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. England goalkeeper Gordon Banks catches a dog (1965). 📷 Chris Morphet
November 10, 2025 at 9:40 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. England goalkeeper Gordon Banks catches a dog (1965). 📷 Chris Morphet
FACT OF THE DAY. 10 November 1871. Journalist Henry Stanley greeted a missing Scottish explorer in Central Africa with the words: “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Livingstone was out of contact for 6 years. Stanley was sent to find him by New York Herald. They met on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
November 10, 2025 at 9:38 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 10 November 1871. Journalist Henry Stanley greeted a missing Scottish explorer in Central Africa with the words: “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Livingstone was out of contact for 6 years. Stanley was sent to find him by New York Herald. They met on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 10 November 1925. Welsh actor Richard Burton was born in Pontrhydyfen. He was noted for his mellifluous voice, his heavy drinking and his highly publicised marriages to Elizabeth Taylor, which often overshadowed his undoubted acting ability. #Burton100
November 10, 2025 at 9:36 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 10 November 1925. Welsh actor Richard Burton was born in Pontrhydyfen. He was noted for his mellifluous voice, his heavy drinking and his highly publicised marriages to Elizabeth Taylor, which often overshadowed his undoubted acting ability. #Burton100
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Customers listening to new records before buying in a UK record shop (1955). 📷 google images
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Customers listening to new records before buying in a UK record shop (1955). 📷 google images
PERSON OF THE DAY. 9 November 1880. Acclaimed architect Giles Gilbert Scott was born in London. He designed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and the iconic red telephone box. He was noted in building design for his blending of the Gothic tradition with modernism.
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 9 November 1880. Acclaimed architect Giles Gilbert Scott was born in London. He designed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and the iconic red telephone box. He was noted in building design for his blending of the Gothic tradition with modernism.
FACT OF THE DAY. 9 November 1918. Having lost the support of the military and the people, Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate his throne and flee Germany for the Netherlands. Power was handed to a Republican government led by the leader of the Social Democratic Party Friedrich Ebert.
November 9, 2025 at 9:41 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 9 November 1918. Having lost the support of the military and the people, Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate his throne and flee Germany for the Netherlands. Power was handed to a Republican government led by the leader of the Social Democratic Party Friedrich Ebert.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Leeds United defender Jack Charlton having a cigarette after a team photo (1970). 📷 Peter Marsh
November 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Leeds United defender Jack Charlton having a cigarette after a team photo (1970). 📷 Peter Marsh
PERSON OF THE DAY. 8 November 1922. Christian Barnard was born in Beaufort West, South Africa. He performed the world’s 1st heart transplant operation on 3 December 1967 when he transplanted the heart of Denise Darvall into 54-year-old, Louis Washkansky who only survived for 18 days.
November 8, 2025 at 9:26 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 8 November 1922. Christian Barnard was born in Beaufort West, South Africa. He performed the world’s 1st heart transplant operation on 3 December 1967 when he transplanted the heart of Denise Darvall into 54-year-old, Louis Washkansky who only survived for 18 days.
FACT OF THE DAY. 8 November 1939. Adolf Hitler narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by Georg Elser (pictured). Hitler was making his annual speech at a Munich beer hall on the anniversary of the 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch but he left 13 minutes before the bomb exploded.
November 8, 2025 at 9:25 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 8 November 1939. Adolf Hitler narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by Georg Elser (pictured). Hitler was making his annual speech at a Munich beer hall on the anniversary of the 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch but he left 13 minutes before the bomb exploded.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A policeman stops traffic to let a man carrying an inflatable rubber giraffe cross the road on his way to the British Industries Fair in London (1935)
📷 google images
📷 google images
November 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A policeman stops traffic to let a man carrying an inflatable rubber giraffe cross the road on his way to the British Industries Fair in London (1935)
📷 google images
📷 google images
FACT OF THE DAY. 7 November 1917 (Gregorian calendar). The Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin stormed the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg to begin the Russian Revolution.
November 7, 2025 at 9:41 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 7 November 1917 (Gregorian calendar). The Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin stormed the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg to begin the Russian Revolution.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 7 November 1980. Steve McQueen known as “The King of Cool”, died (aged 50). Films include: The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt, The Cincinnati Kid, Papillon, Le Mans, The Towering Inferno and The Thomas Criown Affair.
November 7, 2025 at 9:39 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 7 November 1980. Steve McQueen known as “The King of Cool”, died (aged 50). Films include: The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt, The Cincinnati Kid, Papillon, Le Mans, The Towering Inferno and The Thomas Criown Affair.
PHOTO OF THE DAY: This factory worker in California soon changed her name to Marilyn Monroe (1944).📷 David Conover.
November 6, 2025 at 9:30 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY: This factory worker in California soon changed her name to Marilyn Monroe (1944).📷 David Conover.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 6 November 1893. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the acclaimed Russian composer, died (aged 53). His best known musical works were the 1812 Overture and his ballets, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.
November 6, 2025 at 9:18 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 6 November 1893. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the acclaimed Russian composer, died (aged 53). His best known musical works were the 1812 Overture and his ballets, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.
FACT OF THE DAY. 6 November 1942. Church of England relaxed its rule that women must wear hats in church. Before then church etiquette required women to wear hats during church services because it was considered by male clergy as inappropriate for women to show their hair in church.
November 6, 2025 at 9:17 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 6 November 1942. Church of England relaxed its rule that women must wear hats in church. Before then church etiquette required women to wear hats during church services because it was considered by male clergy as inappropriate for women to show their hair in church.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Children with a Hitler-style Guy Fawkes, in Waterloo, London, on 5 November, 1944.
📷 D H Appleton
📷 D H Appleton
November 5, 2025 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Children with a Hitler-style Guy Fawkes, in Waterloo, London, on 5 November, 1944.
📷 D H Appleton
📷 D H Appleton
PERSON OF THE DAY. 5 November 1913. Vivien Leigh (Vivian Mary Hartley) was born in Darjeeling, India. She won 2 Academy Awards for Best Actress for her performances as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, her best known role, and as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 5 November 1913. Vivien Leigh (Vivian Mary Hartley) was born in Darjeeling, India. She won 2 Academy Awards for Best Actress for her performances as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, her best known role, and as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.
FACT OF THE DAY. 5 November 1605. The Gunpowder Plot which aimed to start a Catholic uprising and end the religious persecution of Catholics failed when Guy Fawkes was arrested in a cellar under the House of Lords. He wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament that existed at that time.
November 5, 2025 at 9:07 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 5 November 1605. The Gunpowder Plot which aimed to start a Catholic uprising and end the religious persecution of Catholics failed when Guy Fawkes was arrested in a cellar under the House of Lords. He wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament that existed at that time.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Daleks trying to board a London bus (1963). 📷 Het Parool.
November 4, 2025 at 9:32 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Daleks trying to board a London bus (1963). 📷 Het Parool.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 4 November 1918. Wilfred Owen (aged 25) was killed in WW1, a week before the conflict ended. He was a leading poet of the “Great War of 1914-18”. His war poetry on the horrors of the trenches included Dulce et Decorum est, Insensibility, Anthem for Doomed Youth and Futility.
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 4 November 1918. Wilfred Owen (aged 25) was killed in WW1, a week before the conflict ended. He was a leading poet of the “Great War of 1914-18”. His war poetry on the horrors of the trenches included Dulce et Decorum est, Insensibility, Anthem for Doomed Youth and Futility.
FACT OF THE DAY. 4 November 1922. British archaeologist Howard Carter and his team found the doorway to Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. It was not until 26 November 1922 that he broke the seal and entered the luxurious tomb. It was one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 4 November 1922. British archaeologist Howard Carter and his team found the doorway to Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. It was not until 26 November 1922 that he broke the seal and entered the luxurious tomb. It was one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra on the set of the film High Society (1956). 📷 Dennis Stock
November 3, 2025 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra on the set of the film High Society (1956). 📷 Dennis Stock
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 November 1954. Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard) was born in London. He gained huge popularity in the early 1980s as lead singer of Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist. He had 10 UK Top 10 hits from 1980 to 1983 including 3 UK No 1 singles.
November 3, 2025 at 9:28 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 November 1954. Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard) was born in London. He gained huge popularity in the early 1980s as lead singer of Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist. He had 10 UK Top 10 hits from 1980 to 1983 including 3 UK No 1 singles.
FACT OF THE DAY. 3 November 1957. Laika became the 1st dog to orbit the Earth, aboard the Soviet sattelite, Sputnik 2. The aim was to test the feasibility of launching a human being into space. Unfortunately she died soon after launch due to oxygen deprivation.
November 3, 2025 at 9:27 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 3 November 1957. Laika became the 1st dog to orbit the Earth, aboard the Soviet sattelite, Sputnik 2. The aim was to test the feasibility of launching a human being into space. Unfortunately she died soon after launch due to oxygen deprivation.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Laurence Olivier narrating the ITV series The World at War (1973). 📷 google images
November 2, 2025 at 9:30 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Laurence Olivier narrating the ITV series The World at War (1973). 📷 google images