On This Day In History
October 13th
54 Nero succeeds Claudius as Roman Emperor
1307 French King Philip IV has Grand Master Jacques de Molay and Knights Templar arrested and charged with idolatry and corruption
1884 Greenwich in London established as the universal time meridian of longitude
1924 Mecca falls without struggle to Saudi forces led by Abdulaziz Ibn Saud
1943 Italy declares war on former Axis partner Germany
1944 US 1st army begins battle of Aachen, first German city captured during World War II
2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile comes to a happy end as all 33 miners arrive at the surface after surviving a record 69 days underground
Did You Know?
First electron micrograph of an Ebola viral particle obtained by Dr. F.A. Murphy, working at the C.D.C.
Today in History in 1976
Would You Believe?
1st military use of trained dolphins (US Navy in Persian Gulf)
Today in History in 1987
This day 227 years ago – 13 October 1792 – construction began on the White House.
Its architect was James Hoban, a native of Desart, near Callan, Co Kilkenny, who modelled it on Leinster House in Dublin.
Hoban was the winner of a competition to design the U.S. President's home. pic.twitter.com/E9qOoo33IK
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) October 13, 2019
This day 88 years ago – 13 October 1931 – Orson Welles made his professional acting debut, aged 16, in the Gate Theatre, Dublin.
Welles played the lead role in a production of Jew Süss.
He would later say, “I got more acclaim for that than for anything I've done since!” pic.twitter.com/WvGld0suzs
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) October 13, 2019
This day 40 years ago - 13 October 1980 - Det Garda Seamus Quaid was shot dead by the Provisional IRA.
Quaid's killer was released in 1998, despite objections from the Garda Representative Association, who said “the murder of guards should not become an ordinary everyday crime.” pic.twitter.com/hu4fEwknra
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) October 13, 2020
#OTD in 1908, journalist Margaret Travers Symons burst into the House of Commons chamber shouting "votes for women!" - and became the first woman ever to speak there. She was the only one to succeed in a 'rush on Parliament' during the Pankhursts' large demonstration that day. pic.twitter.com/U5cSsWAbwe
— On This Day She (@OnThisDayShe) October 13, 2022
On this day in 1920, a white mob in Roxboro, NC, used an ongoing letter campaign to terrorize Black residents and force them to flee. The same mob lynched a Black man months earlier. To overcome racial inequality, we must confront our history. https://t.co/dqSXLv4P9S
— Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) October 13, 2022
13 October 54. Roman Emperor, Claudius I, died (aged 63). Ancient historians suggested he was murdered by poison, possibly contained in mushrooms. His wife, Agrippina is most cited as the instigator. Some modern historians have suggested he merely succumbed to illness or old age. pic.twitter.com/7n3fXP86Kc
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1269. The present church building at Westminster Abbey was consecrated, meaning it was declared sacred, and a place of worship. The re-building began in 1245. Westminster Abbey has been the final resting place for 17 monarchs. pic.twitter.com/KXWQj8m1wQ
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1399. Henry IV, the first King of England from the Lancaster branch of the Plantagenets, was crowned in Westminster Abbey. He was King of England from 1399 to 1413, and the first English ruler since the Norman Conquest whose first language was English not French. pic.twitter.com/s2zYGcwLxh
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1853. Lillie Langtry was born in Jersey. She starred in many plays in the UK and the USA, including: She Stoops to Conquer and As You Like It. She also ran her own stage production company and had a three-year love affair with the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). pic.twitter.com/G8pex2paQY
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1884. Voting began at the International Meridian Conference, held in Washington, DC, USA, to determine a prime meridian for international use. It resulted in Greenwich bring accepted as the Universal Time meridian of longitude (GMT). pic.twitter.com/0Z5JoYAYJ5
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1894. The first official Merseyside “Derby” was played at Goodison Park. Everton beat Liverpool 3-0 in front of 44,000 people. It was not until 1897 that Liverpool first beat, Everton by 3-1 at Anfield. pic.twitter.com/MYORzUtbdu
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1923. Ankara replaced Istanbul as the capital of Turkey. pic.twitter.com/uJpG6UoIfx
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1963. The term “Beatlemania” was used for the fist time by the press after The Beatles had appeared on ITV’s Sunday Night at The London Palladium. The Beatles topped the bill and performed 4 songs: From Me to You, I’ll Get You, She loves You, and Twist and Shout. pic.twitter.com/lUMJVaRKbW
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1976. The first electron micrograph of an Ebola virus particle was obtained by Dr. Frederick Murphy of University of California, USA. In December 2016, a study found the VSV-EBOV vaccine was 70% effective against the virus. pic.twitter.com/4El6rbFI98
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
13 October 1996. British racing driver, Damon Hill, won the Japanese Grand Prix to clinch his first (and only) F1 World Championship. Hill had finished 2nd in the previous two seasons. The son of Graham, he was one of only two sons of a F1 world champion to also win the title. pic.twitter.com/XSAB5DKvbp
— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) October 13, 2022
October 14th
1066 Battle of Hastings: William, Duke of Normandy and his Norman army defeat the English forces of Harold II who is killed in the battle
1322 Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland's independence
1774 1st Continental Congress makes Declaration of Colonial Rights in Philadelphia
1867 15th and last Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigns in Japan
1884 George Eastman patents paper-strip photographic film
1933 Nazi Germany announces its withdrawal from the League of Nations
1982 US President Reagan proclaims a war on drugs
Did You Know?
Arthur Conan Doyle publishes "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" collection of 12 stories originally published serially in "The Strand Magazine"
Today in History in 1892
Would You Believe?
1st Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. by over 100,000 people
Today in History in 1979
This day 91 years ago – 14 October 1928 – the Gate Theatre opened in Dublin.
It was founded by Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammóir, two English-born actors who were also lovers.
They are said to have “survived, and even flourished, as Ireland’s only visible gay couple.” pic.twitter.com/HLnV2wpMgM
— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) October 14, 2019