What Happened on September 1
Significant Events
- 1715 King Louis XIV of France dies after a reign of 72 years—the longest of any major European monarch.
- 1939 World War II starts when Germany invades Poland by attacking the Free City of Danzig
- 1941 Jews living in Germany are required to wear a yellow star of David
- 1945 V-J Day, formal surrender of Japan aboard USS Missouri marks the end of WW II (US date, 2nd September in Japan)
- 1951 US, Australia and New Zealand sign the ANZUS mutual defense treaty
- 1969 Colonel Muammar Gaddafi deposes King Idris in the Libyan revolution
September 1 in Film & TV
- 1954 "Rear Window", directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, is released
September 1 in Music
September 1 in Sport
- 1972 American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer beats Russian champion Boris Spassky 12.5-8.5 in Reykjavik, Iceland; most publicised world title match ever played; Fischer 1st American to win title
Famous Birthdays
Johann Pachelbel
(1653 - 1706)
James Gordon Bennett
(1795 - 1872)
Tarsila do Amaral
(1886 - 1973)
Rocky Marciano
(1923 - 1969)
Gloria Estefan
61 Years Old
Would You Believe?
The last passenger pigeon, a female named Martha, dies in captivity in the Cincinnati Zoo
On September 1, 1914
Famous Weddings
- 1730 US Founding Father Benjamin Franklin establishes a common-law marriage with Deborah Read
- 1843 Prime Minister of Canada John A. Macdonald (28) weds his cousin Isabella Clark
- 1940 Actor Harry Morgan (25) weds Eileen Detchon
- 1945 Author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (23) weds childhood sweetheart Jane Marie Cox
- 1970 "The Bee Gees" singer Barry Gibb (24) weds former Miss Edinburgh Linda Ann Gray
Jacques Cartier
Louis XIV
William Clark
Albert Speer
Tommy MorrisonSeptember in History
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
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