Scott Allsop's Blog, page 239

19th September 1879: The Blackpool Illuminations turned on for the first time

The Illuminations at the British seaside resort of Blackpool were turned on for the first time. The Illuminations, which continue to be an annual light festival, have grown considerably since their inception. Now stretching for...

18th September 1931: Manchurian Crisis begins after Japanese bomb

On the 18th September 1931, the Manchurian Crisis – also known as the Mukden Incident –began when Japanese soldiers blew up a section of their own railway in the Chinese region of Manchuria. Although it...

17th September 1859: Joshua Norton declares himself Norton I, Emperor of the United States

Norton had moved to San Francisco from South Africa sometime around the end of 1849 and, within three years, had amassed a significant fortune as a result of shrewd real estate investments and various commodities...

16th September 1978: Filming begins on Monty Python’s Life of Brian

On the 16th September 1978, filming began on Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Seen by some as the greatest comedy film of all time, the film has courted controversy since its release due to its...

15th September 1830: William Huskisson killed on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway

The British MP William Huskisson died as a result of a fatal accident on the opening day of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was created in order to link Manchester,...

14th September 1814: USA’s national anthem lyrics written as the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry”

On the 14th September 1814, the poem that was to provide the lyrics for the United States’ national anthem was written by 35 year-old Francis Scott Key. Called “Defence of Fort M’Henry”, the poem provides...

13th September 1501: Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David

Michelangelo’s David is considered to be one of the greatest examples of Renaissance sculpture. Carved from a piece of marble from a quarry near the Tuscan town of Carrara, the statue is a nude male...

12th September 1919: Hitler joins the German Workers Party

On September 12th 1919, Adolf Hitler officially joined the German Workers’ Party (DAP). At the time no membership cards were issued but, when they made available in January 1920, Hitler was given membership number 55...

11th September 1789: Alexander Hamilton appointed US Secretary of the Treasury

Alexander Hamilton was made the first United States Secretary of the Treasury by President George Washington. Alexander Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis to a Scottish-born father and a half-British, half-French Huguenot...

10th September 1989: Hungary allows East Germans into Austria

On the 10th September 1989, the Hungarian government announced the opening of the border with Austria to allow thousands of East Germans to leave the Communist Bloc. Met with incredible anger from the East German...