Historical Events
- 1599 Jacob van Neck's fleet leaves Bantam, Java in modern day Indonesia with 1 million pounds of pepper and cloves and a further half a ship full of nutmeg, mace and cinnamon
- 1838 First public demonstration of telegraph messages sent using dots and dashes at Speedwell Ironworks in Morristown, New Jersey by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail
- 1879 Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lt-General Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa
- 1922 Insulin first used on humans to treat diabetes, when Frederick Banting injects fellow Canadian Leonard Thompson, aged 14
- 1964 First government report by US Surgeon General Luther Terry warning that smoking may be hazardous
- More Historical Events
Jan 11 in Film & TV
- 1927 Louis B. Mayer head of film studio MGM announces creation of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Jan 11 in Music
- 1963 Beatles release single "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why"; peaks at #2 in UK, and #3 in US
Jan 11 in Sport
- 1960 LaMar Clark sets pro boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts
Did You Know?
First recorded lottery in England is drawn in St Paul's Cathedral in London. First prize was £5,000, other prizes included silver plate, tapestries and high quality linen cloth.
On January 11, 1569
Famous Weddings
- 1892 Painter Paul Gauguin marries Teha'amana, a 13-year-old Tahitian girl
- 1911 American actress Hattie McDaniel (16) weds pianist Howard Hickman (30) in Denver, Colorado
- 1924 German-Swiss poet and novelist Hermann Hesse (36) weds Swiss soprano and painter Ruth Wenger (26); divorce in 1927
Famous Divorces
- 1971 1st "Quickie" Divorce granted in UK
More Weddings & Divorces
Articles, Photos and Quiz
World’s First National State Lottery
Lotteries have been around for centuries but on this day the world’s first national state lottery was played out – with fabulous and surprising prizes.
January 11, 1569Anglo-Zulu War
Napoleon, Prince Imperial, head of the House of Bonaparte, is killed during the Anglo-Zulu War
January 11, 1879Weekly Quiz for January 6 - 12
How well do you know your history? Test your knowledge with our weekly quiz.