Nova Scotia in History
Nova Scotia: Halifax
Historical Events
Event of Interest
1497-06-24 John Cabot claims Eastern Canada for England (believes he has found Asia in Nova Scotia)
John Cabot
Event of Interest
1621-09-21 King James I of England gives Sir Alexander Sterling royal charter for colonisation of Nova Scotia
James I and VI
- 1690-05-11 English troops of W Phips conquer Port Royal, Nova Scotia
- 1710-10-13 English troops occupy Acadia (Nova Scotia)
- 1710-10-16 British troops occupies Port Royal, Nova Scotia
- 1713-06-23 The French residents of Acadia are given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia, Canada
- 1749-06-21 Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded
- 1750-07-11 Halifax, Nova Scotia, is almost completely destroyed by fire.
- 1758-07-25 Seven Years' War: the island battery at Fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia is silenced and all French warships are destroyed or taken
- 1760-06-04 Great Upheaval: New England planters arrive to claim land in Nova Scotia, Canada taken from the Acadians
- 1773-07-20 Scottish settlers arrive at Pictou, Nova Scotia (Canada)
- 1776-03-17 British forces evacuate Boston to Nova Scotia during Revolutionary War
- 1782-07-01 American privateers attack Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
- 1840-07-04 The Cunard Line's 700 ton wooden paddle steamer RMS Britannia departs from Liverpool bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia on the first transatlantic crossing with a scheduled end
Event of Interest
1867-07-01 The Dominion of Canada is formed, comprising the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario & Quebec, with John A. Macdonald serving as the first Prime Minister
John A. Macdonald
- 1873-04-01 British White Star steamship Atlantic sinks off Nova Scotia, 547 die
- 1890-12-22 Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kingsport and Kentville, Nova Scotia.
Event of Interest
1907-10-17 Guglielmo Marconi's company begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service between Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada and Clifden, Ireland
Guglielmo Marconi
- 1918-11-10 Western Union Cable Office in North Sydney, Nova Scotia receives a top-secret coded message from Europe stating on November 11, 1918 all fighting would cease on land, sea and in the air
- 1950-09-04 D McI Hodgson of St Ann Bay, Nova Scotia catches a 997 lb tuna
- 1958-10-23 The Springhill Mine Bump - underground earthquake traps 174 miners in No. 2 colliery at Springhill, Nova Scotia, deepest coal mine in North America. By 1st November rescuers had dug out 100 victims, with death toll at 74.
- 1964-11-16 Radio CJCX Sydney Nova Scotia (Canada) starts shortwave transmission
- 1977-02-11 20.2-kg lobster caught off Nova Scotia (heaviest known crustacean)
- 1996-04-01 The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia is created.
- 1998-09-02 Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. All 229 people on board are killed.
- 2003-09-29 Hurricane Juan makes landfall in Nova Scotia.
Famous Birthdays
Abraham Gesner
1797-05-02 Abraham Gesner, Canadian geologist (inventor of kerosene), born in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia (d. 1864)
Abraham Gesner
- 1813-02-14 John McNeil, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (d. 1891)
Charles Tupper
1821-07-02 Charles Tupper, 6th Prime Minister of Canada (C: 69-day term), born in Amherst, Nova Scotia (d. 1915)
Charles Tupper
- 1824-09-28 Alfred Gilpin Jones, Weymouth NS, lt-gov of Nova Scotia (1900-06)
John Thompson
1845-11-10 John Thompson, 4th Prime Minister of Canada (C: 1892-94), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (d. 1894)
John Thompson
Robert Borden
1854-06-26 Robert Borden, 8th Prime Minister of Canada (C: 1911-20), born in Grand-Pre, Nova Scotia (d. 1937)
Robert Borden
Cyrus Eaton
1883-12-27 Cyrus Eaton, Canadian-American financier, industrialist and steel magnate, born in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia (d. 1979)
Cyrus Eaton
- 1885-09-17 George Cleveland, Canadian actor (Mystery Liner, Courage of Lassie), born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada (d. 1957)
- 1892-08-16 Harold Foster, Canadian-American cartoonist (Prince Valian), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (d. 1982)
- 1901-09-22 Charles Huggins, American-Canadian physician and cancer researcher (1966 Nobel Prize), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (d. 1997)
- 1904-12-18 Wilf Carter, Canadian country and western singer, born in Port Hilford, Nova Scotia (d. 1996)
- 1909-09-12 Donald MacDonald, Canadian politician and former president of the Canadian Labour Congress (1967-74), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (d. 1986)
- 1910-08-25 Ruby Keeler, Canadian actress, singer, and dancer (Dames, 42nd Street), born in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (d. 1993)
- 1914-05-09 [Clarence] Hank Snow, Canadian country singer (I'm Moving On, I Went to Your Wedding), born in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia (d. 1999)
- 1928-01-20 Peter Donat, Kentville Nova Scotia, (Flamingo Road, Different Story)
- 1945-06-20 [Morna] Anne Murray, Springhill Nova Scotia Canada, singer (Snow Bird)
- 1947-02-03 Stephen McHattie [Smith], Canadian actor (300, Watchmen, The Fountain), born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia
- 1948-07-21 Art Hindle, Halifax Nova Scotia, actor (Jeff-Dallas, Berrengers)
- 1964-06-14 Randall Thompson, Halifax Nova Scotia, boxer (Olympics 1996)
- 1966-01-24 Mike Forgeron, Main-A-Dieu Nova Scotia, rower (Olympics 1996)
- 1967-01-23 Christine Parris-Washington, Truro Nova Scotia, softball (Olympics 1996)
- 1967-06-17 Robyn Meagher, Antigonish Nova Scotia, 5k runner (Olympics 1996)
- 1970-05-12 Todd Hallett, Shelburne Nova Scotia, rower (Olympics-7-92, 96)
- 1970-07-16 Phil Graham, Halifax Nova Scotia, rower (Olympics 1996)
- 1972-03-31 Kelly O'Leary, Halifax Nova Scotia, kayaker (Olympics 1996)
- 1974-01-29 Kris Burley, Truro Nova Scotia, gymnast (Olympics 1996)
Ellen Page
1987-02-21 Ellen Page, Canadian actress (Juno) and LGBT activist, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ellen Page
Famous Weddings
Wedding of Interest
1846-10-08 Prime Minister of Canada Charles Tupper (25) weds Frances Amelia Morse (20) in Amherst, Nova Scotia
Charles Tupper
Famous Deaths
- 1906-03-15 Alfred Gilpin Jones, lt-gov of Nova Scotia (1900-06), dies at 81
- 2003-12-16 Robert Stanfield, Premier of Nova Scotia (b. 1914)