 1754
Nelson's Dying Wish: Save Emma
Admiral Lord Nelson sailed into the life of Lady Emma Hamilton for the first time on this day. It would be the start of one of history’s great love affairs.
September 10, 1793
The Plot Behind Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Masterpiece
Michelangelo’s work on 12 Apostles, started on this day, was abandoned after a call from Rome – which led to the magnificent painting of the Sistine Chapel.
September 11, 1503
Dog Unearths Cave of Antiquity
A cave complex that contained wall paintings later described by experts as 'the cradle of art' was unearthed on this day by a curious dog, named Robot.
September 12, 1940
Fiery Birth for Star Spangled Banner
The national anthem of the United States, the Star Spangled Banner, is set to music written by a British composer and was originally an old drinking song.
September 13, 1814
Fatal Legacy of a Beautiful Riviera
Two famous American women – Grace Kelly and Isadora Duncan, both died after tragic motoring accidents in the same area on this day, though half a century apart.
September 14, 1982
Agatha Christie, The World's Best-Selling Novelist
Agatha Christie was born on this day. She went on to become the best-selling writer of all time, her novels having sold about 2 billion copies worldwide.
September 15, 1890
Mad Monk Burns 2,000 At The Stake
With convictions similar to the Nazis 500 years later, Spain's 15th Century Grand Inquisitor wanted to drive the Jews from his country.
September 16, 1498
The Diary of a Dead Officer
Mud and blood were features of the First World War trenches, and soldier Arthur Graeme West’s vivid descriptions of it all were captured in his diaries.
September 17, 1916
Arc Lamps Light the Way to World-Beating Display
"Artificial sunshine" came to a Northern England holiday resort in 1879, dazzling the visitors and showing the world the possibilities of outside electricity.
September 18, 1879
The First Country to Grant Women the Vote
In the late 19th century the women's suffrage movement was widespread in Europe, America, Britain and its colonies. But who was first to grant women the vote?
September 19, 1893
Greek God Blamed For Tsunami
A huge tsunami hit Japan on this day, killing up to 31,000 people. It was not the first, nor the last, nor the most deadly. Nor was it the work of an angry god.
September 20, 1498
A Sheep's Coat at Sunrise, A Man's Coat at Sunset
Is it possible to produce a wearable man’s coat from wool shorn from a sheep the same day? They did it in 1811 and again – in record time – 180 years later.
September 21, 1991
Britain's First-Ever TV Ad
The first advertisement on British television appeared on this day showing a tube of ‘tingling fresh’ toothpaste in a block of ice. But all was not as it seemed
September 22, 1955
'I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight'
After refusing to surrender, John Paul Jones, the father of the US Navy, achieved a dramatic against-the-odds victory against the British on this day.
September 23, 1779
Airship Bomb Crew Meet their Match in Policeman
They dropped their bombs and planned to escape, but the German airship crew hadn’t reckoned on the tenacity of a lone British policeman on his bike.
September 24, 1916
Turin Shroud: Holy Relic or Fake?
For 600 years controversy has raged over the Turin Shroud, said to be Christ’s burial cloth. But thousands gazed in awe when, on this day, it went on display.
September 25, 1933
'I Have Heard The Voice of Adolf Hitler . . .'
Hitler's speech threatening Czechoslovakia was broadcast on this day. Among those listening to the ‘mad dog of Europe’ was a journalist in an American hotel.
September 26, 1938
Fear as First Passenger Train Reaches 15mph
The steam engine Locomotion No. 1 took passengers for a ride on this day – the first in the world to do so and, for at least one person, at frightening speed.
September 27, 1825
And God Created Brigitte Bardot . . .
Brigitte Bardot, a leading sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s, was born on this day. Such was her fame that she became widely known simply by her initials – BB.
September 28, 1934
Major Effect of a Miniature Portrait
He fought many a battle but the warrior Clive of India, born on this day, was brought to his knees by a small picture of a beautiful woman.
September 29, 1725
Pirates Put BBC Broadcasting to the Sword
Deprived of their music over the airwaves, British pop fans of the early 60s were happy to turn to "seawaves" and tune in to pirate radio stations.
September 30, 1967