Category: English History
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Edward VIII Decides to Abdicate After the British Government, the Public, and the Church of England Denounced His Choice to Marry the American Divorcee, Wallis Warfield Simpson. December 11, 1936.
Image: Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson on their Mediterranean holiday, 1936. (Public Domain). On this day in history, December 11, 1936, after ruling as king for less than one year, Edward VIII becomes the first English monarch to renounce the throne willingly. He decided to abdicate after the British government, the public, and the Church…
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The South African Boer War Began Involving Britain and the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. October 11, 1899.
Image: Clockwise from left: Frederick Roberts entering in Kimberley; Boer militia at the Battle of Spion Kop; Boer women and children in a British concentration camp. (Public Domain) On this day in history, October 11, 1899, the Second South African Boer War began involving Britain and the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State.…
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Vintage Photographs of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill Flashing His Trademark “V for Victory” Sign
Winston Churchill’s V for Victory sign is perhaps one the most iconic of the Second World War. Though it started with a simple radio broadcast, the symbol took Europe by storm and became a rallying emblem for those under occupation. 78 years on from VE Day, V stands for far more than Victory, it stands…
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History Daily: August 31
JACK THE RIPPER KILLS FIRST VICTIM Image: “With the Vigilance Committee in the East End: A Suspicious Character” from The Illustrated London News, 13 October 1888. (Wikimedia Commons.) On August 31, 1888, prostitute Mary Ann Nichols, the first known victim of the English serial killer “Jack the Ripper,” was murdered and mutilated in the Whitechapel…
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History Daily: August 29
WOMEN JOIN BRITISH WAR EFFORT On August 29, 1914, with World War I approaching the end of its first month, the Women’s Defense Relief Corps was formed in Britain. Though women’s rights organizations in Britain had initially opposed the country’s entry into World War I, they soon reversed their position, recognizing the potential of the…
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The Air Battle Dubbed “The Hardest Day” Occurred During the Battle of Britain Between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force. August 18, 1940.
Image: A Dornier DO 17Z of 9 Staffel (Squadron), Kampfgeschwader 76 (Bomber Wing 76). The bomber was shot down by Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft of No. 111 Squadron RAF. It crash landed near RAF Biggin Hill, 18 August 1940. (Wikimedia Commons.) On August 18, 1940, the air battle dubbed “The Hardest Day” occurred during World War II during the Battle of Britain between the German…
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History Daily: August 14
CHINA DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY Image: Chinese workers during World War I (Wikimedia Commons) On August 14, 1917, as World War I entered its fourth year, China abandoned its neutrality and declared war on Germany. From its beginning, the Great War was not restricted to the European continent; in the Far East, two competing countries,…
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Francis Blandy, the Father of Eighteenth-Century Murderer Mary Blandy, Falls into a Coma and Dies Outside London, England. August 14, 1751.
On this day in history, Francis Blandy, the father of eighteenth-century murderer Mary Blandy, falls into a coma and dies outside London, England. Later that night, Blandy’s daughter Mary offered one of the family’s servants a large sum of money to help her get to France immediately. Mary was forced to flee when he refused,…
History Daily With Francis Chappell Black 