27 November 1924: Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day parade
27 November 1924: Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day parade
On this day in 1924, New York department store Macy's held its first Thanksgiving Day parade. It would soon become a city institution, kicking off the…
27 Nov 2020
27 November 1967: Charles de Gaulle vetoes Britain's entry to the EEC
27 November 1967: Charles de Gaulle vetoes Britain's entry to the EEC
On this day in 1967, French president Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain's attempt to join the European Economic Community, claiming Britain didn’t agre…
27 Nov 2020
26 November 1992: The Queen volunteers to pay income tax
26 November 1992: The Queen volunteers to pay income tax
With Britain in recession and Windsor Castle having recently caught fire, the Queen's request to pay income tax was accepted by Parliament, on this da…
26 Nov 2020
25 November 1952: “The Mousetrap” premieres in London
25 November 1952: “The Mousetrap” premieres in London
On this day in 1952, Agatha Christie’s murder mystery play “The Mousetrap” began a run of over 28,000 performances in the West End, to become the long…
25 Nov 2020
25 November 1947: The “Hollywood Ten” are blacklisted
25 November 1947: The “Hollywood Ten” are blacklisted
Today in 1947 ten Hollywood luminaries were blacklisted and their careers ruined after refusing to answer the questions of the House Un-American Activ…
25 Nov 2020
24 November 1859: Charles Darwin publishes “On the Origin of Species”
24 November 1859: Charles Darwin publishes “On the Origin of Species”
On this day in 1859, Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species”, the book considered by many to be the cornerstone of evolutionary biology.
24 Nov 2020
23 November 2006: Alexander Litvinenko dies in hospital
23 November 2006: Alexander Litvinenko dies in hospital
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died in hospital on this day in 2006, after being poisoned with the radioactive isotope polonium-210.
23 Nov 2020
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21 November 1969: The first permanent Arpanet link
21 November 1969: The first permanent Arpanet link
A milestone in the formation of the internet, the first permanent Arpanet link was established on this day in 1969.
21 Nov 2020
20 November 1980: The Lake Peigneur disaster
20 November 1980: The Lake Peigneur disaster
On this day 34 years ago, blundering oilmen turned a ten-foot deep freshwater lake in Louisiana into a saltwater lake over a thousand feet deep.
20 Nov 2020
20 November 1974: the US government launches an antitrust suit against AT&T
20 November 1974: the US government launches an antitrust suit against AT&T
On this day in 1974, the US government launch an antitrust suit against AT&T to break its stranglehold on the American telephone network.
20 Nov 2020
19 November 1994: The first National Lottery draw
19 November 1994: The first National Lottery draw
Twenty years ago today, 22 million people watched in hopeful anticipation as the National Lottery made its first draw.
19 Nov 2020
19 November 1967: Harold Wilson’s ‘pound in your pocket’ little white lie
19 November 1967: Harold Wilson’s ‘pound in your pocket’ little white lie
On this day in 1967, Harold Wilson went on television to reassure viewers that the “pound in the pocket” would be unaffected by the devaluation of ste…
19 Nov 2020
18 November 2002: UN weapons inspectors arrive in Iraq
18 November 2002: UN weapons inspectors arrive in Iraq
On this day in 2002, UN weapons inspectors arrived in in Baghdad in a bid to discover the truth about Iraq’s WMD programme.
18 Nov 2020
18 November 1963: The Dartford Tunnel opens
18 November 1963: The Dartford Tunnel opens
On this day in 1963, the long-awaited Dartford Tunnel under the Thames opened. It cost £13m and was nearly a mile long.
18 Nov 2020
17 November 1989: The Velvet Revolution begins in Czechoslovakia
17 November 1989: The Velvet Revolution begins in Czechoslovakia
On this day in 1989, the Velvet Revolution got underway in Czechoslovakia when a peaceful student demonstration demanding reform turned violent.
17 Nov 2020
17 November 1869: Opening of the Suez Canal
17 November 1869: Opening of the Suez Canal
On this day in 1869, the Suez Canal, designed by Frenchman Ferdinand de Lessops, opened for business, connecting Europe to Asia through Africa.
17 Nov 2020
16 November 1904: John Ambrose Fleming patents the oscillation valve
16 November 1904: John Ambrose Fleming patents the oscillation valve
On this day in 1914, John Ambrose Fleming patented his oscillation valve – a component which formed the basis of the electronics industry for half a c…
16 Nov 2020
14 November 1995: US government shuts down
14 November 1995: US government shuts down
On this day in 1995, the US government shut down museums and national parks after Bill Clinton and Congress were unable to agree on a budget.
14 Nov 2020
13 November 1865: US issues its first gold certificates
13 November 1865: US issues its first gold certificates
The effects of loose money-printing and counterfeit notes led the US to issue its first ‘gold certificates’ – a form of paper currency backed by gold …
13 Nov 2020
13 November 1947: Mikhail Kalashnikov's AK-47 makes its debut
13 November 1947: Mikhail Kalashnikov's AK-47 makes its debut
Russian Mikhail Kalashnikov's AK-47 assault rifle was first demonstrated to Soviet officials on this day in 1947.
13 Nov 2020
12 November 1859: Jules Leotard's flying trapeze
12 November 1859: Jules Leotard's flying trapeze
On this day in 1859, Jules Leotard performed the world’s first ever flying trapeze act, wowing audiences in the Cirque Napoleon in Paris.
12 Nov 2020
12 November 1990: Tim Berners-Lee sets out to build the World Wide Web
12 November 1990: Tim Berners-Lee sets out to build the World Wide Web
On this day in 1990, Sir Tim Berners-Lee set out his proposals for creating the World Wide Web.
12 Nov 2020