Today in History

September 19th1852 – Discovery of the Asteroid MassaliaOn September 19, 1852, Annibale de Gasparis, an Italian astronomer, discovered the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. Massalia, also known as 20 Massalia, was the twentieth asteroid to be identified and is one of the largest in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. De Gasparis’ discovery contributed to the growing understanding of the composition and dynamics of the solar system. The asteroid was named after the ancient Greek name for the city of Marseille, France.




1879 The famous illuminations in Blackpool were switched on for the first time, a month before electricity was generally available in London. The first display was known as 'Artificial sunshine', and consisted of just eight Arc lamps which bathed the Promenade.



1975 The first episode of comedy show Fawlty Towers was broadcast by the BBC.
 

On This Day In History, September 20th

2011 – The official US military policy of "don't ask, don't tell" ends
The policy was instituted by the administration of Bill Clinton in 1994. Under the policy, openly gay personnel were not allowed to serve in the United States military, but they could serve as long as they did not reveal their LGBT status.

2001 – American President, George W. Bush, Declares War on Terror
The global military campaign against terrorism was first declared in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States. The phrase was used by President Bush in a speech given to the United States Congress.

1984 – The Cosby Show Airs for the First Time
The popular television sitcom followed the lives of a Brooklyn-based African-American family called the Huxtables. The show ran for 8 years on NBC and was largely based on the stand-up comedy of Bill Cosby, who played the role of Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable, the father in the show.

1973 – Billie Jean King Wins the Battle of the Sexes
The mixed gender tennis match between top tennis player Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King was held in Houston, Texas, after Riggs won another mixed gender match against Margaret Court earlier in the year. The matches were prompted by Riggs’ comments that even at the age of 55, he could beat any female tennis player. King beat Riggs and took home the $100,000 prize money. The match was and still is one of the most viewed tennis matches on television - it was watched by about 90 million people around the world.

1904 – Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who, with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.
 


Births on the 20th of September 🎂

1984 – Brian Joubert
French figure skater

1975 – Juan Pablo Montoya
Colombian race car driver

1948 – George R. R. Martin
American screenwriter, author

1934 – Sophia Loren
Italian actress

1899 – Leo Strauss
German/American philosopher

Deaths on the 20th of September 🪦

2005 – Simon Wiesenthal
Austrian Holocaust survivor

2004 – Brian Clough
English footballer, manager

1973 – Jim Croce
American singer-songwriter

1933 – Annie Besant
English activist, author

1930 – Gombojab Tsybikov
Russian explorer
 
September 20th


1498
The 1498 Nankai earthquake generates a tsunami that washes away the building housing the statue of the Great Buddha at Kōtoku-in in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan; since then the Buddha has sat in the open air.








1904 – Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.




1964 The Beatles' first US tour ended with a charity concert in New York.
 
20th September

1066 The Battle of Fulford, Yorkshire. Harald III Hardrada of Norway defeated the Northern Saxon Earls Edwin and Morcar.

1643 The First Battle of Newbury (English civil war). The battle of Newbury was fought between parliament's main field army under the Earl of Essex and the main Royalist army in the south, with both Charles I and Prince Rupert present.

1967 The liner Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) was launched at Clydebank, Scotland by ...... Queen Elizabeth II. The ship's anchor was donated to Southampton by Cunard in March 2010.

1970 The Russian space probe, Luna 16, landed on the Moon to collect samples from its surface.

1984 A suicide bomber attacked the United States embassy in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

1999 UN force arrived in East Timor. A multinational peacekeeping force landed in East Timor in an attempt to restore law and order to the territory.
 
On This Day In History, September 21st

2013 – The Westgate Mall is attacked in Nairobi, Kenya
In a daring siege, militants of the extremist group al-Shabaab took over the Mall. 63 shoppers were killed during the attack that lasted a few hours, and before the Kenyan security forces rescued the hostages, 4 terrorists were also killed. Al-Shabaab declared that it had undertaken the attack as retaliation for the presence of Kenyan armed forces in Somalia.

1964, Malta gained its independence from the UK
The southern European island country came under British control in 1814 as part of the Treaty of Paris. The country initially retained the Queen of England as its head of state but declared itself a republic on December 13, 1974.

1961 – Boeing CH-47 Chinook takes flight for the first time
The American-made helicopter has been used by the US military in a variety of conflict-related operations, including during the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has also been often used for medical evacuation and search and rescue operations during natural disasters around the world.

1942 – Boeing B-29 Superfortress flies for the first time
The bomber was used extensively by the US in World War II and the Korean War. The two planes – Enola Gay and Bockscar – that dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were from the silverplate series of Boeing B-29s.

1937 – J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is published for the first time.
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, is a young adult fantasy novel that follows the adventures of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he traverses through Middle-earth to find treasure guarded by a dragon named Smaug.
 
Births on 21st September 🎂

1957 – Kevin Rudd
Australian politician, 26th Prime Minister of Australia

1947 – Stephen King
American author

1902 – Luis Cernuda
Spanish poet

1867 – Henry L. Stimson
American statesman, lawyer, politician

1866 – H. G. Wells
English author

Deaths on 21st September

2011 – Troy Davis
American murderer

1982 – Ivan Bagramyan
Soviet military leader

1860 – Arthur Schopenhauer
German philosopher

1832 – Walter Scott
Scottish novelist, poet

1558 – Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Sicily, and Naples
 
On This Day - 21st September


1327 Deposed King Edward II of England was murdered, with a red hot poker in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire by order of his wife, to ensure the succession of his son Edward III.


Galileo's Telescope: In 1609, Galileo Galilei demonstrated his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers. This invention revolutionized astronomy, allowing for unprecedented observations of the cosmos



1962 Bamber Gascoigne's University Challenge was screened for the first time.
 
1897
NY Sun newspaper runs famous' Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus' editorial in response from a letter the paper received from 8yr old Virginia O'Hanlon
1930
Johann Ostermeyer patents flashbulb
1957
legal drama' Perry Mason' based on character by detective writer, Erle Stanley Gardner debuts on CBS Raymond Burr stars as 'Mason, Barbara Hale' Della Street' his devoted secretary, William Hopper' Paul Drake- Perry's investigator, William Talman as DA' Hamilton Burger. The show ended May 1966
1981
U.S. Senate confirms Sandra Day O'Connor 99-0, she becomes the 1st female Supreme Court Justice
2016
3 genetic studies published in 'Nature' conclude all non-Africans descend from 1 migration out of Africa 50,000-80,000 yrs ago
 
September 22nd


1499 Switzerland becomes an independent state


1896 Queen Victoria surpassed her grandfather King George III as the longest reigning monarch in British history. The record stood until 9th September 2015 when Queen Elizabeth II became the longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

1910 The Duke of York's Picture House opened in Brighton. It is now the oldest continually operating cinema in Britain.




1955 Independent Television (ITV) began operating. Only six minutes of advertisements were allowed each hour and there was no Sunday morning TV permitted. The first advertisement screened was for Gibbs SR toothpaste.
Can we go back to six minutes of adverts?
 
Last edited:
22nd September

1598 The English playwright Ben Jonson, a contemporary of William Shakespeare, killed the actor, Gabriel Spencer, in a duel and was put on trial. Jonson confessed to the killing, but escaped capital punishment by pleading benefit of clergy, a legal ploy through which he gained leniency by reciting a brief bible verse, forfeiting his 'goods and chattels' and being branded on his left thumb.

1735 Sir Robert Walpole became the first prime minister to occupy 10 Downing Street.

1761 The coronation of George III.

1934 A deadly explosion ripped through the Gresford coal mine in North Wales, claiming over 260 lives.

1975 A day of IRA bombings across Northern Ireland placed the ceasefire it declared in serious doubt.

1989 A devastating explosion at an army barracks in Kent killed 10 young soldiers.The republican group IRA said it planted the bomb
 
September 23rd





1387 One of the most extravagant of the early Medieval English feasts was recorded. It was held in honour of King Richard II and the Duke of Lancaster (John of Gaunt). The feast included 14 salted oxen, 2 fresh oxen, 120 sheep, 12 boar, 14 calves, 140 pigs, 144 poultry, 1200 pigeons, 144 partridge, 96 rabbits, 120 gallons of milk, 11,000 eggs ..... and much more!



1846 – Neptune is discoveredThe planet Neptune was discovered on September 23rd by German astronomer Johann Galle, with the assistance of Heinrich d’Arrest, at the Berlin Observatory. The discovery was a significant achievement in the field of astronomy, as it was the first planet located through mathematical predictions rather than direct observation.


1978 – The number one single in the UK on this day September 23 was ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ by 10 C.C. The song was a chart-topper in Belgium, the Netherlands, and New Zealand as well that year.
 
On This Day In History, September 24th

1973 – Guinea-Bissau gains independence
Guinea-Bissau declared its independence from Portugal. The declaration was recognised almost a year later, on September 10, 1974.

1957 – Camp Nou, a stadium that seats over 99,000, opens its doors for football fans
Situated in Barcelona, Spain, it is the largest stadium in Europe and the 11th largest in the world.

1948 – Honda Motor Company is founded by Soichiro Honda
The automobile manufacturer is also the world's largest producer of motorcycles.

1869 – Black Friday in the United States
A group of speculators headed by James Fisk and Jay Gould started hoarding gold, which led to high gold prices. The US Treasury, under the orders of President Ulysses S. Grant, sold a large amount of gold, leading to a plummet in gold prices within the span of minutes.

1789 – US Congress Adopts the Judiciary Act of 1789
The act was passed by the first Congress of the United States. It created the US federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court.
 
Births on 24th September 🎂

1981 – Ryan Briscoe
Australian race car driver

1936 – Jim Henson
American puppeteer, director, producer, founded The Company

1896 – F. Scott Fitzgerald
American author

1755 – John Marshall
American jurist, 4th Chief Justice of the United States

1714 – Alaungpaya
Burmese king

Deaths on 24th September 🪦

1991 – Dr Seuss
American author, poet, illustrator

1834 – Pedro I of Brazil
Emperor of Brazil, King of Portugal

1621 – Jan Karol Chodkiewicz
Polish military commander

1435 – Isabeau of Bavaria
Queen of France

1180 – Manuel I Komnenos
Byzantine Emperor
 
September 24th
1493 – Christopher Columbus Embarks on His Second Voyage to the AmericasOn September 24, 1493, Christopher Columbus set sail on his second voyage to the Americas. This expedition was significantly larger than his first, consisting of 17 ships and about 1,200 men.




1645 The Battle of Rowton Heath took place some 2 miles to the south-east of Chester. The Parliamentarian victory over a Royalist army, commanded in person by King Charles, prevented Charles from relieving the Siege of Chester. It is alleged that King Charles stood on Phoenix Tower in Chester and saw his army defeated in battle.


1969 – Deep Purple and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed together at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The show was recorded and later released as a live album titled ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’.
 
1920
future Hall of Fame baseball player, Babe Ruth becomes the 1st to hit 50 HR's during a MLB season.In the 1st inning against Washington Senators he hit #50
1952
KFC{Kentucky Fried Chicken} fast food chain opens its 1st franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is still in operation today
1958
Elvis Presley's single' Jailhouse Rock' is released,it was #1 on music charts for 7 weeks
1968
debut of news magazine '60 Minutes' on CBS,created by Don Hewitt&Bill Leonard. It opened by using a stopwatch. Its the longest running prime time show in TV history known for its investigative reporting. The original journalists/ reporters were Mike Wallace, Harry Reasoner, Dan Rather, Morley Safer, Diane Sawyer,commentary with Andy Rooney
1988
Barbara C Harris in Massachusetts is elected as the 1st female Episcopal Bishop
2015
Pope Francis become the 1st Pope to address U. S. Congress In his address he mentions his favorite American heroes, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther KIng,Jr ,Thomas Merton& Dorothy Day
 
On this day in history, September 25th

2008 – China launches Shenzhou spacecraft with 3 astronauts
This was the third human manned space flight mission of China's Space Program.

1992 – NASA launches the Mars Observer
The robotic space probe's main goal was to study Mars. Almost a year later, all communications with it were lost.

1977 – Runners run the first Chicago Marathon
One of the world's six major marathons, which include the marathons in Berlin, Boston, London, New York, and Tokyo, the Chicago Marathon was initially called the Mayor Daley Marathon. The first race was won by Rhud Metzner.

1962 – The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is officially created
Ferhat Abbas was appointed as the President of the Algerian National Assembly, and Ben Bella was seated as the country's new Prime Minister.

1890 – Sequoia National Park is established by the United States Congress
The park, situated in the state of California, is famous for its giant sequoia trees.
 

Births on 25th September 🎂

1969 – Catherine Zeta-Jones
Welsh actress

1952 – Christopher Reeve
American actor

1932 – Glenn Gould
Canadian pianist, composer

1903 – Mark Rothko
Latvian/American painter

1897 – William Faulkner
American author, Nobel Prize laureate

Deaths on 25th September 🪦

2011 – Wangari Maathai
Kenyan environmentalist, Nobel Prize laureate

2003 – Edward Said
Palestinian/American theoretician

1971 – Hugo Black
American jurist, politician

1929 – Miller Huggins
American baseball player, manager

1066 – Harald Hardrada
Norwegian king
 
September 25th
1066 England's King Harold II defeated the King of Norway (Harald Hardrada), at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire.After a horrific battle, Hardrada and most of the Norwegians were killed. Although Harold repelled the Norwegian invaders, his victory was short-lived and he was defeated and killed by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings less than three weeks later.




1687 Sir Isaac Newton published his theories on gravitation. Newton was born at Woolsthorpe Manor near Granthamand was buried in Westminster Abbey.



1818 The first blood transfusion using human blood took place at Guy's Hospital in London.




1885 It snowed in London - the earliest recorded winter fall despite reports that on 12th June 1791 snow was sighted over the capital.
 
On this day (September 25th) in the year 1950, I first drew breath as an independent human being! Which makes this my 75th birthday!!!

As well as Catherine Zeta-Jones, her husband Michael Douglas was also a Sept 25th baby, and so was Will Smith. There are others I can't remember at present, but one thing that I found strange is that those I've mentioned above (including myself) are all left handed.

P.S. Fun Fact, whatever day of the week Sept 25th falls on, so does Christmas Day and New Year's day.
 
On This Day In History, August 26th

1978 – First German to go into Space
Sigmund Jähn, a pilot from the East German Air Force, joined the crew of Soyuz 31, a Soviet manned space flight to the Salyut 6 space station.

1966 – Namibian War of Independence Begins
The 24-year-long rebellion against the South African government began with an attack by the South African Defence Force on the members of the South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) at Omugulugwombashe. Namibia gained independence on 21 March 1990. Namibians observe Heroes Day annually on August 26.

1955 – First Tennis Match to be Telecast in Colour
The Davis Cup match between Australia and the US from the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York, was telecast on NBC.

1920 – 19th Amendment to the US Constitution Takes Effect
The amendment extended universal suffrage to women in the United States. Before this, women in some states could vote in local and state elections. The Amendment was first introduced in Congress 42 years ago in 1878 by Senator Aaron A. Sargent. In 1919, Congress approved the amendment and sent it to the states to be ratified.

1768 – James Cook Sails off on HMS Endeavour
The British explorer was the first European in recorded history to have visited the eastern shores of Australia. The ship reached Botany Bay in April 1770 and was back on British shores on July 12, 1771.
 
Births on 26th August 🎂

1971 – Thalía
Mexican singer-songwriter, actress

1970 – Melissa McCarthy
American actress, writer, producer

1966 – Shirley Manson
Scottish singer-songwriter, actress

1910 – Mother Teresa
Macedonian/Indian missionary, Nobel Prize laureate

1819 – Albert, Prince Consort
of the United Kingdom

Deaths on 26th August 🪦

1974 – Charles Lindbergh
American pilot, activist

1958 – Ralph Vaughan Williams
English composer

1910 – William James
American psychologist, philosopher

1850 – Louis Philippe I
French king

1666 – Frans Hals
Dutch painter
 

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