Today in History

February 9th



1540 The first recorded horse racing meeting in Britain; held at the Roodeye Field, Chester. Chester Racecourse is, according to official records, the oldest racecourse still in use in England



1543 Mary Stuart , at nine months old, is crowned Queen of Scots in the central Scottish town of Stirling


Today in 1739 saw the publication of the first edition of the Scots Magazine. The magazine was originally founded as a current affairs journal, and was often the first source of news for many Scots. It was deeply Hanoverian in its sympathies at the time and was highly regarded for its coverage of world affairs.




On this day 1964, BBC Cymru Wales was launched, to provide a service specific for Wales.



On February 9th, 1964, The Beatles made their iconic U.S. TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, captivating millions of viewers. This performance marked a turning point in music history, signaling the start of the British Invasion.





1968 Jean-Claude Killy wins Olympic downhill: On February 9, 1968, French skier Jean-Claude Killy won the gold medal in the downhill event at the Winter Olympics held in Grenoble, France
 
February 10th

On 10th February 1056, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn defeated an English army at Glasbury and claimed sovereignty over the whole of Wales.

…..
10th Feb 1355: The St. Scholastic’s Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England. 62 scholars and 30 locals lost their lives in the riots in two days.

….



On 10th February 1557, Robert Recorde, a physician and mathematician born in Tenby,was imprisioned. He is best known for introducing the equals sign = and the plus sign + into mathematics in his textbook "The Whetstone of Witte" published in 1557.

Recorde graduated from Oxford University in 1531 and in 1545 he moved to London where he practised medicine. In 1549, he was appointed controller of the Bristol Mint, where he refused to give money to Sir William Herbert, who was governor to the young king Edward VI. In 1551, Recorde was appointed by the King to be general surveyor of the mines and monies in Ireland and in this capacity he was in charge of silver mines in Wexford and technical supervisor of the Dublin mint.

On his return in 1553, he attempted to regain his court position, by charging Herbert with misconduct, this was a misjudgement as Recorde, who was a supporter of the Reformation was unlikely to get a positive result against someone so close to the Catholic Queen Mary. Herbert countered Recorde's charges by successfully suing him for libel and Recorde was ordered to pay Herbert £1000 which he could not pay and was therefore sent to prison, where he died in 1558.
IMG_1637.jpeg
…..





…1567: Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, is found strangled following an explosion at the Kirk o' Field house in Edinburgh in a suspected assassination.
…..
On 10th February 1722, Black Bart (Barti Ddu) the pirate was killed by grapeshot.
Barti Ddu, born John Roberts in Little Newcastle, near Fishguard in about 1682, was one of the most successful and the last great pirate of the Golden Age of piracy.
……

1816 (10th February) - The first two ships were launched from the Pembroke Doc dockyard – HMS Valorous and HMS Ariadne. Over the span of 112 years, five Royal Yachts were to be built, along with 263 other Royal Navy vessels.
…

1962: Captured American U2 spy-plane pilot Gary Powers is exchanged for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.
….
10 Feb 1967
The Beatles recorded the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of ' A Day in the Life At the Beatles' request, the orchestra members arrived in full evening dress along with novelty items. One violinist wore a red clown's nose, while another, a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Others were wearing funny hats and other assorted novelties. The recording was filmed for a possible 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' television special which was ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger,Keith Richard,Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Donovan also attended the session.


1977: The Clash start to record their debut album at CBS's London studios. With punk rock fast becoming the latest big thing record companies were prepared to pay big money, with The Clash reportedly being offered a £100,000 deal.


….
Thanks to the History of Wales for much of todays post
 
Last edited:
1897
New York Times begins using slogan' All The News Fit to Print'
1933
The Postal Telegraph Cable Company in NYC delivers its 1st signing telegram
1942
Glenn Miller& Orchestra awarded the 1st gold record for selling 1 million copies of single' Chattanooga Choo Choo'
1948
U. S. composer, Leroy Anderson completes his orchestral work' Sleigh Ride' which becomes worldwide holiday favorite
1971
singer/ songwriter, Carole King's album 'Tapestry' is released by A&M records,wins 4 Grammys inc 'Album of the Year' It sold over 30 million copies
1996
IBM chess playing computer' Deep Blue' becomes the 1st computer to win a game against reigning human chess champion, Garry Kasparov
 
11th February

1897 - Birth of Australian Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith in Brisbane, pioneering aviator who made the first trans-pacific flight.

1962 - Indigenous Australians were granted voting rights.

1964 - The Beatles play their first US concert, performing at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, DC.

2014 - Great Britain's Official Charts Company reported that "Queen's Greatest Hits" had become the first album in UK chart history to sell over six million copies.

2022 - The Koala listed is as endangered for the first time in Queensland, New South Wales and ACT after a steep decline in numbers.
 
February 11th



1177
John de Courcy's army defeats the native Dunleavey Clan in Ulster. The English establish themselves in Ulster.



1531Henry VIII declared himself as supreme head of the Church of England.



1542Catherine Howard, the fifth queen consort of Henry VIII, was confined in the Tower of London to be executed three days later. Henry learned that Catherine had had several affairs before their marriage and had Parliament declare it treason for an unchaste woman to marry the king. The night before her execution, Catherine spent many hours practising how to lay her head upon the block.



On February 11, 1586, Sir Francis Drake captured the Spanish city of Cartagena de Indias, located in present-day Colombia. Drake’s attack was part of the Anglo-Spanish War, aiming to weaken Spain’s influence in the Americas. The capture of Cartagena demonstrated England’s growing naval power and marked a significant blow to Spanish colonial interests. Drake’s actions not only enriched him and his crew but also contributed to the tension between England and Spain, eventually leading to the Spanish Armada’s defeat in 1588.




Thomas Edison’s Phonograph Patent: On February 11, 1878, Edison patented the phonograph, a device that could record and reproduce sound. This invention revolutionized the music industry and communication.



1938: The fledgling BBC Television service produces the world's first known science fiction TV program, a 35 minute section of the Karel Čapek play R.U.R. The play is famous for coining the term "robot".


1990: Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after serving 27 years of a life sentence.

Music1963: The Beatles record 10 songs for their debut album Please Please Me in under twelve hours at London's Abbey Road Studio. To make up the 14 tracks required for the UK version of the LP the four sides of their first two singles are added.
On its release in March Please Please Me would hit the top of the UK album charts and remain there for 30 weeks.
 
11th February

1956 'Cambridge spies' surface in Moscow. Two British diplomats who vanished in mysterious circumstances five years ago have reappeared in the Soviet Union. Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean handed a statement to four representatives from the press in a hotel room overlooking Moscow's Red Square.

1975 Tories chose first woman leader. The British Conservative Party chose Margaret Thatcher as its new leader.

1976 John Curry skated to Olympic gold. Figure skater John Curry won Britain's first Olympic gold in the sport. It is the country's first medal at the winter games for 12 years.

1979 Victory for Khomeini as army stepped aside. Only 10 days since Khomeini's triumphant return to Iran from exile in Paris, the army returned to barracks and gave up the fight to defend the old regime.
 
1809
Robert Fulton patents steamboat
1929
Vatican City, world's smallest country becomes enclave of Rome
1957
National Hockey Player's Assoc is formed in NYC. Detroit Red Wings player, Ted Lindsay elected President
1963
one of the 1st cooking shows in U.S. debuts on Boston, Mass station WGBH with chef, Julia Child's show' The French Chef'
1989
Barbara Harris becomes the 1st female bishop elected of a U.S. Episcopal church in Massachusetts
1993
Janet Reno becomes the 1st female U.S. attorney General
 
12th February
1851 - Gold is discovered near Bathurst NSW, starting the first gold rush in Australia.

1947 - French fashion designer Christian Dior introduced the Dior Bar suit, a stark departure from practical wartime styles. With its full skirt, tight waist, and pronounced bust, Dior described this “New Look” as “the return to an ideal of civilized happiness.”

1961 - The Miracles' "Shop Around" was officially recognized as Motown Record's first million-selling single

1964 - Australian cricketer Richie Benaud retires after 63-tests.

1994 - Thieves broke into the National Gallery in Oslo and stole Edvard Munches' painting The Scream
 
On This Day - 12th February1502 – Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India Portuguese explorer, embarked on his second voyage to India on February 12, 1502, from Lisbon.

His first voyage, which took place in 1497-1499, had successfully opened up a sea route from Europe to India around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.

This second expedition was larger, comprising 20 ships, and aimed to consolidate Portuguese interests in the Indian Ocean and establish Portuguese dominance in the spice trade.





1554 At the tender age of 16, the ‘nine days queen’, Lady Jane Grey and her husband Lord Guildford Dudley were beheaded; he on Tower Hill, she on Tower Green, after being implicated in the Wyatt's rebellion.
The rebellion arose out of concern over Queen Mary I's determination to marry Philip II of Spain, which was an unpopular policy with the English. It is believed that Lady Jane was born here, at Bradgate House in Leicestershire and spent the greater part of her short life there.



1688The conclusion of the ‘Glorious Revolution’. James II fled with his family to France, and the Prince of Orange and Princess Mary were declared King and Queen of England, France and Ireland.



1733Englishman James Oglethorpe founded Georgia, the 13th colony of the Thirteen Colonies, and its first city at Savannah. The 12th of February is known as Georgia Day for its historic importance to the state.




On February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded. This organization aimed to fight racial discrimination and promote civil rights for African Americans.





1966: The radio-ship Cheeta 2, standing in for a damaged Radio Caroline ship Mi Amigo begins low power test transmissions.




1967: West Sussex Police raid "Redlands", the 15th century home of Rolling Stone Keith Richards and find he, Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull and others inside. After removing various substances summonses would be issued leading to Jagger and Richards going on trial in June for offences against the Dangerous Drugs Act.




1970 – John Lennon performed ‘Instant Karma!’ on BBC TV’s Top Of The Pops, becoming the first Beatle to have appeared on the show since 1966. Lennon wrote, recorded, and mixed his new single, all in one day. It ranks as one of the fastest-released songs in pop music history. Lennon later stated, “I wrote it for breakfast, recorded it for lunch, and we’re putting it out for dinner.”
 
February 13th


1542Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England, was executed for adultery.


On the 13th of February [1594], in the preceding year, John Graham of Halyards, a Lord of Session (a kinsman of Montrose), was passing down Leith Wynd, attended by three or four score of armed men for his protection, when Sir James Sandilands, accompanied by his friend Ludovic Duke of Lennox, with an armed company, met him.

As they had recently been in dispute before the Court about some temple lands, Graham thought he was about to be attacked, and prepared to make resistance. The duke told him to proceed on his journey, and that no one would molest him; but the advice was barely given when some stray shots were fired by the party of the judge, who was at once attacked, and fell wounded.

He was borne bleeding into an adjacent house, whither a French boy, page to Sir Alexander Stewart, a friend of Sandilands, followed, and plunged a dagger into him, thus ending a lawsuit according to the taste of the age.– Old and New Edinburgh


13th Feb 1777: On this day Philosopher Marquis Sade was arrested without any charge and imprisoned in Vincennes fortress.



1917 Mata Hari's arrest for espionage: On February 13, 1917, Mata Hari, a Dutch dancer and alleged spy, was arrested in Paris on charges of espionage. She was accused of spying for Germany during World War I, leading to the deaths of thousands of French soldiers. Despite her claims of innocence, she was tried and executed by firing squad on October 15, 1917




On 13th February 1923, BBC broadcasting in Wales began when the British Broadcasting Company (as it then was) made its first radio broadcast from 'Station 5WA' in Cardiff. Blaina-born baritone Mostyn Thomas opened the programme, singing Dafydd y Garreg Wen and Gwilym Davies became the first speaker to broadcast in the Welsh language.

IMG_1644.jpeg




'Tynged yr Iaith'
On 13th February 1962, writer and political activist Saunders Lewis delivered a now famous radio lecture entitled Tynged yr Iaith -the Fate of the Language, which was instrumental in the formation of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh language Society) and, therefore, the implementation of most of the current bilingual policies.

In the lecture, Lewis predicted the decline and eventual death of the Welsh language if Welsh speakers did not refuse to fill in all types of official forms if it was not possible for them to do so in Welsh, even if it resulted in imprisonment.



1964: ex-Danish ferry Frederica leaves the Dutch port of Rotternam on the way to Greenore, Ireland to be re-fitted as Radio Caroline's first radio-ship.



1966: The Walton lifeboat is launched in reply to an emergency onboard Radio Caroline South (from her temporary home aboard Cheeta 2) when DJ Graham Webb falls ill with a throat virus.
 
1693
college of William&Mary opens in Williamsburg, VA, still open, 2nd oldest college in U.S.
1935
Bruno Hauptmann found guilty of kidnapping& murdering Charles Lindberg's infant son.
1984
6yr old Stormie Jones from Texas becomes the first person to receive a heart& liver transplant. Sadly she died Nov 11th,1990 age 13 due to rejection of the heart transplant
2000
The last original comic strip' Peanuts' appears in newspapers one day after the creator, Charles 'Sparky' Schulz dies
2017
actor Harrison Ford involved in a near miss collision when he flew his Aviat Huskey single engine plane over an American Airlines Boeing 737 with 116 people on board. He mistakenly landed on a taxi way at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. All were safe, FAA did not find him,instead he took safety training
 
14th February
1792 - The first private store/shop opened in the colony of NSW at Parramatta, selling produce and alcohol.

1954 - The Australian flag incorporating the Blue Ensign officially replaces the Union Jack and the Red Ensign when the Menzies government introduces the Flag Act.

1966 - Australia brings in Dollars and Cents to replace Pounds and Shillings

1975 - The Order of Australia medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth the II to recognise individuals for their public service.

2004 - The Redfern (Sydney) race riots were activated when a 17-year-old indigenous male died when he was impaled on a picket fence whilst being trailed by police.
 
February 14th 1477Margery Brews sent a letter to John Paston in Norfolk, addressed - Be my olde Valentine. It is the oldest known Valentine's Day message in the English language and was uncovered by the British Library. Read more on the BBC's website .

BBC News | UK | Love's labour found


Swansea - 'Copperopolis'.
Recorded production at Swansea's first copper works began on 14th February 1717. This was the Llangyfelach Copperworks near Landore, which had opened the previous month.

The beginning of Swansea's industrial growth commenced in the early 18th century with the promotion by Gabriel Powell, steward to the Duke of Beaufort, as to its suitability as a centre for copper production. As it took at least three tonnes of coal to smelt one tonne of copper ore, it made economic sense to bring the ore to the coal. Powell noted the local availability and abundance of coal around Swansea, its natural safe harbour of the Tawe estuary and the proximity of the copper ore from Cornwall in particular.



1779: Captain James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii during his third exploratory voyage. An argument had broken out over the theft of one of Cook's small boats and he'd retaliated by attempting to kidnap the King of Hawaii, Kalani'opu'u and hold him for ransom.



The Landshipping mining disaster.
On 14th February 1844, 40 men and boys were killed by the flooding of the Garden Pit coal mine at Landshipping on the eastern branch of the Cleddau River.
The pit extended out under the river for as much as a quarter of a mile and when water suddenly burst through the walls of the mine, trapping the 40 miners underground at the time. The cause of the disaster was put down to the pressure of the water, as that particular heading had not, previously, been worked at high water.




1852London's famous children's hospital in Great Ormond Street accepted its first patient, three year-old Eliza Armstrong. It was the first hospital in the English speaking world providing in-patient beds specifically for children.



30 miners were killed in a mining accident at Morfa Colliery, Port Talbot on 14th February 1870.




1929: In what becomes to be known as the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, seven people, six of them gangster rivals of Al Capone's gang, are murdered in a garage at 2122 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois


1970

Billboard magazine reports that the Recording Industry Association of America is "Mounting Total War Against Tape Pirating of Pre-recorded Music."

February 14
The Who recorded their landmark album "Live at Leeds" at the University of Leeds Refectory in England. Widely regarded as one of the greatest live Rock albums of all time, "Live at Leeds" showcased blistering versions of songs such as "My Generation", "Substitute" and "Magic Bus".
 
February 15th


1270
Grand Duke Gediminas, the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, issues letters inviting artisans and tradesmen to settle in his lands, marking the beginning of Vilnius's development as a major city.
...

In 1305, Robert Bruce having escaped the traps and snares of the English tyrant, by the treachery of John the Red Comyn, came to Lochmaben, and from there, accompanied [by]James Lindsay, and Roger Kilpatrick, went to Dumfries, the 15thof February, and in the church there having met with John Comyn, did accuse him of his wicked and perfidious dealing and treachery towards him, in revealing the bond of confederacy between them, contrary [to] his faith, began to deny; but Robert, impatient, stabbed him in the breast, with his cousin, Sir Robert Comyn, whom James Lindsay, and Roger Kilpatrick, did quickly despatch.
....



...
One of the most dramatic moments in British history took place on February 15, 1587, when Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed at Fotheringhay Castle.

...


1856American naval officer David Dixon Porter leaves Turkey with a shipload of 33 camels. They were unloaded in Texas the following May, but by then there were 34 camels as one had died and two were born and survived the trip. These were the first camels imported to the U.S. for commercial purposes.

Congress had appropriated $30,000 for the camel acquisition to be used in experiments to determine their suitability for use in the military.....


1901Winston Churchill entered Parliament for the first time, as MP for Oldham. MPs of the period were unpaid and Churchill was forced to take a speaking tour in order to fund his tenure.
...

1928After some 70 years of work, the 1st Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed.
...
15th February 1971 was Decimal Day in the United Kingdom when the old currency of pounds, shillings and pence with the pound being worth two hundred and forty pennies was replaced with a currency of pounds and pence with one hundred pennies in each pound.

The announcement of the change to decimal coinage came in 1966 and as hundreds of millions of new coins were needed and expansion at the existing Royal Mint at Tower Hill in London was not practical, it was decided to find a new location outside London. More than 20 sites were considered, however in keeping with the government's policy of transferring industry from the capital to development areas, Llantrisant was eventually chosen as the site for the new Royal Mint
...






On 15th February 1996 the Sea Empress ran aground at the entrance to Milford Haven harbour.
The grounding of the Sea Empress resulted in one of the largest and most environmentally damaging oil spills in European history. Approximately 72,000 tonnes of crude oil escaped into the sea, with more than 100km of coastline becoming seriously polluted. Thousands of birds were killed as a result and shore seaweeds and invertebrates were also killed in large quantities.
....




..



February 15 1965
A hairdresser named Vickie Jones was arrested in Fort Myers, Florida for trying to pass herself off as Aretha Franklin.Jones' concert performance was so realistic that no one asked for a refund.
....
1988: Def Leppard singer Jo Elliot puts his foot in it by referring to the location of their next gig at El Paso, Texas as 'the place with all those greasy Mexicans'. The band cancel after receiving death threats.
 
February 16th


374 9th recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet
…

The Battle of Karuse occurred on February 16, 1270, during the Northern Crusades. Fought on the frozen Baltic Sea, it featured the Livonian Order against Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Under harsh winter conditions, the Livonian knights attempted to expand Christian territories. Despite their formidable reputation, they faced fierce resistance from Lithuanian forces. This battle highlighted the tensions between expanding Christian orders and pagan Baltic tribes. The Lithuanian victory was a significant blow to the crusaders, emphasizing the resilience and strategic prowess of the Lithuanian leaders. It remains a notable episode in the history of Baltic region conflicts.
….
Todays execution news
1495The execution of Sir William Stanley, best known for taking sides against Richard III, at the battle of Bosworth in 1485, which helped to secure Henry VII's victory. The new king bestowed many favours on Sir William, including the post of Lord Chamberlain and Chamberlain of the Exchequer.

However, in 1495 Sir William was convicted of treason, on circumstantial evidence, and was executed for his support of the pretender Perkin Warbeck.

….
1659 The first known British cheque was written for the amount of £400.In today's money, that's equivalent to £48,000 ($62,525). The check is currently on display at Westminster Abbey.
However another site says-

1659The first British cheque (for £10) was written by Nicholas Vanacker and is now in the archives of the National Westminster Bank.
Historical sources and all that!
…..

….
1923: Archaeologist Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun and gets his first glimpse of the boy king's golden sarcophagus.
….
On this day 1953, Usk castle was made a Grade I listed building.

Usk Castle is situated near to the site where the Romans established a fortress before moving it to Caerleon. The castle was thought to have been laid out by the Norman Marcher Lord, Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare in 1120 in an attempt to control the newly taken area. The Welsh, however, took the castle in 1138, 1174, 1184, and again in 1233 by an alliance of Richard Marshall and Llywelyn the Great.

The rebellion of Owain Glyndwr brought significant conflict to the area as the town of Usk was burned in 1402 and 1405, but the castle held out. After the rebellion, the castle passed to the Duchy of Lancaster and no further redevelopment or refortification was undertaken.
….
1957: BBC Television makes use of the recently abolished 'Toddlers truce' hour between 6 and 7pm by airing their first Rock 'n' Roll music program The Six-Five Special, hosted by Pete Murray.
….
1963
The Beatles saw their second release, "Please Please Me", reach the top of the UK singles chart. No one seemed to care that during one verse, John and Paul can clearly be heard singing different words.
That needs some more research!
…..

1972 Miners Strike
Many homes and businesses will be without electricity for up to nine hours a day from today, the Central Electricity Generating Board has announced.
…..
1978: The first computer bulletin board system is created in Chicago, Illinois when programmer Ward Christensen writes CBBS (Computerized Bulletin Board System) to allow him and other computer hobbyists to exchange information between each another via modem connections.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Back
Top