Today in History

31st May

1669 Samuel Pepys records the last entry in his famous diary, due to failing eyesight. Kept between 1660 and 1669, Pepys' diary gives us not only a great insight into life in Restoration England, but also eyewitness accounts of events such as the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.

1678 The Godiva Procession, a commemoration of the legendary ride by Lady Godiva (born 990 AD) was instituted On This Day, as part of Coventry fair and was celebrated up to the 1960s. According to the popular story, Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, who were suffering grievously under her husband's oppressive taxation. Her husband agreed to repeal the taxes if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town, clothed only in her long hair. She agreed, conditionally that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, but one person, a tailor known ever afterwards as Peeping Tom, disobeyed the proclamation and was struck blind.

1910 Lord Baden-Powell's sister Agnes formed the Girl Guides.

1911 The White Star liner Titanic was launched at Belfast. At the ceremony, a White Star Line employee claimed, 'Not even God himself could sink this ship.'
 
1578
Martin Frobisher sails from Harwich,Eng to Frobisher Bay, Canada. He mines fools gold famously used it to paved streets in London
1870
EJ deSemdt patents asphalt pavement
1879
Madison Square Garden in NYC opens named in honor of 4th U.S. President, James Madison
1941
the 1st issue of the weekly Parade goes on sale for 5 cents. It ceased printing Nov 13th,2022
1968
actor Jimmy Stewart retires as a Brigadier General from the Air Force after 27yrs of service. The highest ranked actor who served in the military during WWII
1977
Trans- Alaska oil pipeline is completed,one of the world's largest pipeline systems at 800 miles
2005
Mark Felt,ex FBI high ranked offical is revealed in a Vanity Fair article as 'Deep Throat' source during the Watergate investigation. In the movie' All The President's Men' he is played by actor, Hal Holbrook
 

May 31st Birthdays:
1819
Walt Whitman- poet' Leaves of Grass'/volunteer nurse during the Civil War
1908
Don Ameche- actor "Moon Over Miami,Gidget Gets Married, Trading PLaces, Cocoon{won best supp actor Oscar},Coming to America
1930
Clint Eastwood- actor/ director/ producer- 'Dirty Harry' Paint Your Wagon, PLay Misty For Me, In the Line of Fire Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby,best known TV role'Rowdy Yates' in CBS western' Rawhide'
1943
Joe Namath- retired Pro Football Hall of Fame QB with NY Jets
1952
Jim Vallance- Candian songwriter/ arranger/ producer with singer Bryan Adams'Cuts Like a KNife, Heaven, Summer of '69
1972
Dave Roberts- manager of MLB Los Angeles Dodgers
Deaths:
1910
Elizabeth Blackwell- 1st woman physican to receive her doctor's degree 89
1970
Terry Sawchuk- Candian Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender with Detroit Redwings 40
2001
Arlene Francis- radio&TV personality panelist on original game show' What's My Line' 93
2013
Jean Stapleton- actress best known TV role' Edith Bunker' on CBS sitcom' All In The Family' 90
 
1st June

1494 John Cor is the name of the friar referred to in the first known written reference to a batch of Scotch Whisky. Friar Cor was a Tironensian monk. His order were famous as master craftsmen who built, and occupied, monasteries across Europe.

1831 The magnetic North Pole was located by Sir James Clark Ross on his Arctic exploration expedition with Admiral Parry. The first group to reach the north magnetic pole was led by James Clark Ross, who found it at Cape Adelaide on the Boothia Peninsula on June 1, 1831, while serving on the second arctic expedition of his uncle, Sir John Ross. Roald Amundsen found the north magnetic pole in a slightly different location in 1903.

1939 The sinking, during sea trials, of HMS Thetis, in Liverpool Bay. It was the Royal Navy's worst ever submarine disaster and 99 men lost their lives when the torpedo officer opened the test cocks on the torpedo tubes to add weight to the submarine as it was having difficulty diving. In the confusion, the inner door was then also opened and the inrush of water caused the submarine to sink to the seabed.

1979 Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) formally ended nearly 90 years of white minority rule.
 
1927
Peace Bridge between U.S. &Canada opens to the public. The international bridge with 5 arch spans over the Niagara River,Black Rock Canal on U.S. side connects Buffalo,NY to Ft Erie, Ontario It was the busiest border crossing until 1992
1944
Allied Generals: Bernard Montgomery, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Miles Dempsey,Harry Crear meet in Portsmouth, England prior to D-Day
1968
Simon&Garfunkle's single' Mrs Robinson' from 'The Graduate' movie soundtrack hits#1 on music charts. It becomes the 1st rock song to win Grammy for Record of the Year
1980
debut of CNN- Cable News Network in Atlanta, Georgia
1995
68th National Spelling Bee, 14yr old Justin Tyler Carroll from Arkansas wins by correctly spelling Xanthosis which is discoloration of skin
2009
General Motors files for Chapter 11,4th largest bankruptcy in U.S. history
 
June 1st BIrthdays:
1890
Frank Morgan- actor best known film role' The Wizard' in Wizard of the Oz'
1921
Nelson Riddle- Grammy awarding winning conductor/ arranger with Captiol &Reprise Records associated with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt
1926
Andy Griffith- actor/comedian/ producer best known TV roles' Andy Taylor' in CBS sitcom' Andy Griffith Show, Ben Matlock' in NBC drama' Matlock
1937
Collen Mc Cullough- Australian author' Tim, The Thornbirds'
1957
Jeffrey Hawkins - inventor of Palmpilot
Deaths:
1943
Leslie Howard- British actor ' Gone With the Wind', Of Human Bondage' 50 {Nazis shot down his plane}
1991
David Ruffin- orignal lead singer with r&b group 'The Temptations'. My Girl, Aint too Proud to Beg' 50 {drug overdose}
2001
Hank Ketcham- cartoonist' Dennis the Menace 81
 
2nd June

1910 The Hon. C.S. Rolls became the first Briton to fly across the Channel travelling from Dover to Sangatte and back in a Short-Wright biplane. The following year on this day, the Air Navigation Act came into force to control the requirements of both pilots and machines.

1924 England spoke to Australia by wireless, the first time that a wireless conversation had been held between 2 countries or over so great a distance. The transmissions, by the Amalgamated Wireless Co. were between Poldhu in Cornwall and Vaucluse in Sydney.

1953 The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey, London. It was the first British coronation to be televised and was a cold, wet day.

2012 The start of 4 days of celebrations to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

2022 Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd June saw an extended Bank Holiday and weekend break to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
 
1857
James Gibbs in Virginia patents chain stitch single thread sewing machine
1917
Canadian WWI flying ace, Billy Bishop is awarded the Victoria Cross when he went behind enemy lines and shot down 3 air craft as they were about to take off,along with several planes on the ground
1967
Capitol Records releases Beatle's album' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It goes to #1 on U.S. music charts,stays there for 15 wks
1997
a federal jury convicts Timothy McVeigh of murder/ conspiracy for his role in bombing Alfred P.Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City which killed 168 people inc 19 children in the bldg's day care center. He was executed in 2001. Mc Veigh's friend, Terry Nichols was convicted for his role in the conspiracy is serving life in prison without parole
2004
Ken Jennings begins his record breaking 74 game winning streak on syndication game show' Jeopardy'
 
June 2nd Birthdays:
1840
Thomas Hardy- poet/ novelist' Far from the Madding Crowd'
1857
Edward Elgar- British composer' Pomp&Circumstance'
1936
Sally Kellerman- actress best known film role''Margaret' Hot Lips' Houlihan in "M*A*S*H
1946
Lasse Hallstrom- Swedish film director' Cider House Rules, "My Life As a Dog'
1948
Jerry Mathers- actor best known TV role' Beaver' in CBS sitcom' Leave It to Beaver'
1972
Wayne Brady- actor/ comedian' Whose Line Is It Anyway'
Deaths:
1941
Lou Gehrig- MLB Hall of Fame 1st baseman with NY Yankees 39
1977
Stephen Boyd- actor 'Fantastic Voyage, Ben-Hur 45{heart attack}
2012
Richard Dawson -British actor, best known TV role' Cpl Peter Newkirk in CBS sitcom' Hogan's Heroes/ 2nd host of game show 'Family Feud' 79
 
On This Day In History, June 3rd

2013 The trial against whistleblower Bradley Manning begins
The American soldier, a trans woman now called Chelsea Manning, was responsible for leaking classified videos documenting U.S. war atrocities during the Iraq War. She was sentenced to 35 years of confinement.

1998 101 people die in the Eschede train disaster
Traveling at 200 km/h (120 mph), a high-speed ICE train derailed and crashed into a bridge. The accident was caused by a fatigue crack in one of the train's wheels. It was the deadliest high-speed train disaster in history.

1982 The Israeli ambassador to the U.K. is shot
Shlomo Argov survived the assassination attempt by a Palestinian terrorist group, but he was permanently paralyzed. The event triggered the 1982 Lebanon War.

1973 The world's first supersonic airliner crashes
The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144, sometimes referred to as Concordski disintegrated in mid-air during the 1973 Paris Air Show. 14 people died.

1492 Martin Behaim presents the world's first globe
The German geographer called his terrestrial globe Erdapfel or Earth Apple. It is kept in a darkened room at the Germanisches National Museum in Nuremberg, Germany.
 
Births On This Day, June 3rd 🎂

1986 Rafael Nadal
Spanish tennis player

1931 Raúl Castro
Cuban politician, 17th Prime Minister of Cuba

1926 Allen Ginsberg
American poet

1808 Jefferson Davis
American colonel, politician, and President of the Confederate States of America

1770 Manuel Belgrano
Argentinian economist, lawyer, and politician

Deaths On This Day, June 3rd 🪦

2016 Muhammad Ali
American boxer

2001 Anthony Quinn
Mexican/American actor, producer

1989 Ruhollah Khomeini
Iranian religious leader, politician, 1st Supreme Leader of Iran

1924 Franz Kafka
Czech/German writer

1875 Georges Bizet
French composer
 
3 June 1965

Major Edward H. White II became the first US astronaut to complete a space walk.
White floated in space, flying more than 100 miles (160 kms) above the Pacific Ocean at speeds exceeding 17,500 mph (28,100 kmh)

"That's right, CAP COM, it's very easy to maneuver with the gun," White said.
"This is the greatest experience, it's just tremendous. Right now I'm standing on my head and I'm looking right down, and it looks like we're coming up on the coast of California.
There is absolutely no disorientation associated with it."
 
3 June 1961
The Case against Clarence Gideon
Clarence Gideon is arrested and charged with breaking into a poolroom in Florida.
His case managed to change one the chief principles of American criminal justice.
In Gideon v. Wainwright, in the Supreme Court it was ruled that a fair trial "cannot be realized if the poor man charged with the crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him."
Due to Clarence Gideon's perseverance, every criminal suspect is entitled to representation by a lawyer.
 
1856
Cullen Whipple patents a machine to make screws
1889
Canadian Pacific Railway is completed going from Vancouver to Montreal
1965
The 1st U.S. space walk by astronaut, Ed White during Gemini 4 mission, walk lasts 23 min
1985
debut of TV/radio host ,'Larry King Live' on CNN ,airs Mon- Fri at 9pm until Dec 2010
2019
Apple announces its ending iTunes replaces it with 3 apps: Apple Music, podcast,Apple TV
 
June 3rd Birthdays:
1906
Josephine Baker- french/ American revue artist/actress
1917
Leo Gorcey- stage/ screen comic actor'The dead End Kids, The Bowery Boys
1925
Tony Curtis- actor 'The Defiant Ones. Some like It Hot, Spartacus
1936
Larry McMurtry- novelist "Terms of Endearment,The Last Picture Show, Lonesome Dove{won Pulitzer Prize}
1946
Penelop Wilton- British actress 'Cry Freedom,The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Her best known TV role 'Isobel Crawley' in British drama series' Downton Abbey'
1954
Dan Hill- Canadian singer/ songwriter' Sometimes When We Touch, Can't We Try'
1986
Rafeal 'Rafa' Nadal- Spanish tennis player, has 22 Grand Slam Titles,won French Open 14 times
Deaths:
1875
Georges Bizet- French composer' Carmen' 36{heart attack}
1949
Amadeo Giannini- U.S. banker/ founder Bank of America 79
2001
Anthony Quinn- actor 'Zorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabia, Lust for Life 86
2011
Andrew Gold -singer/ songwriter' Lonely Boy, Thank You for Being a Friend 59
2021
F. Lee Bailey- criminal defense atty: Sam Shepard, Patty Hearst, OJ Simpson 87
 
4 June 1937
Huge dust storm sweeps in from Oklahoma and engulfs the town of Hooker
Unusual early summer weather was experienced throughout the western half of the United States.
The extreme weather continued with a blizzard around the Colorado and Montana area and extreme cold temperatures.
The southwest experienced flood conditions turning the dust bowl into a mud bowl.
 
On This Day In History, June 4th


1989 Thousands die in the Tiananmen Square Massacre
Using assault rifles and tanks, Chinese troops massacred unarmed civilians who had taken part in pro-democracy protests.

1989 Poland holds the first free elections after World War II
The landslide victory of the Polish trade union, “Solidarity”, marked the beginning of the Autumn of Nations, a wave of revolutions resulting in the fall of communism.

1984 Bruce Springsteen releases Born in the U.S.A.
The album was Springsteen's most successful. It featured hits like “Born in the U.S.A.”, “Dancing in the Dark”, and “I'm on Fire”.

1917 The first Pulitzer Prize is awarded
Every year, the prestigious award honors outstanding journalistic achievements. It was established with money bequeathed to Columbia University by publisher Joseph Pulitzer.

1783 The Montgolfier brothers demonstrate the first hot air balloon
The flight of the Montgolfière lasted only about 10 minutes, but it secured the French inventors a place in the history books.
The balloon was made of cotton canvas with paper glued onto both sides, measured 18.47m tall by 13.28m wide, and weighed 400 kg. It was named Le Réveillon after Étienne's friend Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, the Director of the Royal Manufacture of printed paper, who had designed a motif on a sky-blue background decorated with the king’s cipher – two interweaving L’s – linked with decorative elements all in gold.

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