Today in History for 8th January 2019

Historical Events

1297 – Monaco gains its independence.
1708 – Spanish armada headed by the San Jose and loaded with gold sunk after British squadron attacks off coast of Colombia (rediscovered 2015)
1902 – The United Irish League, a leading force for unification in all Ireland and independence from Britain, holds its convention in Dublin
1966 – Georges Pompidou re-appointed French Prime Minister and forms new government
2004 – The RMS Queen Mary 2, the largest passenger ship ever built, is christened by her namesake’s granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
2011 – Attempted assassination of Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and subsequent shooting in Casas Adobes, Arizona at a Safeway grocery store kills 6 and wounds 13, including Giffords

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Famous Birthdays

1836 – Fannie M Jackson, pioneer and educator, 1st US African American woman college grad
1852 – James Milton Carroll, American pastor and author (d. 1931)
1924 – Benjamin Lees [Lysniansky], American composer, born in Harbin, China (d. 2010)
1942 – Stephen Hawking, English physicist (Black Holes and Baby Universes), born in Oxford, England (d. 2018)
1943 – Lee Jackson, English bass guitarist and singer-songwriter (Nice), born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England
1979 – Stipe Pletikosa, Croatian footballer, born in Split, Croatia

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Famous Deaths

1864 – Victor-Charles-Paul Dourlen, composer, dies at 83
1950 – Joseph A Schumpeter, Aus/US economist/Minister of Finance, dies at 66
1979 – Sara Carter, American country musician, songwriter and vocalist (Carter Family), dies at 81
1986 – Mansel Treharne Thomas, Welsh composer, dies at 76
2008 – Clyde Otis, American song writer and music producer (b. c. 1924)
2015 – Curtis Lee, American singer (Pretty Little Angel Eyes), dies at 75

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