On This Day

Today in British History UK Flag

Events in History

  • 1284 Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England
  • 1857 Second Opium War: France and the United Kingdom declare war on China
  • 1894 4th & last British government of Gladstone resigns
  • 1937 Australia snatches series against England 3-2 after being 2-0 down
  • 1942 1st combat flight for Canadian British-built Avro Lancaster bomber

Conference meetingMeeting of Interest

1945 Winston Churchill visits Field Marshal Montgomery's headquarters

Soldier, Author and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Soldier, Author and British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
  • 1962 British Antarctic Territory forms
  • 1967 Grenada gains partial independence from Britain
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Birthdays in History

  • 1500 Reginald Pole, English Cardinal/"heretic"
  • 1583 Edward Herbert of Cherbury, English military/philosopher
  • 1606 Edmund Waller, England, poet (Penshust)
  • 1652 Thomas Otway, England, playwright/poet (Venice Preserved)

Person of interestAlexander Graham Bell

1847 Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish-born British-American inventor (telephone), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1922)

Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Inventor
Alexander Graham Bell
  • 1863 Arthur Machen, Welsh-born author (d. 1947)
  • 1907 Joy Finzi [Joyce A Black], British painter
  • 1947 Dave Mount, English rocker (Mud), born in Carshalton, Surrey (d. 2006)

Divorces in History


Broken heartDivorce of Interest

1995 Camilla Parker Bowles (46) and her husband retired Army Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles(55) divorce, after 21 years of marriage

Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles
Duchess of Cornwall
Camilla Parker Bowles

Deaths in History


Person of interestRobert Hooke

1703 Robert Hooke, English scientific genius (Micrographia), dies at 67

Scientist Robert Hooke
Scientist
Robert Hooke
  • 1717 Pierre Allix, French/British theologist/vicar, dies at about 75
  • 1765 William Stukeley, English physician and archaeologist (pioneered investigation of Stonehenge and Avebury), dies at 77
  • 1792 Robert Adam, Scottish architect and designer (Adelphi Terrace, London), dies at 63
  • 1878 Joseph Bonomi the Younger, English artist and Egyptologist, dies at 81
  • 2003 Peter Smithson, English architect, dies at 79
  • 2006 Ivor Cutler, Scottish poet (b. 1923)
  • 2010 Michael Foot, British politician (L) and writer, Leader of the Opposition (1980-83), dies at 96

Famous British People

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