Tag Archives: History

MARCH 26 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1484 – William Caxton printed his translation of Aesop’s Fables on the 26th March 1484.

1830 – The Book of Mormon was published in Palmyra, New York on the 26th March 1830.

1931 – SwissAir was founded as the national airline of Switzerland on the 26th March 1931.

1941Richard Dawkins the English ethologistevolutionary biologist and author was born Clinton Richard Dawkins on the 26th March 1941. www.RichardDawkins.net

1944 – Diana Ross the American singer from The Supremes was born on the 26th March 1944.

1948 – Steven Tyler the American singer-songwriter from Aerosmith was born on the 26th March 1948.

1949 ~ Jon English the Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer was born Jonathan James English in  in Hampstead, London on the 26th March 1949. Jon English online: official website: www.JonEnglish.com.au |  Facebook.com/MyJonEnglish  |  YouTube video: Jon English ~ Words Are Not Enough (1978)…

1954 – Clive Palmer the Australian businessman was born on the 26th March 1954.

1957 – Leeza Gibbons the American talk show host was born on the 26th March 1957.

1973 – Larry Page the American computer scientist and co-founder of Google was born on the 26th March 1973.

1985 – Keira Knightley the English actress was born on the 26th March 1985.

MARCH 25 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

0421 – Venice was founded at twelve o’clock noon on the 25th March 0421, according to legend.

1634 – The first settlers arrived in Maryland, on the 25th March 1634.

1655 – Saturn‘s largest moon, Titan, was discovered by Christiaan Huygens on the 25th March 1655.

1934Bernard King the Australian stage actor, celebrity chef, and television personality was born on the 25th March 1934 (died 2002).

1942 – Richard O’Brien the English actor and screenwriter was born Richard Timothy Smith on the 25th March 1942. Richard is best known for writing the The Rocky Horror Show and co-writing the screenplay of the 1975 film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show, appearing in the film as the character Riff Raff.

1988 – Ryan Lewis the American rapper, DJ, and producer was born on the 25th March 1988. YouTube video: Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis..

MARCH 24 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1837 – Canada gave African Canadian men the right to vote on the 24th March 1837.

1874 – Harry Houdini the Hungarian-American magician and actor was born on the 24th March 1874 (died 1926).

1882 – Robert Koch announced the discovery of mycobacterium tuberculosis on the 24th March 1882, which is the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis

1896 – A. S. Popov made the first radio signal transmission in history on the 24th March 1896.

1936 ~ David Suzuki (CC|OBC) the Japanese-Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist was born David Takayoshi Suzuki on the 24th March 1936. Official website: www.DavidSuzuki.org | YouTube video: David Suzuki presents the UNSW Jack Beale Lecture 2013: Global Environment & Imagining a sustainable future: foresight over hindsight. A wide-ranging talk discussing the environmental movement’s successes and failures, explores human evolution and the threats to our future, outlines the problems of a globalised economy, criticises the Australian government’s climate change policies, and points to a sustainable way forward…

1958 – Elvis Presley was drafted in the U.S. Army on the 24th March 1958.

1960 ~ Nena the German singer-songwriter from the band Nena was born Gabriele Susanne Kerner in Hagen, West Germany on the 24th March 1960. Nena rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song 99 Luftballons. In 1984 Nena re-recorded the song in English as 99 Red Balloons. Since the 1980s Nena has done some TV hosting, co-founded a new school Neue Schule Hamburg, and recorded a song with Kim Wilde – Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime. Nena’s official website: www.nena.de, Facebook: Facebook.com/NENAofficial, Twitter verified: Twitter.com/NenaOfficial & YouTube channel: Youtube.com/NenaOfficial YouTube video: Nena – 99 Luftballons (1983 German Version)…

1960 – Kelly LeBrock the American model and actress was born on the 24th March 1960.

1965 – NASA spacecraft Ranger 9 transmitted images of the Moon into ordinary homes on the 24th March 1965, before crash landing.

1970 – Sharon Corr the Irish singer-songwriter and violinist from The Corrs was born on the 24th March 1970.

1970 – Lara Flynn Boyle the American actress was born on the 24th March 1970.

1972 – The United Kingdom imposed direct rule over Northern Ireland on the 24th March 1972.

1973Jim Parsons the American actor was born James Joseph Parsons in Houston on the 24th March 1973. Jim Parsons is best known for his role as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory.

1989 – Exxon Valdez oil spill: In Prince William Sound in Alaska on the 24th March 1989, when the Exxon Valdez spilled 240,000 barrels (38,000 m3) of petroleum after running aground.

1993 – Discovery of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 on the 24th March 1993.

1999 – Mont Blanc Tunnel fire killed 38 people on the 24th March 1999.

2000 – S&P 500 index reached an intraday high of 1,552.87 on the 24th March 2000, a peak that due to the collapse of the dot-com bubble, that didn’t reach again for another 7 years.

2012Costa Georgiadis hosted his first show of Gardening Australia on ABC TV on 24th March 2012. Coata previously hosted Costa’s Garden Odyssey on SBS TV

MARCH 22 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1920Werner Klemperer the German-born American actor was born on the 22nd March 1920 (died 2000). Werner Kleperer was best known as Colonel Klink in Hogan’s Heroes

1954 – The London bullion market reopened on the 22nd March 1954, after being closed since 1939.

1960 – Arthur Leonard Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes receivde the 1st patent for a laser on the 22nd March 1960.

1963 – The Beatles‘ 1st album, Please Please Me, was released in the United Kingdom on the 22nd March 1963.

2013Del Kathryn Barton won the Archibald Prize for 2013, with her portrait of actor Hugo Weaving. The announcement was made on Friday 22nd March 2013, at the Art Gallery of NSW

Hugo Weaving winning 2013 Archibald Prize acrylic portrait painting by Del Kathryn Barton holding cat colour leaves
The winning 2013 Archibald Prize portrait painting of Hugo Weaving by Del Kathryn Barton (Acrylic painting)

MARCH 21 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1413 – Henry V became King of England on the 21st March 1413.

1801 – Maria Theresa of Austria was born on the 21st March 1801 (died 1855).

1871 – Otto von Bismarck was appointed Chancellor of the German Empire on the 21st March 1871.

1871Henry Morton Stanley the journalist began his trek to find Scottish expolorer David Livingstone on the 21st March 1871. Henry Morton Stanley the Welsh American journalist and explorer was famous for finding David Livingstone in Africa, and allegedly saying “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”. He was knighted in 1899.

1906 – John D. Rockefeller III the American philanthropist was born on the 21st March 1906 (died 1978)

1941Keith Potger the Australian pop-folk singer and guitarist from The Seekers was born in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) on the 21st March 1941.

1950 – Roger Hodgson the English singer-songwriter and keyboard player from Supertramp was born on the 21st March 1950.

1958 – Gary Oldman the English actor, singer, director, and producer was born on the 21st March 1958.

1962 – Matthew Broderick the American actor, singer, and director was born on the 21st March 1962.

1962 – Rosie O’Donnell the American actress and talk show host was born on the 21st March 1962.

1965 – Ranger programNASA launched Ranger 9 on the 21st March 1965, the last in a series of unmanned lunar space probes.

1967 – Jonas Berggren the Swedish singer-songwriter from Ace of Base was born on the 21st March 1967.

1982Bård Ylvisåker the Norwegian artist and comedian was born on the 21st March 1982. Bård Ylvisåker is best known for his cabaret group Ylvis with his brother Vegard Ylvisåker. The Ylvisåker brothers shot to international fame when their music video The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) went viral on YouTube in September 2013 with over 250 million views within 2 months. Ylvis official website: www.ylvis.com | Ylvis verified Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Ylvis | Ylvis verified Twitter: www.twitter.com/Ylvis | Ylvis YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/TVnorge | YouTube video: Ylvis – The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) [Official music video HD]…

MARCH 20 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1760 – The “Great Fire” of Boston, Massachusetts destroyed 349 buildings on the 20th March 1760.

1796Edward Gibbon Wakefield the British politician was born on the 20th March 1796 (died 1862). He was the driving force behind much of the early colonisation of South Australia, and New Zealand.

1836 – Edward Poynter the English painter was born on the 20th March 1836 (died 1919).

Cave of the Storm Nymphs nudes painting Edward Poynter ship wreck treasure cove naked girls women beach sea ocean waves
Cave of the Storm Nymphs ~ 1903 painting by Edward Poynter (from a private collection)

1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published on the 20th March 1852.

1916 – Albert Einstein published his general theory of relativity on the 20th March 1916.

1950 – Carl Palmer the English drummer and songwriter from Emerson, Lake & Palmer was born on the 20th March 1950.

1984 – iJustine the American Youtube personality was born on the 20th March 1984.

1986 – Ruby Rose the Australian model, actress, and singer was born on the 20th March 1986.

MARCH 18 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1850 – American Express was founded on the 18th March 1850, by Henry Wells and William Fargo.

1906 – Traian Vuia flew a heavier-than-air aircraft for 20 meters at 1 meter altitude on the 18th March 1906.

1937 – The human-powered aircraftPedaliante, flew 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) on the 18th March 1937, outside Milan.

1938 – Charley Pride the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 18th March 1938.

1941 – Wilson Pickett the American singer-songwriter was born on the 18th March 1941 (died 2006)

1944 – Dick Smith the Australian publisher, businessman and founder of Dick Smith Electronics and Australian Geographic was born on the 18th March 1944.

1945 – Eric Woolfson the Scottish songwriter, lyricist, vocalist, executive producer, pianist, and creator of The Alan Parsons Project was born on the 18th March 1945 (died 2009).

1950 – John Hartman the American drummer from Doobie Brothers was born on the 18th March 1950.

1950 – Larry Perkins the Australian race car driver was born on the 18th March 1950.

1959 – Irene Cara the American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress was born on the 18th March 1959.

1966 – Jerry Cantrell the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Alice in Chains was born on the 18th March 1966.

1966 – Peter Jones the English businessman was born on the 18th March 1966.

1970 – Queen Latifah the American rapper and actress was born on the 18th March 1970.

1978 – Brooke Hanson the Australian swimmer was born on the 18th March 1978.

1979 – Adam Levine the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Maroon 5 was born on the 18th March 1979.

MARCH 14~ ON THiS DAY in History

44BC ~ CascaCicero & Cassius decided, on the night before the Assassination of Julius Caesar, that Mark Antony should stay alive.

1489 ~ Catherine Cornaro the Queen of Cyprus sold her kingdom to Venice on the 14th March 1489.

1647 The Truce of Ulm was signed by BavariaCologneFrance and Sweden signed  on the 14th March 1647, after the Thiry Years’ War.

1681 ~ Georg Philipp Telemann the German composer was born on the 14th March 1681 (died 1767).

1790 ~ LUDWiG EMiL GRiMM the German painter and engraver was born in Hanau on the 14th March 1790 (died 1863 aged 73). Ludwig was the younger brother of the Brothers GrimmJacob and Wilhelm.

Ludwig Emil Grimm illustration angel girls deer flower wreath artwork 1819 Brothers Grimm Kinder und Hausmarchen engraving L.Haas
The frontispiece & decorative title pages of the 1819 edition of Brothers Grimm Kinder- und Hausmarchen, illustrated by Ludwig Emil Grimm & engraved by L. Haas.

1794 ~ Eli Whitney was granted a patent for the cotton gin on the 14th March 1794.

1804 ~ Johann Strauss I the Austrian composer and the father of Johann Strauss II was born on the 14th March 1804 (died 1849).

1835 ~ Giovanni Schiaparelli the Italian astronomer and historian was born on the 14th March 1835 (died 1910).

1844Arthur O’Shaughnessy the English poet was born on the 14th March 1844 (died 1881).

1853 ~ FERDiNAND HODLER the Swiss painter was born in Berne on the 14th March 1853 (died 1918).

Ferdinand Hodler Swiss painter self-portrait 1916 oil painting canvas art Neue Galerie goatee beard
Ferdinand Hodler self-portrait (1916) oil on canvas at the Neue Galerie New York (Museum for German & Austrian Art)
Der Tag The Day oil painting canvas Ferdinad Hodler naked women nude yoga dancing praying
Der Tag The Day (1900) oil on canvas by Ferdinad Hodler at the Kunstmuseum ~ Museum of Fine Arts Bern
Die Nacht The Night oil painting canvas Ferdinad Hodler naked men nude women lovers sleeping beds artwork
Die Nacht (1889-1890) oil on canvas by Ferdinad Hodler at the Kunstmuseum ~ Museum of Fine Arts Bern

1854 ~ Paul Ehrlich the German physician and Nobel Prize laureate was born in Strehlen on the 14th March 1854 (died 1915).

1854John Lane the English publisher and co-founder of The Bodley Head was born on the 14th March 1854 (died 1925).

1862 ~ Vilhelm Bjerknes the Norwegian physicist and meteorologist was born on the 14th March 1862 (died 1951).

1874 ~ Anton Philips the Dutch businessman and co-founder of Philips Electronics was born on the 14th March 1874 (died 1951). www.Philips.com.au

1879 ~ ALBERT EiNSTEiN the German born physicist was born in Ulm, Germany on the 14th March 1879 (died 18th April 1955 aged 76). Einstein was a theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics, alongside quantum mechanics. Einstein is best known for the world’s most famous equation, his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2. Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his services to theoretical physics, and mostly for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect, which was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.

Albert Einstein lecture Vienna 1921 theoretical physicist theory relativity physics quantum mechanics formula E=mc2  photo photoelectric effect chalk black board
Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921 (photo by Ferdinand Schmutzer)

1883 ~ Karl Marx the German philosopher and theorist died on the 14th March 1883 aged 64 (born 5th May 1818).

1885 The Mikado opera by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, had its first public performance in London on the 14th March 1885.

1887 ~ Sylvia Beach the American-French publisher and founder of Shakespeare and Company was born on the 14th March 1887 (died 1962).

1888 ~ Marc-Aurèle Fortin the Canadian painter was born on the 14th March 1888 (died 1970).

1894 ~ Osa Johnson the American director and explorer was born on the 14th March 1894 (died 1953).

1899 ~ K. C. Irving the Canadian businessman and founder of Irving Oil was born on the 14th March 1899 (died 1992).

1900 ~ The Gold Standard Act was ratified on the 14th March 1900, placing United States currency on the gold standard.

1905 ~ Raymond Aron the French journalist, sociologist, and philosopher was born on the 14th March 1905 (died 1983).

1903 ~ The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge was established on the 14th March 1903, by US President Theodore Roosevelt.

1908Philip Conrad Vincent the English businessman and founder of Vincent Motorcycles was born on the 14th March 1908 (died 1979).

1908Maurice Merleau-Ponty the French philosopher was born on the 14th March 1908 (died 1961).

1910 ~ Lakeview Gusher, the largest U.S. oil well gusher, near Bakersfield, California, vented to the atmosphere on the 14th March 1910.

1911 ~ Akira Yoshizawa the Japanese origamist was born on the 14th March 1911 (died 2005).

1912LES BROWN the American saxophonist, composer and bandleader was born on the 14th March 1912 (died 2001 aged 88). YouTube video: The Billboard March – Les Brown & His Band Of Renown…

1914 ~ Lee Hays the American singer-songwriter  from The Weavers was born on the 14th March 1914 (died 1981).

1920 ~ Hank Ketcham the American cartoonist was born on the 14th March 1920 (died 2001).

1921Ada Louise Huxtable the American author and critic was born on the 14th March 1921 (died 2013).

1922 ~ LES BAXTER the American pianist and composer was born on the 14th March 1922 (died 1996 aged 73). YouTube video: The Soul Of The Drums – Les Baxter 1963 Exotica Easy Listening Full LP: Side A: 1.The Girl Behind The Bamboo Curtain 2.Lord, What A Morning 3.Calabash Annie 4.Sunrise At Kowloon 5.Which Doctor? 6.Mai Tai Side |B: 1. A Day In Rio 2.River Of Dreams 3.Nina 4.The Enchanted Reef 5.Jacaranda 6. Ceremony…

1923 ~ Diane Arbus the American photographer was born on the 14th March 1923 (died 1971).

1926Phil Phillips the American singer-songwriter was born on the 14th March 1926.

1928 ~ Frank Borman the American colonel, pilot, and astronaut was born on the 14th March 1928.

1928Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente the Spanish environmentalist was born on the 14th March 1928 (died 1980).

1931 Alam AraIndia‘s 1st talkie film, was released on the 14th March 1931.

1932 ~ Naina Yeltsina the Russian wife of Boris Yeltsin (First Lady of Russia) was born on the 14th March 1932.

1933QUiNCY JONES the American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer was born on the 14th March 1933.

1933 ~ MiCHAEL CAiNE the English actor and author was born on the 14th March 1933.

1936 ~ The 1st All-Sound Film Version of SHOW BOAT opened at Radio City Music Hall on the 14th March 1936. (There was a part-talkie, part-silent version of Show Boat in 1929.)

1939 ~ Slovakia declared independence under German pressure on the 14th March 1939.

1945MiCHAEL MARTiN MURPHEY the American singer-songwriter was born on the 14th March 1945. YouTube video: Michael Martin Murphey ~ Wildfire (1975) ~ “This is a beautiful song written by Michael Murphey, about a horse that will make an animal lover shed a tear.” (Anton K)……other videos of Michael Murphey performing his hit song Wildfire on YouTube: Michael Murphey – Wildfire on The Midnight Special 1976 & Michael Murphy – Wildfire on Letterman 2007

1945Walter Parazaider the American saxophonist  from the band Chicago was born on the 14th March 1945.

1945 ~ The R.A.F.‘s 1st operational use of the Grand Slam bomb was on the 14th March 1945, in Bielefeld, Germany, during World War II.

1947 ~ PAM AYRES the English comedian, actor, and poet was born on the 14th March 1947.

1947JONA LEWiE the English singer-songwriter and keyboard player was born in Southampton on the 14th March 1947. Jona Lewie is best known for his 1980 hits You’ll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties (1980)Stop the Cavalry (1980) and Louise (1981)…

1948BiLLY CRYSTAL the American actor and comedian was born on the 14th March 1948.

1948Theo Jansen the Dutch sculptor was born on the 14th March 1948.

1951 ~ Jerry Greenfield the American businessman and co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s was born on the 14th March 1951.

1957Tad Williams the American author was born on the 14th March 1957.

1958 ~ Albert II, Prince of Monaco was born on the 14th March 1958.

1964 ~ Jack Ruby was found guilty by a Dallas jury for the killing of Lee Harvey Oswald (the assumed assassin of John F. Kennedy) on the 14th March 1964.

1965Aamir Khan the Indian actor, director, and producer was born on the 14th March 1965.

1965SHEiLA CHANDRA the English (Indian descent) singer from the Monsoon pop band was born in London on the 14th March 1965. Sheila Chandra’s official website: www.SheilaChandra.com | YouTube video: Monsoon ~ Ever So Lonely (1982)

1967 ~ U.S. President John F. Kennedy‘s body was moved to a permanent burial place at Arlington National Cemetery on the 14th March 1967.

197# ~ CHRiS STEiN the German-Australian model known as the No.1 model for PhotoGraffix Advertising Agency was born in Germany on the 14th March in the 1970s. Chris Stein retired from modelling in the 1990s when she became a business partner and administrator of an advertising business, and later became a manager and co-owner of a limousine business.

Chris Stein German model Clarissa hat coat 1990s fashion pretty blonde black & white photo by Anton K Australia 1992
Chris Stein ~ photo by Anton K ~ 1992
Chris Stein sexy 19yo model girl Clarissa leopard skin design 2piece bikini swimsuit 1990s style Australian beach 1991 AntonK
Chris Stein in a PhotoGraffix Advertising Agency modelling promo in 1990 ~ photo by Anton K.
Chris Stein sexy 19 year old teen model girl leopard skin design 2piece bikini swimsuit 1990s Australian beach AntonK
Chris Stein in a PhotoGraffix Advertising Agency modelling promo in the early 1990 ~ photo by Anton K. 

1978Pieter van den Hoogenband the Dutch swimmer was born in  MaastrichtLimburg on the 14th March 1978. Twitter.com/PVDHoogenband (verified account)

1979Chris Klein the American actor was born on the 14th March 1979.

1980Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente the Spanish environmentalist died on his 52nd birthday on the 14th March 1980 (born 14th March 1928). Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente died in an aircraft crash in Alaska while shooting a documentary about the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, with 2 cameramen and a pilot also dying.

1982Kate Maberly the English actress and musician was born in Reigate, England on the 14th March 1982. Kate Maberly is know for her roles in The Secret Garden (1993)Mothertime (1997) and Victoria & Albert (2001).

1983TAYLOR HANSON the American singer-songwriter and keyboard player from the band Hanson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the 14th March 1983. Official website:  www.Hanson.netYouTube video: HANSON – MMMBop (1997)…

1984 ~ Gerry Adams the head of Sinn Féin was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt in central Belfast on the 14th March 1994.

1984LiESEL MATHEWS aka LiESEL PRITZKER the American former child actress, heiress to Hyatt Hotels, and philanthropist was born Liesel Anne Pritzker in Chicago, Illinois, into the Pritzker family, one of the wealthiest families in the United States. Liesel starred as Sara Crewe in A Little Princess (1995 movie)and as Alice Marshall in Air Force One (1997)Online: official website:  BlueHaveninitiative.com  | Twitter.com/LieselPritzker | YouTube video: A Little Princess ~ Trailer…

1985 ~ Idaira the Spanish singer was born on the 14th March 1985.

1986 ~ Jamie Bell the English actor was born on the 14th March 1986.

1989Colby O’Donis the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 14th March 1989.

1991Rhiannon Fish the Canadian born Australian actress best known for her role as April Scott on Home and Away was born on the 14th March 1991. Rhiannon Fish was 2nd in the 13th series of Dancing with the Stars in 2013. Rhiannon Fish’s Twitter: www.twitter.com/RhiannonMFish

1994 ~ Timeline of Linux developmentLinux kernel version 1.0.0 was released on the 14th March 1994.

1995 ~ Norman Thagard the American astronaut became the 1st American astronaut to ride to space on board a Russian launch vehicle on the 14th March 1995.

2012 ~ TheARTofLOOKiNGatLiFE.com domain name was registered by AntonK.com on the 14th March 2012.

MARCH 13 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1639 – Harvard College was named for clergyman John Harvard on the 13th March 1639.

1781 – William Herschel discovered Uranus on the 13th March 1781.

1930 – The news of the discovery of Pluto was telegraphed to the Harvard College Observatory on the 13th March 1930.

1939 ~ Neil Sedaka the American singer-songwriter and pianist was born in Brooklyn, New York on the 13th March 1939. YouTube video: Neil Sedaka ~ Laughter in the Rain (1974)

1989Peaches Geldof the British journalist, television presenter and model was born Peaches Honeyblossom Geldof in London on the 13th March 1989. Peaches Geldof is the 2nd daughter of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates. Peaches Geldof officially online: Twitter.com/Peaches_G | instagram.com/PeachesGeldof

2013 ~ Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope on the 13th March 2013, and took the name Pope Francis. He worked briefly as a chemical technician and a nightclub bouncer before entering the seminary, and getting his biggest gig as the Bishop of Rome.

2013 ~ MELBOURNE recorded an overnight temperature of 26.5°  degrees celsius (79.7° Fahrenheit ) on the 13th March 2013, making it the warmest March night since Melbourne weather records began, beating the previous high of 26.3° degrees set back in 1927. Another record was made when Melbourne experienced 7 consecutive days with a minimum temperature above 20 degrees. See news stories: The AGE: One last heat record falls as relief finally arrives & The Australian: Melbourne heatwave: another record broken

Melbourne city yarra river buildings Flinders Street Station foot bridge Rialto Towers Moon Sunday morning 2nd August 2012
Melbourne city on the Yarra River featuring Flinders Street Station & the Rialto Tower as the Moon set on Sunday morning at 6:30am ~ 2nd August 2012 (Photo by Anton K. Kressnig

 

MARCH 12 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1894 – Coca-Cola was bottled and sold for the first time outside of Atlant on the 12th March 1894, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, by local soda fountain operator Joseph Biedenharn.

19th century Coca Cola coupon distributed in 1888 to help promote Coca Cola
19th century Coca Cola coupon distributed in 1888 to help promote Coca Cola

1912 – The Girl Guides (now known as the Girl Scouts of the USA) were founded in the United States on the 12th March 1912.

1913 – Canberra Day: The future capital of Australia was officially named Canberra on the 12th March 1913. (Melbourne remained temporary capital until 1927 while Canberra was under construction.)

1918 – Moscow became the capital of Russia again on the 12th March 1918, after Saint Petersburg was the capital for 215 years.

1928 – The St. Francis Dam In California failed on the 12th March 1928, with the resulting floods killing over 600 people.

1930 – Mahatma Gandhi led a 200-mile march known as the Salt March on the 12th March 1930, to the sea in defiance of British opposition, to protest the British monopoly on salt.

1994 – The Church of England ordained its 1st female priests on the 12th March 1994..

2009 – Financier Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty in New York on the 12th March 2009, for scamming $18 billion, the largest in Wall Street history.

2011 – A reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant melted, exploded and released radioactivity into the atmosphere on the 12th March 2011, a day after Japan’s earthquake.

2013 ~ Melbourne broke it’s record for the longest stretch of hot weather on Tuesday 12th March 2013, when the mercury hit 36.2°C, on the 9th day of heatwave temperatures over 30°C. See news stories: Herald Sun: Melbourne sets another weather record before cool change brings relief to the city, News.com.au: Melbourne breaks heatwave record & Weather Zone: Another record broken in Melbourne’s heatwave

Brighton Beach Melbourne heatwave photo people swimming sunbaking red umbrella Port Phillip Bay bikini girls
Brighton Beach, Melbourne, Australia on a very hot day (photo by Anton K. Kressnig 2013)