Today in History

30th June

1837 Punishment by pillory was finally abolished in Britain.

1894 London's Tower Bridge was officially opened to traffic by the Prince of Wales. After the ceremony the bascules were raised to allow a flotilla of ships and boats to sail down the Thames.

1937 The world's first emergency telephone number, 999, was introduced in London. 999 was chosen because it could be dialled on the old rotary dial telephones by placing a finger against the dial stop and rotating to the full extent three times, even in the dark or in dense smoke. This enable all users, including the visually impaired to easily dial the emergency number.

1969 In preparation for his investiture as Prince of Wales the following day in Caernarfon, Prince Charles spent the night at Ruthin Castle.

1997 Britain handed back Hong Kong to China at midnight, when the 99 year lease expired.
 

This day in history July 1st

1956 Congress passes the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act for the construction of 41,000 miles of Interstate Highways over a 20-year period

1963 Zip Code Introduced in the United States

1994 The PLO leader Yasser Arafat, has returned to Palestine after 27 years in exile.

1997 The Colonial flag of Hong Kong is lowered for the last time prior to hand over to China
 

1863
free city mail delivery in 49 U. S. cities began,postage was 3 cents per oz
1867
The Dominion of Canada is formed with provinces, Nova Scotia,New Brunswick,Ontario&Quebec.John A. MacDonald is the 1st Prime Minister
1908
"SOS" distress signal becomes worldwide standard for help
1972
feminist magazine,'MS" founded by Gloria Steinheim its 1st issue has Wonder Woman on the cover
1979
Sony introduces the 'Walkman',the 1st portable cassette player
 
This day in History July 2nd

1934 Germany Hitler Purges Traitors
Adolf Hitler conducts a purge of traitors in the Nazi party. Hundreds of people were executed after undergoing a 3-minute trial to face the charges of being traitors. Hitler seemingly secured his power in the nation by forcing the power from the conservatives. Vice-Chancellor von Papen, a conservative and critic of Nazi policies, was set to resign the next day.

1937 Amelia Earhart Goes Missing
Amelia Earhart and her navigator Frederick Noonan go missing during their attempt to fly around the world between New Guinea, and Howland Island, an island in the center of the Pacific Ocean. No trace of the aircraft including Earhart or Noonan was ever found.

1945 US Bombs Japanese Cities
The American Air Force drops over 1000 tons of explosives on each of four Japanese cities. The attack was carried out by nearly 600 B-29 Super fortresses at 3 am. The places that were hit were the Kure Naval Base, Shimonoseki port, Ube, and Kumamoto.

1966 US Sinks North Vietnamese Torpedo Boats
United States navy planes sink 3 North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The Vietnamese boats were set to attack an American destroyer, but the navy planes were able to repel the attack while only suffering some damage to one plane whose pilot made it back safely.

1982 U.S.A. Larry Walters
Larry Walters using 45 helium-filled weather balloons to lift him and his lawn chair three miles high, he controlled his descent using a BB gun shooting holes in balloons to control his height.
 
1850
Benjamin Lane patents gas mask with a breathing apparatus
1928
The 1st TV broadcasting station in U.S. Jenkins TV Corp with W3XK goes on the air
1979
suffragette,Susan B. Anthony dollar is issued, the 1st U.S. coin to honor a woman
2002
Steve Fossett becomes the 1st person to fly solo non-stop around the world in a balloon
 
This day in History July 3rd

1922 U.S.A. Forest Fires Olympia and Seattle
Forest fires in the state of Washington blaze through cities like Olympia and Seattle. The lumber companies throughout the state were in danger of significant losses to their industry unless heavy rains became a part of the forecast.

1939 Japan China Conflict
Dispatches report that Japanese and Soviet-sponsored Outer Mongolian troops to clash in the Manchoukuoan territory. Reports also disclosed that the Japanese offensive was in an effort to drive out Outer Mongolian troops back past the Khalka River.

1940 British Destroy French Fleet
Following the German invasion and occupation of France, French warships fled to the port of Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria. Britain gave the french Vichy government the options of the following for its French Navy.

1. Join British naval forces in the fight against Germany

2. Hand the ships over to British crews

3. Disarm the French Navy Ships

4. Scuttle the ships

The French refused, so Britain fearing the French Ships would be used by the Germans to help with an invasion of England circled the port with British Warships and opened fire on the French fleet, killing 1,250 French sailors, damaging the battleship Dunkerque and destroying the Bretagne and the Provence.

1957 Nikita Khrushchev Purges Opposition
Nikita Khrushchev takes control in the Soviet Union by purging his most serious opponents from positions of authority in government.

Children's Toys From The 1950s
Children's toys offered a much wider range following the boom in babies' born, but toys were very much gender-designed with dolls, prams, dressmaking for girls toys and Cowboys and Indians, cars, and construction sets for boys.

1958 U.S.A. Hurricanes Connie and Diane
Following deadly floods caused by Hurricanes Connie and Diane in August 1955, President Eisenhower signs the Rivers and Harbors Flood Control Bill, allocating funds for the improvement of flood-control and water-storage systems including specific provisions for hurricane flood protection.
 
3rd July

1928 A policeman's helmet and a bunch of roses were among the pictures shown on John Logie Baird's first colour television test transmission at Baird Studios in London.

1938 LNER locomotive No.4468 'Mallard' achieved the world speed record for a traction engine. A maximum speed of 126 mph was reached. Mallard was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and was in service until 1963 when she was retired.

1952 The SS United States set sail on her maiden voyage to Southampton. During the voyage, the ship took the coveted Blue Riband away from the RMS Queen Mary, until that date the fastest passenger liner to cross the Atlantic.

1954 The end of food rationing in Britain - almost 9 years after the end of World War II. Smithfield Market in London opened at midnight instead of 6m to cope with the demand for meat. 🥩🥓
 
1863
The Battle of Gettysberg was the largest battle ever fought on American soil with major loss of life on both sides. 23,000 Union soldiers died,28,000 Confederate soldiers died.
1930
U. S. Veterans Adminstration was created
1985
movie,'Back to the Future' starring Michael J.Fox,Christopher Lloyd,directed by Robert Zemeckis was released.Its opening weekend take was $11.2 million.It was #1 highest grossing film worldwide for 1985 making $381.million Two sequels were made,# 2 came out in '89,# 3 in '90
 
This Day in History July 4th

1776 United States Declaration of Independence Signed

1946 The Philippines became a self-governing nation after 48 years of U.S. sovereignty

1954 Rationing of meat and bacon through the use of ration books ends bringing to an end rationing in Great Britain after 14 years

1959 A 49th star is added to the American flag to represent the new state of Alaska

1960 A 50th star is added to the American flag to represent the new state of Hawaii
 
1817
in Rome,NY chief engineer, James Geddes begins construction on the Erie Canal one of the 1st engineering works in North America
1826
former U.S. Presidents, Thomas Jefferson,John Adams die within 5 hrs of each other on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
1837
Grand Junction Railway,world's 1st long distance railway opens between Birmingham&Liverpool,Eng
1966
Pres. Lyndon Johnson signs Freedom of Information Act which provides the public with access to federal agency records
2009
Statue of Liberty's Crown reopens to the public after 8 yrs due to security reasons after the World Trade Center attacks
 
This day in history July 5th

1946 The Bikini swimsuit ( a daring 2 piece swimming costume for ladies ) was introduced by French designer Louis Reard at a popular swimming pool in Paris.

1981 Riots in Toxteth, Liverpool

1996 The first cloning of an animal by scientists was revealed by the Roslin Institute in Scotland when DOLLY THE SHEEP was cloned from tissue taken from a 6-year-old ewe's udder.
 
5th July

1888 Three match girls were fired at the Bryant and May match factory in London for giving information about working conditions. The other 672 employees went on strike, a landmark for women workers in Britain that led to the formation of a Matchgirls' Union.

1948 Britain's National Health Service came into operation when Aneurin Bevan, the Health Secretary, launched the NHS at the Park Hospital in Manchester. It was the climax of a hugely ambitious plan to bring good healthcare to all.

1979 The Queen presided over the 1000th annual open air sitting of the Isle of Man's Parliament, Tynewald.
The Isle of Man has been a Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom since 1765. Tynwald is a direct legacy from the island's Viking ancestry, which dates back to 800AD.
 
1865
Great Britain creates the world's 1st speed limit law
1937
Hormel Foods Corporation introduces luncheon meat,SPAM
1975
Arthur Ashe became 1st African-American to win Wimbledon's men's title defeating Jimmy Connors in 4 sets 6-1,6-1,5-7,6-4
1994
Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos in Bellevue,Washington
2003
SARS{Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome} Virus reportedly first appeared in China,then spread to 29 countries around the world.It caused severe respiratory problems,774 people died.It was contained in mid 2004
 
This day in History July 6th

1924 U.S.A. Meteor Shower
A large Meteor Shower lands on Johnstown, Colorado with the largest weighing approximately 14 pounds.

1942 Holland Anne Frank
Anne Frank and her family take refuge in a secret sealed-off area of an Amsterdam warehouse to escape being sent to Nazi concentration camps.

1944 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
A fire breaks out under the big top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, killing 167 people and injuring 682 in Hartford, Connecticut.

1953 East Germany Russian Firing Squads
Russian firing squads have executed 46 East German police for taking part in the worker's revolt in East Germany against communist rule last month.

1967 Biafra War With Nigeria
After Biafra gains independence from Nigeria forces war breaks out between Nigeria and Biafra but Nigerian forces capture the provincial capital of Owerri and Biafra is forced to surrender.
 
1858
Lyman Black patents shoe manufacturing machine
1945
Pres. Harry Truman signs executive order establishing Medal of Freedom Award which is given to individuals who have achieved great contributions to the U.S. and the world
1957
Althea Gibson becomes the 1st African American tennis player to win Wimbledon's Ladies Title.She defeated Darlene Hard 6-3,6-2
1976
The U.S. Naval Academy inducts 81 female cadets for the 1st time their history.In 1980,Elizabeth Anne Belzer becomes the 1st female member of the class to graduate along with 55 other women
 
This day in history July 7th

1924 U.S.A. President Coolidge
President Coolidge's 16-year-old son Calvin has died due to blood poisoning caused by a blister on his foot becoming infected.

1930 U.S.A. Hoover Dam
Construction begins on the Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada. As there was no town near the dam construction site workers and their families were housed in temporary camps. The original project was called the Boulder Dam but was dedicated later to the Hoover Dam in honor of President Hoover.

1942 Poland Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Heinrich Himmler, together with a physician, begins experimenting on women in the Auschwitz concentration camps.

1958 U.S.A. Alaska Statehood Act
The Alaska Statehood Act is signed by President Dwight Eisenhower. This will make Alaska the 49th State in January of the following year.

1969 Vietnam U.S. Troop Withdrawal
The initial withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Vietnam begins with the withdrawal of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division, the first of 25,000 troops that were withdrawn in the first stage of the U.S. disengagement from the Vietnam war.
 
1891
Marcellus Beery,an American Express employee,is granted 4 copyrights for what he called 'travelers cheque'
1967
The Doors single'Light My Fire" hits #1 on the music charts,stays there for 3 weeks
1981
Pres.Ronald Reagan nominates,Sandra Day O'Connor to be the 1st female U.S. Supreme Court Justice. In Sept she is confirmed 99-0
1985
German tennis player,Boris Becker becomes the youngest male age 17 to win Wimbledon Men's Title.He defeated South African,Kevin Curren 6-3,6-7,7-6,6-4
 
moviequeen1 said:
1863
The Battle of Gettysberg was the largest battle ever fought on American soil with major loss of life on both sides. 23,000 Union soldiers died,28,000 Confederate soldiers died.
Click to expand...
My great great grandfather was a confederate soldier, and one of the few of Pickett's men to make it to the top. Spent the rest of the war in a Yankee POW camp. I grew up hearing the story many many times, my grandfather went with him to the 50th reunion of the battle and had a lot of stories of that also. William Daly Burchaell was my great great grandfather https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burtchaell-141

Great thread!
 
This day in History July 8th

1889 U.S.A. Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is first published by Dow Jones & Company created by Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser. The original Journal featured stock and bond prices on the New York Stock Exchange but now covers U.S. and international business and financial news and issues with a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million.

1932 French Submarine Prominthee
The French Submarine Prominthee sank while doing testing maneuvers in Cherbourg Harbor taking 66 crew members to a depth of 130 ft, poor conditions due to tide and strong winds are hampering attempts to locate the Submarine and it is thought unlikely any survivors will be found.

1947 U.S.A. Mysterious Flying Disc
There were a number of reports of a mysterious flying disc (spaceship) landing in Roswell, New Mexico. At first, reports were denied by the U.S. military, then a report appeared which stated they had been lucky enough to obtain one of the DISCS which was later denied. The debate whether an alien spacecraft actually landed in Roswell, New Mexico, still continues today with many believing it was a government cover-up.

1954 Guatemala US-Backed Operation
The US-backed Castillo Armas takes over as leader of Guatemala from the communist leader President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman and was considered a successful covert operation against international communism by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

1971 Northern Ireland Rioting
The rioting is continuing in Londonderry with the latest rioting increasing following the use of nail bombs by rioters causing the British army to use live ammunition and firing on rioters and killing two.
 
1777
Vermont introduces a new constitution prohibiting slavery
1870
U. S. Congress authorizes registration of trademarks
1913
Alfred Carlton Gilbert receives patent for his'Erector Set' which becomes one of the most popular toys of all time
1950
General Douglas McArthur named commander-in-chief of U.N. forces in Korea
 
This day in History July 9th

1932 U.S.A. Beer Bill Rejected Again
A bill to legalize beer containing 3.2 percent alcohol was presented to the senate but was again rejected keeping the country dry for a further period.

1941 UK Enigma Code Broken
British cryptologists break the secret code (Enigma) used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front.

1947 UK Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth the future Queen of England announces her engagement to Lt. Philip Mountbatten.

1966 U.S.A. Prison Riot
Prisoners at Maryland Penitentiary rioted setting fire to a number of buildings, the riot was stopped in the end by authorities using tear gas on the 1200 inmates.
 
1872
John Blondel of Maine receives patent for donut cutter
1877
The 1st offical lawn tennis Wimbledon tournament begins in England,men's only
1955
Bill Haley &The Comets recording of'Rock Around The Clock' tops U.S. music charts ,stays there for 8 weeks.Its considered one of the best singles of all time
1982
Michael Fagan breaks into Buckingham Palace,enters Queen Elizabeth's bedroom.At the time this was a civil wrong,not a criminal offense. He was arrested for stealing some wine, spent 3 months in a psychiatric hosptial.
2018
U.S. coffee company,Starbucks announced it will stop using plastic straws by 2020,reducing use of more than 1 billion straws/yr
 
This day in History July 10th

1924 Brazil Rebels
With each day the rebellion by well-armed rebels and guerrillas is gaining new converts in cities other than San Paulo with each day and many warn government forces are losing control of more areas.

1938 Aviator Howard Hughes
Aviator Howard Hughes makes a record flight around the world. He completed the trip in just 91 hours, breaking the previous record by more than four days. Taking off from New York City in a Lockheed Super Electra he continued to Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Anchorage, Minneapolis, ending back at New York City.

1940 Great Britain Luftwaffe Bombing
The Germans Luftwaffe begin bombing raids against Great Britain, signaling the start of the Battle of Britain, the bombing continued over major Ports and cities across the UK for 3 months and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfires and Hurricanes try to combat German Bf 109E while also trying to stop German Bombers (Junkers Ju 87) reaching their destinations to drop their bombs, the new introduction of Radar along the English coast provided much-needed intelligence for UK fighter pilots. Winston Churchill made many memorable speeches in World War II but one of the sentences that is his famous speech where he used the words "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", referring to the allied pilots who fought against the German pilots in the Battle of Britain.

1941 Poland World War II
1,600 Jews are forced into a barn in Jedwabne, Poland by the local villagers and burned to death.

1943 Sicily Operation Husky
Allies begin their invasion of Axis-controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily "Operation Husky."
 
1913
world's offical highest temperature recorded in Greenland Ranch,Death Valley,Calif at 134 degrees F{56.7 C}
1925
Russia's offical news agency,TASS forms
1973
J.Pauly Getty,III,grandson of oil tycoon,J.Paul Getty was kidnapped in Rome age 16.He was held captive for 5 months.His grandfather at 1st refused to pay ransom until a part of III's ear was sent to newspaper.He paid $2.5 million for his release
2019
earliest evidence of modern humans found with 210,000 yr old human skull in Apidma Cave in Southern Greece
 

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