1169 Norman mercenaries first landed at Bannow Bay in Leinster on May 1, 1169, marking the beginning of the Norman invasion of Ireland. The invasion was at the request of Diarmait Mac Murchada (Dermot MacMurragh), the ousted King of Leinster, who had sought their help in regaining his kingdom. Diarmait and the Normans seized Leinster within weeks and launched raids into neighboring kingdoms. Pope Alexander III declared Henry II of England to be the rightful sovereign of Ireland three years later.
1421 Whittington's Longhouse was a public toilet in Cheapside, London, constructed with money given or bequeathed by the city's Lord Mayor, Richard Whittington. The toilet had 128 seats: 64 for men and 64 for women. It operated from around May 1, 1421, until the seventeenth century.
1625 Charles I of England married the Catholic French princess Henrietta Maria, in 1625. They had two weddings, firstly on May 1, 1625 in front of the doors of the Notre Dame de Paris. Charles didn't turn up for that wedding, a French Duke acted as proxy for him. The couple married in person six weeks later in Canterbury after Henrietta arrived in England with a retinue of a Bishop, 29 priests and 410 male and female attendants.
1699 The first major European expedition into the territory that became Mississippi was that of the Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto. He passed through the northeast part of the state in 1540, in his second expedition to the New World. French colonists established the first European settlement at Fort Maurepas built in the vicinity of present-day Ocean Springs on the Gulf of Mexico. The fort was completed on May 1, 1699 under the direction of French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville.
1707 The Scottish King James VI became King James I of England in 1603 because he was a Protestant and because the two nations hoped that, by uniting two great Protestant kingdoms as one, they might be able to promote the cause of Christ far better in the world. This union of crowns became a union of parliaments on May 1, 1707, and the historian Linda Colley argues that "Protestantism was the foundation that made this invention of Great Britain possible."
1769 Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington was born on May 1, 1769 at 6 Lepper Merrion Street, Dublin, Ireland. Arthur was a rather delicate withdrawn child whose greatest love was playing the violin. He described himself as a child as “dreamy, shy and idle”. Arthur enrolled at Eton College at the age of 12 where he failed to shine. He went on to attend a French military academy at Angers in France against the wishes of his mother who believed he had no talent for soldiering.
1786 The Marriage of Figaro is a comic opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. The opera is based on Pierre Beaumarchais' 1778 stage comedy, Le Mariage de Figaro. The Marriage of Figaro was performed for the first time on May 1, 1786 at the Burgtheater, Vienna. It was well received by most though the Emperor Ferdinand commented "Far too noisy, my dear Mozart. Far too many notes."
1840 The United Kingdom introduced the world's first adhesive postage stamp - the Penny Black - bearing the head of Queen Victoria. It was placed on sale on May 1, 1840 for use on May 6.
More than 68 million penny black stamps were eventually printed. About 1.3 million survived, so they are particularly valuable to collectors. Most survivors sell for £3,000, but some rare specimens can reach more than £10,000.
1844 Hong Kong Police Force, the world's second modern police force and Asia's first, was established on May 1, 1844. The force was initially formed to help maintain law and order in the rapidly growing British colony of Hong Kong, which had become an important trading hub in the region.
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| Henry at Waterford from A Chronicle of England (1864) by James Doyle |
1421 Whittington's Longhouse was a public toilet in Cheapside, London, constructed with money given or bequeathed by the city's Lord Mayor, Richard Whittington. The toilet had 128 seats: 64 for men and 64 for women. It operated from around May 1, 1421, until the seventeenth century.
1625 Charles I of England married the Catholic French princess Henrietta Maria, in 1625. They had two weddings, firstly on May 1, 1625 in front of the doors of the Notre Dame de Paris. Charles didn't turn up for that wedding, a French Duke acted as proxy for him. The couple married in person six weeks later in Canterbury after Henrietta arrived in England with a retinue of a Bishop, 29 priests and 410 male and female attendants.
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| Henrietta Maria and King Charles I with their two eldest surviving sons |
1699 The first major European expedition into the territory that became Mississippi was that of the Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto. He passed through the northeast part of the state in 1540, in his second expedition to the New World. French colonists established the first European settlement at Fort Maurepas built in the vicinity of present-day Ocean Springs on the Gulf of Mexico. The fort was completed on May 1, 1699 under the direction of French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville.
1707 The Scottish King James VI became King James I of England in 1603 because he was a Protestant and because the two nations hoped that, by uniting two great Protestant kingdoms as one, they might be able to promote the cause of Christ far better in the world. This union of crowns became a union of parliaments on May 1, 1707, and the historian Linda Colley argues that "Protestantism was the foundation that made this invention of Great Britain possible."
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| Articles of Union otherwise known as Treaty of Union", 1707 |
1769 Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington was born on May 1, 1769 at 6 Lepper Merrion Street, Dublin, Ireland. Arthur was a rather delicate withdrawn child whose greatest love was playing the violin. He described himself as a child as “dreamy, shy and idle”. Arthur enrolled at Eton College at the age of 12 where he failed to shine. He went on to attend a French military academy at Angers in France against the wishes of his mother who believed he had no talent for soldiering.
1840 The United Kingdom introduced the world's first adhesive postage stamp - the Penny Black - bearing the head of Queen Victoria. It was placed on sale on May 1, 1840 for use on May 6.
More than 68 million penny black stamps were eventually printed. About 1.3 million survived, so they are particularly valuable to collectors. Most survivors sell for £3,000, but some rare specimens can reach more than £10,000.
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| Penny Black |
1844 Hong Kong Police Force, the world's second modern police force and Asia's first, was established on May 1, 1844. The force was initially formed to help maintain law and order in the rapidly growing British colony of Hong Kong, which had become an important trading hub in the region.
1844 Trafalgar Square is a large pedestrian square in central London, bounded on three sides by roads. The square celebrates the Battle of Trafalgar and contains Nelson's Column, a statue of Lord Horatio Nelson mounted on a tall column, with four statues of lions around it. It was opened to the public on May 1, 1844.
1851 Prince Albert planned the Great Exhibition at London's Crystal Palace, which Queen Victoria opened on May 1, 1851. It was the first in a series of World's Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century. The Great Exhibition had 13,500 exhibitions and constituted at its time the largest assembly of people collected together for one purpose. Included was Britain’s first public toilets (“monkey closets”). Over 800,000 excited people spent a penny there.
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| Queen Victoria opens the Great Exhibition in 1851 |
1873 Scottish explorer, missionary and anti-slavery crusader David Livingstone died on May 1, 1873
Livingstone was determined not to leave Africa until his mission was complete. He died at the age of 60 at Old Chitambo, Zambia, while still searching for the source of the Nile in the headwaters of the Zambezi, ignoring the advice of his guides. His death alone in Africa touched the British people and helped get Livingstone's anti slavery message across.
1876 After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British East India Company, which had ruled much of India, was dissolved, and Britain's possessions and protectorates on the Indian subcontinent were formally incorporated into the British Empire. Queen Victoria took the title "Empress of India" from May 1, 1876.
1884 Moses Fleetwood ″Fleet″ Walker (October 7, 1857 – May 11, 1924) is credited with being the first African American to play major league baseball. He made his MLB debut on May 1, 1884 for the Toledo Blue Stockings, a club in the American Association. Walker played one season as the catcher of the Toledo Blue Stockings. He then played in the minor leagues until 1889, when professional baseball erected a color barrier that stood for nearly 60 years.
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| Moses Fleetwood Walker |
1889 Wondabyne railway station in New South Wales, Australia, opened on May 1, 1889. It holds the unique distinction of being the only railway station in the country that cannot be reached by road. It's a popular spot for hikers and those who live on the other side of Mullet Creek, relying on boats for access.
1904 In 1891 Czech composer Antonin Dvorák was offered and accepted the directorship of the New York Conservatory. He was paid the then-huge salary of $15,000 a year and Dvorák wrote there his most successful orchestral works: the Symphony From the New World, which spread his reputation worldwide. However, Dvorak missed Bohemia and in 1895 he returned to Prague. He remained there until his death from Bright's disease on May 1, 1904.
1908 In 1899 British Army officer Robert Baden-Powell wrote a book about military scouting and wilderness survival, Aids to Scouting. On his return to England from South Africa, Baden-Powell noticed that boys showed considerable interest in his book, which was being used by teachers and youth organizations. He was urged to rewrite it for boys and Scouting for Boys was published on May 1, 1908, His book has sold approximately 150 million copies and gave birth to the scout movement.
1925 The All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the world's largest trade union with 302 million members, was founded in Guangzhou, China on May 1, 1925. The founding congress was attended by 277 delegates representing 540,000 workers. The ACFTU's mission is to "unite and lead the Chinese working class in the struggle for democracy, freedom, and socialism."
1927 The first cooked meals on a scheduled flight were introduced on May 1, 1927 by Imperial Airways. Their London to Paris 'Silver Wing' service included a steward, a four-course luncheon and drinks from a bar. The introduction of cooked meals added an extra level of comfort and luxury to air travel, making it a more appealing option for passengers.
1927 British artist and illustrator Edward Frank Gillett died on May 1, 1927. Gillett competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics the year after he died when two of his works were in the art competition. The art competition at the 1928 Olympics was a unique event that aimed to showcase the intersection of art and sport, and entries were accepted in a wide range of categories, including painting, sculpture, and architecture.
1931 When the Empire State Building was constructed in New York between 1930 and 1931, it cost $41 million to build. The building was officially dedicated by President Herbert Hoover on May 1, 1931.At 381 meters (1,250 feet) tall it was the tallest building in the world for the following forty-one years after it was completed. It is named after the popular nickname for New York, The Empire State.
1936 After searching for a publisher and being rejected many times over, Irma Rombauer spent $3000 to print 3000 copies of his book The Joy of Cooking, which he published privately in 1931 Many readers were attracted to the author's accessible style and personal touch and the success of this cookbook was a sign that the Depression was loosening its grip. The Bobbs-Merrill Company published an expanded (640 page) second edition on May 1, 1936
1941 The breakfast cereal now known as Cheerios was first introduced by General Mills on May 1, 1941, under the name "Cheerioats." The cereal was an instant hit, thanks in part to its unique shape and texture, which were designed to stay crunchy in milk. The name was changed to its current one in 1945, because of a trade name dispute with Quaker Oats.
1961 Fidel Castro became Premier of Cuba in 1959 after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown. He proclaimed Cuba a socialist nation and abolished elections on May 1, 1961. He implemented a range of socialist policies, including nationalizing industry and collectivizing agriculture, and established close state control over the economy and political system.
1963 Jim Whittaker became was the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. He summited with the Sherpa Nawang Gombu (a nephew of Tenzing Norgay). Once there, Whittaker planted a US flag at the top.
1966 The Beatles played live for the last time in the UK on May 1, 1966 when they appeared at the NME Poll Winners concert at Wembley Empire Pool in London. The band had decided to stop touring due to the increasing pressures of their fame, the difficulties of performing their complex music live, and concerns about safety and security.
1967 While stationed in Friedberg, Germany, Elvis Presley met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. After a seven-and-a-half-year courtship Elvis and Priscilla tied the knot on May 1, 1967, in a brief ceremony in their suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, was born in 1968. The pair separated after Priscilla disclosed her relationship with Mike Stone, a karate instructor Presley had recommended to her. They were divorced in 1973.
1971 The passenger railroad corporation Amtrak went into service in the US on May 1, 1971, combining and streamlining the operations of 18 intercity passenger railroads. All Amtrak's preferred stock is owned by the U.S. federal government.
1983 The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983. It includes the image of an AK-47 assault rifle with a bayonet attached to the barrel. It is one of only two national flags of UN member states to feature a firearm, the other being Guatemala.
1989 The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium was completed on May 1, 1989 in North Korea's capital Pyongyang with a capacity said to be 150,000. It was the world's largest sports stadium until a 2014 remodel which included the replacement of some bench seating with individual seats, reduced its capacity to approximately 114,000.
1931 When the Empire State Building was constructed in New York between 1930 and 1931, it cost $41 million to build. The building was officially dedicated by President Herbert Hoover on May 1, 1931.At 381 meters (1,250 feet) tall it was the tallest building in the world for the following forty-one years after it was completed. It is named after the popular nickname for New York, The Empire State.
1936 After searching for a publisher and being rejected many times over, Irma Rombauer spent $3000 to print 3000 copies of his book The Joy of Cooking, which he published privately in 1931 Many readers were attracted to the author's accessible style and personal touch and the success of this cookbook was a sign that the Depression was loosening its grip. The Bobbs-Merrill Company published an expanded (640 page) second edition on May 1, 1936
1941 The breakfast cereal now known as Cheerios was first introduced by General Mills on May 1, 1941, under the name "Cheerioats." The cereal was an instant hit, thanks in part to its unique shape and texture, which were designed to stay crunchy in milk. The name was changed to its current one in 1945, because of a trade name dispute with Quaker Oats.
1961 Fidel Castro became Premier of Cuba in 1959 after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown. He proclaimed Cuba a socialist nation and abolished elections on May 1, 1961. He implemented a range of socialist policies, including nationalizing industry and collectivizing agriculture, and established close state control over the economy and political system.
1963 Jim Whittaker became was the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. He summited with the Sherpa Nawang Gombu (a nephew of Tenzing Norgay). Once there, Whittaker planted a US flag at the top.
1966 The Beatles played live for the last time in the UK on May 1, 1966 when they appeared at the NME Poll Winners concert at Wembley Empire Pool in London. The band had decided to stop touring due to the increasing pressures of their fame, the difficulties of performing their complex music live, and concerns about safety and security.
1967 While stationed in Friedberg, Germany, Elvis Presley met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. After a seven-and-a-half-year courtship Elvis and Priscilla tied the knot on May 1, 1967, in a brief ceremony in their suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, was born in 1968. The pair separated after Priscilla disclosed her relationship with Mike Stone, a karate instructor Presley had recommended to her. They were divorced in 1973.
1971 The passenger railroad corporation Amtrak went into service in the US on May 1, 1971, combining and streamlining the operations of 18 intercity passenger railroads. All Amtrak's preferred stock is owned by the U.S. federal government.
1983 The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983. It includes the image of an AK-47 assault rifle with a bayonet attached to the barrel. It is one of only two national flags of UN member states to feature a firearm, the other being Guatemala.
1989 The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium was completed on May 1, 1989 in North Korea's capital Pyongyang with a capacity said to be 150,000. It was the world's largest sports stadium until a 2014 remodel which included the replacement of some bench seating with individual seats, reduced its capacity to approximately 114,000.
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| The 100th Anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung. By Nicor |
1991 An American farmer named Charles Osborne who hiccuped continuously for 68 years died on May 1, 1991. Osborne's hiccups first started in 1922 when while weighing a hog for slaughter he fell and bust a blood vessel in his brain. They finally mysteriously stopped about one year before his death. His 68-year hiccup attack is a world record.
1995 The first singing television reality show was Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. It was launched by India's Zee TV on May 1, 1995. Until 2005, the show used to follow a format wherein experts in the field of music would judge the contestants and score them. Since then, the scoring has primarily been dependent on public voting.
1997 On May 1, 1997 the voters of the United Kingdom dispatched the Conservative Party into opposition after 18 years in power and replaced it with the Labour Party and a new Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He was 43 year 11 months and 5 days when he became Prime Minister, the youngest tenant of Number 10 since Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool who was appointed in 1812, when he was 42 years, 1 day.
2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia were all admitted to the European Union on May 1, 2004, bringing the total number of member states to 25. This was the largest expansion of the European Union in its history, and it was seen as a significant step forward in the integration of Central and Eastern European countries into the EU.
2009 Carol Ann Duffy was appointed to the position of Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom on May 1, 2009 to take the place of Andrew Motion. Duffy was the first British woman, the first Scot, and the first openly bisexual person to hold the position, as well as the first laureate to be chosen in the 21st century. She stood down as laureate in May 2019.
2011 Pope John Paul II was beatified on May 1, 2011, in a ceremony held at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. The beatification was based on the recognition of one miracle attributed to his intercession by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the healing of a French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, the same illness that afflicted the late Pope himself.
In many north hemisphere countries May Day is celebrated as the beginning of summer. It is a traditional spring holiday in many European cultures. May Day has its roots in ancient pagan festivals that celebrated the arrival of spring and the return of fertility to the land. In many European cultures, it is still celebrated as a traditional spring holiday, with dancing around the maypole, singing, and feasting on special May Day cakes or other treats.
Labor Day is celebrated on a different day in most countries. Many choose May Day, which is on May 1, as their day to honor working people. Socialists, communists and other like-minded people celebrate it as International Workers' Day. The date was chosen for International Workers' Day by the Second International, a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties, to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on May 4, 1886.
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