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. Archduke Franz Ferdinand posing as a mummy on a trip to Cairo (1896). 📷 google images
January 4, 2026 at 9:34 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Archduke Franz Ferdinand posing as a mummy on a trip to Cairo (1896). 📷 google images
PERSON OF THE DAY. 4 January 1972. Liverpool-born Rose Heilbron became the 1st woman to sit as a judge at the Old Bailey in London. She was also the 1st woman to achieve a 1st class degree in law at the University of Liverpool and the 2nd woman to be appointed as a High Court judge.
January 4, 2026 at 9:33 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 4 January 1972. Liverpool-born Rose Heilbron became the 1st woman to sit as a judge at the Old Bailey in London. She was also the 1st woman to achieve a 1st class degree in law at the University of Liverpool and the 2nd woman to be appointed as a High Court judge.
4 January 1967. Donald Campbell (aged 45), was killed when his jet-powered Bluebird K7 crashed during a Water Speed World Record attempt on Coniston Water in the Lake District. He was travelling at more than 300 MPH when Bluebird crashed.
January 4, 2026 at 9:32 AM
4 January 1967. Donald Campbell (aged 45), was killed when his jet-powered Bluebird K7 crashed during a Water Speed World Record attempt on Coniston Water in the Lake District. He was travelling at more than 300 MPH when Bluebird crashed.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Brazilian, Diego Torquato, playing violin at the funeral of his social project leader Evandro Silva in 2009, who rescued him from poverty, but was murdered in Rio. Not long after this photo was taken, Diego died of leukemia. 📷 Marcos Tristão.
January 3, 2026 at 1:25 PM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Brazilian, Diego Torquato, playing violin at the funeral of his social project leader Evandro Silva in 2009, who rescued him from poverty, but was murdered in Rio. Not long after this photo was taken, Diego died of leukemia. 📷 Marcos Tristão.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 January 1892. John Ronald Reuel (“JRR”) Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein (now in South Africa). He’s author of fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings which were both turned into successful feature films. There are 7 blue plaques in England associated with Tolkien.
January 3, 2026 at 1:24 PM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 January 1892. John Ronald Reuel (“JRR”) Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein (now in South Africa). He’s author of fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings which were both turned into successful feature films. There are 7 blue plaques in England associated with Tolkien.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 January 1926. Beatles producer George Martin was born in London. He was referred to as the “5th Beatle” in reference to his innovations on Beatles recordings. Paul McCartney said: “If anyone earned the title of the 5th Beatle, it was George.”
January 3, 2026 at 9:13 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 January 1926. Beatles producer George Martin was born in London. He was referred to as the “5th Beatle” in reference to his innovations on Beatles recordings. Paul McCartney said: “If anyone earned the title of the 5th Beatle, it was George.”
PHOTO OF THE DAY. London telephone engineer (1925). 📷 Donald McLeish
January 2, 2026 at 9:35 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. London telephone engineer (1925). 📷 Donald McLeish
PERSON OF THE DAY. 2 January 1983. TV comedy star Dick Emery died (aged 67). His hugely popular BBC1 show, The Dick Emery Show, which ran from 1963 to 1981 spawned numerous characters and many catch phrases, including: “Hello Honky Tonks” and “You are awful, but I like you.”
January 2, 2026 at 9:33 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 2 January 1983. TV comedy star Dick Emery died (aged 67). His hugely popular BBC1 show, The Dick Emery Show, which ran from 1963 to 1981 spawned numerous characters and many catch phrases, including: “Hello Honky Tonks” and “You are awful, but I like you.”
FACT OF THE DAY. 2 January 1971. 66 football spectators were killed in a crush on a steep and frosty exit stairway when leaving Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow at the end of a Rangers versus Celtic derby match. It was the worst British football stadium disaster until the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
January 2, 2026 at 9:32 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 2 January 1971. 66 football spectators were killed in a crush on a steep and frosty exit stairway when leaving Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow at the end of a Rangers versus Celtic derby match. It was the worst British football stadium disaster until the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Janis Joplin at Woodstock (1969). 📷 Elliott Landy
January 1, 2026 at 9:37 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Janis Joplin at Woodstock (1969). 📷 Elliott Landy
FACT OF THE DAY. 1 January 1973. UK officially became a member of the European Economic Community (EEC). The Daily Mail was very enthusiastic about Britain’s entry at the time.
January 1, 2026 at 9:29 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 1 January 1973. UK officially became a member of the European Economic Community (EEC). The Daily Mail was very enthusiastic about Britain’s entry at the time.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 1 January 1660. Samuel Pepys began writing a diary, which recorded his daily life for nearly 10 years. It’s a key account of London in 1660s providing an eyewitness account of great events, such as the Great Plague of London, the 2nd Dutch War and the Great Fire of London.
January 1, 2026 at 9:25 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 1 January 1660. Samuel Pepys began writing a diary, which recorded his daily life for nearly 10 years. It’s a key account of London in 1660s providing an eyewitness account of great events, such as the Great Plague of London, the 2nd Dutch War and the Great Fire of London.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A tennis match on the wings of a plane over LA (1925). 📷 google images
December 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. A tennis match on the wings of a plane over LA (1925). 📷 google images
PERSON OF THE DAY. 31 December 1985. Ricky Nelson (aged 45) was killed when his plane crashed while attempting an emergency landing outside De Kalb, Texas. He had 53 songs in the Billboard Hot 100 singles from 1957 to 1973 including 14 Top 10 hits.
December 31, 2025 at 9:29 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 31 December 1985. Ricky Nelson (aged 45) was killed when his plane crashed while attempting an emergency landing outside De Kalb, Texas. He had 53 songs in the Billboard Hot 100 singles from 1957 to 1973 including 14 Top 10 hits.
FACT OF THE DAY. 31 December 1759. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 pounds a year at St. James’s Gate, Dublin and made it the HQ for brewing the drink. Guinness is still brewed at St. James Gate but the company now owns the lease.
December 31, 2025 at 9:28 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 31 December 1759. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 pounds a year at St. James’s Gate, Dublin and made it the HQ for brewing the drink. Guinness is still brewed at St. James Gate but the company now owns the lease.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Elvis Presley shot the TV set in his suite in the International Hotel In Las Vegas, because he was irritated by singer Robert Goulet’s performance on the Mike Douglas Show (1974). 📷 google images
December 30, 2025 at 9:35 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Elvis Presley shot the TV set in his suite in the International Hotel In Las Vegas, because he was irritated by singer Robert Goulet’s performance on the Mike Douglas Show (1974). 📷 google images
PERSON OF THE DAY. 30 December 2010. Bobby Farrell, a member 1970s pop and disco group Boney M died (aged 61). His voice was never used on the group’s records. He died on the same date and in the same city (Saint Petersburg), as Grigori Rasputin, the subject of a Boney M single.
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 30 December 2010. Bobby Farrell, a member 1970s pop and disco group Boney M died (aged 61). His voice was never used on the group’s records. He died on the same date and in the same city (Saint Petersburg), as Grigori Rasputin, the subject of a Boney M single.
FACT OF THE DAY. 30 December 1916 (OS). Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin (aged 47) was murdered by a group of conservative Russian noblemen alarmed by his influence over the Tsarina Alexandra and Tsar Nicholas II. By that time Rasputin was undoubtedly a cat who really was gone.
December 30, 2025 at 9:22 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 30 December 1916 (OS). Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin (aged 47) was murdered by a group of conservative Russian noblemen alarmed by his influence over the Tsarina Alexandra and Tsar Nicholas II. By that time Rasputin was undoubtedly a cat who really was gone.
PHOTO OF THE DAY: A Brigitte Bardot film showing in Paris (1958). 📷 Nicolas Tikhomiroff.
December 29, 2025 at 9:37 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY: A Brigitte Bardot film showing in Paris (1958). 📷 Nicolas Tikhomiroff.
PERSON OF THE DAY. 29 December 2022. Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) died (aged 82). The Guinness World Records has officially recognised 1,279 goals from 1,363 matches which included friendlies. Pelé is 2nd all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games.
December 29, 2025 at 9:32 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 29 December 2022. Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) died (aged 82). The Guinness World Records has officially recognised 1,279 goals from 1,363 matches which included friendlies. Pelé is 2nd all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games.
FACT OF THE DAY. 29 December 1675. Charles II issued a Royal Proclamation ordering the closing of coffee houses on the basis they were centres of “malicious gossip” about his government.
December 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 29 December 1675. Charles II issued a Royal Proclamation ordering the closing of coffee houses on the basis they were centres of “malicious gossip” about his government.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Winter in Siberia (1960). 📷 google images
December 28, 2025 at 9:33 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Winter in Siberia (1960). 📷 google images
PERSON OF THE DAY. 28 December 1934. Maggie Smith was born in Ilford, Essex. She appeared in over 50 films including the Harry Potter series and she recently starred in the popular TV drama series Downton Abbey. She won 2 Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite.
December 28, 2025 at 9:17 AM
PERSON OF THE DAY. 28 December 1934. Maggie Smith was born in Ilford, Essex. She appeared in over 50 films including the Harry Potter series and she recently starred in the popular TV drama series Downton Abbey. She won 2 Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite.
FACT OF THE DAY. 28 December 1879. Tay Railway Bridge collapsed, during a storm, as a train from Burntisland to Dundee passed over it. An estimated 75 people died. The bridge was designed by Sir Thomas Bouch. The inquiry ruled that the designer had not factored in the danger of high winds.
December 28, 2025 at 9:16 AM
FACT OF THE DAY. 28 December 1879. Tay Railway Bridge collapsed, during a storm, as a train from Burntisland to Dundee passed over it. An estimated 75 people died. The bridge was designed by Sir Thomas Bouch. The inquiry ruled that the designer had not factored in the danger of high winds.
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Dave Mackay of Tottenham Hotspur confronts Billy Bremner of Leeds United (1966). 📷 Peter Cook
December 27, 2025 at 9:32 AM
PHOTO OF THE DAY. Dave Mackay of Tottenham Hotspur confronts Billy Bremner of Leeds United (1966). 📷 Peter Cook