Historical Events
- Jan 1 Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major premieres in Leipzig
Event of Interest
Jan 2 Australian fast bowler Fred Spofforth dismisses 3 English batsmen with consecutive deliveries during the 3rd Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for Test cricket's first "hat-trick"
Fred Spofforth
Anglo-Zulu War
Jan 11 Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lt-General Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa
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- Jan 16 January record 13" of snow falls in NYC (broken Jan 7, 1996)
- Jan 20 British troops under Lord Chelmsford make camp at Isandlwana
- Jan 21 Henrik Ibsen's "Et Dukkehjem" premieres in Copenhagen
- Jan 22 Zulu warriors attack British Army camp in Isandhlwana, South Africa
- Jan 22 James Shields (D) elected US senator from Missouri after previously serving as US senator from Illinois & Minnesota
The British: 139. Zulu Warriors: 4,000. Let Battle Begin
Jan 22 Battle of Rorke's Drift: British garrison of 150 holds off 3,000-4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses and a number of other decorations were awarded to the defenders.
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Battle of Interest
Jan 29 Custer Battlefield National Monument established in Montana
George Armstrong Custer
- Jan 30 French President Patrice de Mac-Mahon resigns
Famous Birthdays
E. M. Forster
Jan 1 E. M. Forster, English writer and novelist (Howards End, Passage to India), born in Marylebone, Middlesex (d. 1970)
E. M. Forster
- Jan 1 Emile Argand, Swiss geologist (Dekbladen Theory)
- Jan 1 Ernest Jones, British psychoanalyst (Life & Work of Sigmund Freud)
- Jan 1 William Fox, US film pioneer (Nickelodeon)
- Jan 2 Johannes L "Jan" Walch, Dutch literary (Grimaces)
- Jan 2 Pieter Tesch, Dutch geologist (Pedestal of Nederlands)
- Jan 3 Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge, US First Lady (1923-29)
- Jan 5 Hans Eppinger, Austrian physician, born in Prague, Czech Republic (d. 1946)
- Jan 7 St Bernadette (Marie-Bernarde Soubirous), 1844(?), religious visionary
- Jan 11 Antonio Beltramelli, writer
- Jan 12 Ray Harroun, American race car driver (d. 1968)
- Jan 15 Ernest Thesiger, English actor (Bride of Frankenstein, Ghoul), born in London, England (d. 1961)
- Jan 15 Mazo de la Roche, Canadian author, born in Newmarket, Canada (d. 1961)
- Jan 18 Henri Giraud, French general (d. 1949)
- Jan 19 Marie Koenen, author/wife of Felix Rutten (Wassend Cereal)
- Jan 19 Boris Savinkov, Russian writer (d. 1925)
- Jan 22 Francis Picabia, French avante-garde artist, writer and typographist (Amorous Parade), born in Paris, France (d. 1953)
- Jan 26 Ludovicus H [Lode] Baekelmans, Flemish (stage)author (Tille)
Famous Weddings
- Jan 7 Dutch King Willem II marries Emma von Waldeck-Pyrmont
Famous Deaths
- Jan 9 Don Joaquin BF Espartero, fieldmarshall/viceroy of Navarra, dies at 86
- Jan 13 Henry the Navigator, prince of the Netherlands, third son of King William II of the Netherlands, dies at 58
- Jan 16 Octave Crémazie, French Canadian poet, dies at 51
- Jan 22 Anthony Durnford, British colonel, dies in Battle of Isandlwana
- Jan 22 George Shepstone, British political affiliate, dies in battle
- Jan 23 Adolf Jensen, composer, dies at 42
- Jan 29 Antonia MB Antonucci, Italian cardinal/diplomat, dies at 80
