Historical Events
Wilde v Queensberry
Apr 5 Oscar Wilde loses libel case against Marquess of Queensberry, who accused him of homosexual practices
Nansen Almost Reaches Pole
Apr 7 Polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen reaches record 86°13.6′N latitude north, expedition closest to the North pole
Around The World Alone In A Fishing Boat
Apr 24 Canadian-American adventurer Joshua Slocum sets sail from Boston, Massachusetts on a solo around-the-world voyage aboard 'Spray', an 11.2-m oyster sloop [1]
Famous Birthdays
- Apr 1 Alberta Hunter, American blues singer, and composer ("Downhearted Blues"), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1984)
- Apr 3 (Edward Elzear) "Zez" Confrey, American jazz pianist and composer ("Kitten on the Keys"; "Dizzy Fingers."), born in Peru, Illinois (d. 1971)
- Apr 3 Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Italian composer, born in Florence, Italy (d. 1968)
- Apr 4 Arthur Murray [Moses Teichman], American ballroom dancer and businessman (Arthur Murray Dance Party), born in New York City (d. 1991)
- Apr 4 Benjamin Thackston "Tack" Knight, American cartoonist ("Little Folks"), born in Dillsboro, North Carolina (d. 1976)
- Apr 4 Charlie Hallows, English cricket batsman (Lancs played for England 1921-28), born in Little Lever, Lancashire (d. 1972)
- Apr 7 Bert Wheeler, American vaudevillian (Wheeler & Woolsey), and comic actor (Brave Eagle; The Nitwits; Hold 'em Jail; High Flyers; Rainmakers), born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 1968)
- Apr 7 Eduardo Toldrà, Spanish Catalan composer and conductor, born in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain (d. 1962)
- Apr 7 Lewis B Combs, American civil engineer and US Navy officer (1917-45), founding member and commander of the "Seabees", born in Manchester Center, Vermont (d. 1996)
- Apr 8 Bert Gordon [Barney Gorodetsky], Comedian, born in New York City (d. 1974)
- Apr 8 Sigurdur Thordarson, Icelandic composer, born in Dyrafjordur, Iceland (d. 1968)
- Apr 9 Beau De Glen "Mance" Lipscomb, American blues singer and guitarist ("Shine On, Harvest Moon"), born in Navasota, Texas (d. 1976)
- Apr 9 Michel Simon, Swiss actor (Panic, Plague, Two of Us), born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1975)
- Apr 9 Rudolf Kattnigg, Austrian composer, born in Carinthia, Austria (d. 1955)
- Apr 13 Arthur Fadden, 13th Prime Minister of Australia, born in Ingham, Queensland, Australia (d. 1973)
- Apr 13 Olga Rudge, American concert violinist, born in Youngstown, Ohio (d. 1996)
- Apr 14 Mary Marquet, Russian actress (Matter of Resistance), born in St Petersburg, Russia (d. 1979)
- Apr 14 Wiktor Labunski, Polish-American composer, born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1974)
- Apr 15 Clark McConachy, New Zealand billiards player (World Professional C'ships 1951), born in Glenorchy, New Zealand (d. 1980)
- Apr 15 Corrado Alvaro, Italian writer (Gente in Aspromonte), born in San Luca, Italy (d. 1956)
- Apr 16 Robert Dean Frisbie, American writer of travel literature (Life on Puka Puka), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1948)
- Apr 19 Anton Pieck, Dutch illustrator (Efteling, Kaatsheuvel), born in Den Helder, Netherlands (d. 1987)
- Apr 20 Emile Christian, American jazz trombonist, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1973)
- Apr 23 Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand detective writer and producer, born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 1982)
- Apr 25 Stanley Rous, British soccer official (6th President FIFA 1961-74), born in Mutford, England (d. 1986)
- Apr 29 Malcolm Sargent, English conductor (Promenade Concerts), born in Bath Villas, Ashford, Kent (d. 1967)
- Apr 30 Philippe Panneton, Canadian physician, diplomat and writer (Trente arpents), born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec (d. 1960)
Famous Deaths
- Apr 11 Julius Lothar Meyer, German Chemist, dies at 64
- Apr 19 George Scharf, British art critic and administrator (National Portrait Gallery, 1857-95), dies at 74
- Apr 23 Carl Ludwig, German physiologist and physician (1884 Copley medal), dies at 78
- Apr 30 Gustav Freytag, German writer and playwright (Debt and Credit), dies at 78
