Prof Frank McDonough
@fxmc1957.bsky.social
Historian of Germany 1918-1945. On X as @FXMC1957 with This Day in History at 8.30 AM (GMT). Website: http://proffrankmcdonough.com
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Misfits (1960). 📷 Eve Arnold.
January 24, 2026 at 9:32 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Misfits (1960). 📷 Eve Arnold.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 24 January 1972. Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was found hiding in a Guam jungle. He'd been there since 1945. He was only aware the war had ended in 1952, but feared returning to Japan: “We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive."
January 24, 2026 at 9:32 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 24 January 1972. Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was found hiding in a Guam jungle. He'd been there since 1945. He was only aware the war had ended in 1952, but feared returning to Japan: “We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive."
FACT OF THE DAY. 24 January 1965. Winston Churchill died (aged 90). As British war leader his inspiring speeches defied Hitler’s Germany. A BBC2 viewer poll in 2002 voted him the “Greatest Briton” of all time. More recently his failure to prevent the Bengal Famine of 1943 has been criticised.
January 24, 2026 at 9:31 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 24 January 1965. Winston Churchill died (aged 90). As British war leader his inspiring speeches defied Hitler’s Germany. A BBC2 viewer poll in 2002 voted him the “Greatest Briton” of all time. More recently his failure to prevent the Bengal Famine of 1943 has been criticised.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Brothers John F. Kennedy (left) and Robert F. Kennedy in a hotel room in Los Angeles (1960). 📷 Hank Walker
January 23, 2026 at 9:35 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Brothers John F. Kennedy (left) and Robert F. Kennedy in a hotel room in Los Angeles (1960). 📷 Hank Walker
PERSON OF THE DAY. 23 January 1919. Bob Paisley was born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham. He won 20 trophies as LIverpool FC manager from 1974 to 1983. Paisley was the 1st of 4 managers to have won the European Cup 3 times and the only British-born manager to have ever done so.
January 23, 2026 at 9:34 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 23 January 1919. Bob Paisley was born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham. He won 20 trophies as LIverpool FC manager from 1974 to 1983. Paisley was the 1st of 4 managers to have won the European Cup 3 times and the only British-born manager to have ever done so.
FACT OF THE DAY. 23 January 2020. Chinese authorities locked down the entire city of Wuhan (which had 11 million inhabitants) by not allowing planes and trains to arrive and stopping city buses and underground trains. The action was taken due to the death of 17 people from the new Covid-19 virus.
January 23, 2026 at 9:32 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 23 January 2020. Chinese authorities locked down the entire city of Wuhan (which had 11 million inhabitants) by not allowing planes and trains to arrive and stopping city buses and underground trains. The action was taken due to the death of 17 people from the new Covid-19 virus.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Louis Armstrong performing for his wife at the Great Sphinx of Giza (1961). 📷 Bettmann/Corbis
January 22, 2026 at 9:34 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Louis Armstrong performing for his wife at the Great Sphinx of Giza (1961). 📷 Bettmann/Corbis
PERSON OF THE DAY. 22 January 1901. Queen Victoria died (aged 81) at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. She had been Queen of the UK since 20 June 1837. Her reign of 63 years, 7 months was longer than than any of her predecessors and was only overtaken by Elizabeth II.
January 22, 2026 at 9:33 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 22 January 1901. Queen Victoria died (aged 81) at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. She had been Queen of the UK since 20 June 1837. Her reign of 63 years, 7 months was longer than than any of her predecessors and was only overtaken by Elizabeth II.
FACT OF THE DAY. 22 January 1927. 1st live BBC radio commentary of a football match was broadcast between Arsenal and Sheffield United at Highbury. Commentator was Teddy Wakelam (pictured). Radio Times published a numbered grid which the commentator mentioned to locate where the ball was.
January 22, 2026 at 9:32 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 22 January 1927. 1st live BBC radio commentary of a football match was broadcast between Arsenal and Sheffield United at Highbury. Commentator was Teddy Wakelam (pictured). Radio Times published a numbered grid which the commentator mentioned to locate where the ball was.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Trinity College, Dublin (2012) 📷 Candida Höfer
January 21, 2026 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Trinity College, Dublin (2012) 📷 Candida Höfer
FACT OF THE DAY. 21 January 1925. Benny Hill (Alfred Hawthorne Hill) was born in Southampton. His song, Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West), was a 1971 UK No 1. His once hugely popular TV comedy show is no longer repeated on terrestrial TV in the UK, but can be found on satellite channels.
January 21, 2026 at 9:28 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 21 January 1925. Benny Hill (Alfred Hawthorne Hill) was born in Southampton. His song, Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West), was a 1971 UK No 1. His once hugely popular TV comedy show is no longer repeated on terrestrial TV in the UK, but can be found on satellite channels.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 21 January 1950. George Orwell (Eric Blair) died of TB (aged 46), His best known works were Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. In 2008, The Times ranked him 2nd in “The 50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945” (behind Larkin).
January 21, 2026 at 9:27 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 21 January 1950. George Orwell (Eric Blair) died of TB (aged 46), His best known works were Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. In 2008, The Times ranked him 2nd in “The 50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945” (behind Larkin).
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Piccadilly Circus, London (1960). 📷 John Hinde
January 20, 2026 at 9:43 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Piccadilly Circus, London (1960). 📷 John Hinde
PERSON OF THE DAY. 20 January 1961. John F Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the USA. The 43-year-old Democrat was the 1st Roman Catholic to hold the office. He said in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you? Ask what you can do for your country?”
January 20, 2026 at 9:42 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 20 January 1961. John F Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the USA. The 43-year-old Democrat was the 1st Roman Catholic to hold the office. He said in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you? Ask what you can do for your country?”
FACT OF THE DAY. 20 January 1942. At the Wannsee Conference in Berlin, leading SS figure, Reinhard Heydrich, chaired a meeting with SS officers and government officials to discuss the implementation of the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question”. Below is the room where the meeting occurred.
January 20, 2026 at 9:41 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 20 January 1942. At the Wannsee Conference in Berlin, leading SS figure, Reinhard Heydrich, chaired a meeting with SS officers and government officials to discuss the implementation of the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question”. Below is the room where the meeting occurred.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. An East London “knocker-up” whose job was to wake up workers in the morning (1929). 📷 google images
January 19, 2026 at 9:34 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. An East London “knocker-up” whose job was to wake up workers in the morning (1929). 📷 google images
FACT OF THE DAY. 19 January 1946. Dolly Parton was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, USA. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has been awarded 10 Grammy Awards. Her best known songs include I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5.
January 19, 2026 at 9:18 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 19 January 1946. Dolly Parton was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, USA. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has been awarded 10 Grammy Awards. Her best known songs include I Will Always Love You, Jolene and 9 to 5.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 19 January 1930. Tippi Hedren was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, USA. She starred in the Alfred Hitchcock films The Birds & Marnie. In her memoirs she claimed that Hitchcock sexually harassed her during the making of both films and she refused to work with him again.
January 19, 2026 at 9:17 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 19 January 1930. Tippi Hedren was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, USA. She starred in the Alfred Hitchcock films The Birds & Marnie. In her memoirs she claimed that Hitchcock sexually harassed her during the making of both films and she refused to work with him again.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Glass Tears. 📷 Man Ray (1932).
January 18, 2026 at 9:32 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Glass Tears. 📷 Man Ray (1932).
FACT OF THE DAY. 18 January 2000. Martin Luther King Day was finally officially observed as a public holiday in all 50 US States. It’s falls on the 3rd Monday of January each year, which is close to King’s birthday which is 15 January. President Ronald Reagan initiated the holiday in 1983.
January 18, 2026 at 9:29 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 18 January 2000. Martin Luther King Day was finally officially observed as a public holiday in all 50 US States. It’s falls on the 3rd Monday of January each year, which is close to King’s birthday which is 15 January. President Ronald Reagan initiated the holiday in 1983.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 18 January 1904. Hollywood’s quintessential leading man Cary Grant was born in Bristol as Archibald Leach. He featured in over 70 films including a number of Alfred Hitchcock films, most notably, Suspicion, Notorious, North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief.
January 18, 2026 at 9:18 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 18 January 1904. Hollywood’s quintessential leading man Cary Grant was born in Bristol as Archibald Leach. He featured in over 70 films including a number of Alfred Hitchcock films, most notably, Suspicion, Notorious, North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A woman in New York City walking her dog in the driving rain (1957). 📷 Saul Leiter
January 17, 2026 at 9:29 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A woman in New York City walking her dog in the driving rain (1957). 📷 Saul Leiter
FACT OF THE DAY. 17 January 1967. An article in the Daily Mail reported there were 4,000 holes in the roads of Blackburn, Lancashire. Beatle John Lennon used the article as the inspiration for lines in the classic song A Day in The Life on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
January 17, 2026 at 9:23 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 17 January 1967. An article in the Daily Mail reported there were 4,000 holes in the roads of Blackburn, Lancashire. Beatle John Lennon used the article as the inspiration for lines in the classic song A Day in The Life on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 17 January 1942. Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA as Cassius Clay. He’s the only 3-time lineal heavyweight champion and the only boxer to win The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 6 times. The BBC named him Sports Personality of the Century in 1999.
January 17, 2026 at 9:17 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 17 January 1942. Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA as Cassius Clay. He’s the only 3-time lineal heavyweight champion and the only boxer to win The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 6 times. The BBC named him Sports Personality of the Century in 1999.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Pablo Picasso (1962). 📷 Arnold Newman
January 16, 2026 at 9:34 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Pablo Picasso (1962). 📷 Arnold Newman