APRiL 1 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1732 ~ JOSEPH HAYDN the Austrian composer was born on the 1st day of April in 1732 (died in 1809 aged 77).

1765 ~ Luigi Schiavonetti the Italian engraver was born on the 1st April 1765 (died 1810).

1815 ~ Otto von Bismarck the German politician and 1st Chancellor of the German Empire was born on the 1st April 1815 (died 1898).

1826 ~ SAMUEL MOREY the American inventor patented the iNTERNAL COMBUSTiON ENGiNE on this 1st day of April in 1826. Samuel Morey was also a pioneer in steamships, and accumulated a total of 20 patents.

The Four-stroke cycle (illusytrated gif by Zephyris)
The Four-stroke cycle (illustrated gif by Zephyris)

The Four-stroke cycle (aka Otto cycle) 1. Intake 2.Compression 3. Power 4. Exhaust (illustrated gif by Zephyris aka Richard Wheeler)

1854 ~ Charles Dickens began serialisation of Hard Times in his magazine Household Words on the 1st April 1854.

1865 ~ Richard Adolf Zsigmondy the Austrian chemist and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 1st April 1865 (died 1929).

1867 ~ Singapore became a British crown colony on the 1st April 1867.

1873 ~ RMS Atlantic the British steamer sank off Nova Scotia on the 1st April 1873, killing 547 people

1887 ~ Mumbai Fire Brigade was established on the 1st April 1887.

1891 ~ The WRiGLEY COMPANY was founded in Chicago, Illinois on this 1st day of April in 1891. The Wrigley Company originally started selling soap and baking powder, until William Wrigley, Jr. (the founder) began packaging chewing gum with each can of baking powder in 1892. Eventually the chewing gum became more popular than the baking powder selling in more than 180 countries, with factories in Australia, Canada, China, France, India, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States. 

In 2004 The Wrigley Company purchased the Life Savers and Altoids businesses from Kraft Foods for US$1.48 billion, and in 2007 they purchased A.Korkunov for $300 million. In  2008 Mars Inc acquired Wrigley for approximately $23 billion.

1917Sheldon Mayer the American writer and illustrator was born on the 1st April 1917 (died 1991).

1917Sydney Newman the Canadian television producer and creator of Doctor Who was born on the 1st April 1917 (died 1997).

1919 ~ Joseph Murray the American surgeon and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 1st April 1919 (died 2012).

1921Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith the American guitarist and songwriter was born on the 1st April 1921. Arthur Smith – Guitar Boogie YouTube video…

1924 ~ Adolf Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in jail on the 1st April 1924, for his participation in the Beer Hall Putsch, but he spent only 9 months in jail, during which he wrote Mein Kampf.

1929JANE POWELL the American actress, singer, and dancer was born on the 1st day of April in 1929.

1930Grace Lee Whitney the American actress was born on the 1st April 1930.

1932DEBBiE REYNOLDS the American actress was born on the 1st day of April in 1932.

1932 ~ Gordon Jump the American actor was born on the 1st April 1932 (died 2003).

1932 ~ APRiL FOOL’S DAY was first recorded in association with April 1st and foolishness on this 1st day of April in 1392, as found in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. April Fools’ Day aka All Fools Day is celebrated by people playing good-humoured foolishness, funny jokes, hoaxes and practical jokes on friends, family, teachers, neighbors, work mates and others. The jokes only last till noon in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK, and if anyone who plays a trick after noon is called an April Fool and taunted with “April Fool’s Day’s past and gone, You’re the fool for making one.” The jokes last all day in most other countries such as America, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Scotland, Sweden, South Korea, Russia and The Netherlands. In France, Italy and (French speaking) Canada they attempt to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed, and say “April’s fish” in their language.

Happy April Fools' Day thinking out of the box red jester jack in the box cartoon art AntonK
Happy April Fools’ Day, April is a good time for thinking out of the box ~ Art by Anton K. Kressnig

The History of April Fool’s Day YouTube video by Jeremiah… 

1946Ronnie Lane the English bass player from  the Faces and Small Faces was born on the 1st April 1946 (died 1997).

1947Robin Scott the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from M was born on the 1st April 1947.

1948 ~ JiMMY CLiFF the Jamaican musician, singer, and actor was born on the 1st day of April in 1948.

1954 ~ Jeff Porcaro the American drummer from Toto was born on the 1st April 1954 (died 1992).

1957 ~ The Spaghetti tree hoax was broadcasted on the BBC current affairs programme Panorama for April Fools Day on the 1st April 1957.

1961 ~ SUSAN BOYLE the Scottish singer was born on the 1st day of April in 1961. Susan Boyle came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent on the 11th April 2009, singing I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables. Susan Boyle’s first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number 1 best-selling album on the music charts around the globe. Susan Boyle’s official website: www.SusanBoyleMusic.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/SusanBoyle | YouTube channel: www.YouTube.com/SusanBoyle 

1961Mark White the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from ABC was born on the 1st April 1961.

1966Craig Kelly the American snowboarder was born on the 1st April 1966 (died 2003).

1970 ~ The Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on the 1st April 1970, requiring the Surgeon General‘s warnings on tobacco products and banning cigarette advertisements on television and radio in the United States, starting on the 1st January 1971.

1971Lachy Hulme the Australian actor and screenwriter was born on the 1st April 1971.

1973 KYM WiLSON the Australian actress was born in Brisbane on the 1st day of April in 1973. YouTube video: Kym Wilson 1991 Samboy Chips Hit Me ♫: also features Melissa Bell and Toni Pearon from E Street…

1973 ~ Project Tiger tiger conservation project was launched in the Corbett National Park in India on the 1st April 1973.

1975JOHN BUTLER the Australian singer and musician from The JOHN BUTLER TRiO was born on the 1st day of April in 1975.

1976 ~ APPLE iNC. was formed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on the 1st day of April in 1976.

1984 ~ MARViN GAYE the American singer died on the 1st day of April in 1984 aged 44.

1992 ~ The Bosnian war started on the 1st April 1992.

1993 ~ Blair Fowler the American blogger was born on the 1st April 1993.

1997 ~ Comet Hale-Bopp was seen passing over perihelion on the 1st April 1997.

2001SAME SEX MARRiAGE becomes legal in the Netherlands, the first country to allow it.

2006 ~ The Serious Organised Crime Agency, dubbed the British FBI, was created in the United Kingdom on the 1st april 2006.

2012 ~ Antonk.com website was officially launched on the day of this 1st Antonk blog post on the 1st April 2012.

AntonK.com website traffic rank seo statistics alexa ranking analytics 12th February 2013 screen shot
AntonK.com website showing Alexa World traffic rank and other statistics for SEO on the 12th February 2013

2012 ~ The ART of LOOKiNG at LiFE Facebook Page was launched on the 1st April 2012. Like www.Facebook.com/TheARTofLOOKiNGatLiFE on Facebook 🙂

2013 ~ LEADBEATER’S POSSUM AWARENESS WEEK  1st – 7th APRiL: The Leadbeater’s Possum was rediscovered in Australia on the 3rd April 1961, after over 50 years of being presumed extinct. Leaderbeater’s Possum Awareness Week is held from the 1st to the 7th April annually. Please visit and help Leadbeater’s Possums at www.Leadbeaters.org.au 

Leadbeaters Possum held in hand cute Australian little marsupial endangered threatened animal
Help Leadbeater’s Possum
7 Reasons im deleting my Facebook account blue banner 1st April Fools Day joke
7 Reasons im deleting my Facebook account
Happy April Fools’ Day 2012 art by Anton K. Kressnig

4 thoughts on “APRiL 1 ~ ON THiS DAY in History”

  1. Love this website in the making Anton. I am excited at being able to watch it expand. I am excited about what’s to come. Cathryn 🙂

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