24/02/0303 - 1st official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued 16/02/0374 - 9th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet 27/02/0837 - 15th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet 28/02/0870 - 8th Ecumenical council ends in Constantinople 02/02/1461 - 2nd battle of St Alban's-Lancastrian defeat Yorkists 24/02/1530 - 1st imperial coronation by a Pope, Charles V crowned by Clement V 10/02/1535 - 12 nude anabaptists run through Amsterdam streets 27/02/1557 - 1st Russian Embassy opens in London, Russia and US sign trade agreement 11/02/1573 - 1st European, Francis Drake sees the Pacific (from Panama) 05/02/1644 - 1st US livestock branding law passed, by Connecticut 06/02/1651 - -7] Cardinal Mazarin flees Paris 16/02/1659 - 1st known check (œ400) (on display at Westminster Abbey) 20/02/1673 - 1st recorded wine auction held (London) 03/02/1690 - 1st paper money in America issued (colony of Mass) 04/02/1697 - 3 VOC-ships anchor at Dirk-Hartogeiland, Australia 04/02/1699 - 350 rebellious Streltsi executed in Moscow 20/02/1725 - 10 sleeping Indians scalped by whites in NH for œ100/scalp bounty 26/02/1732 - 1st mass celebrated in 1st American Catholic church, Philadelphia 08/02/1735 - 1st opera in US "Flora," opens in Charleston, SC 18/02/1735 - 1st opera performed in America, "Flora," in Charleston, SC 10/02/1749 - 10th (final) volume of Fielding's "Tom Jones" is published 28/02/1749 - 1st edition of Henry Fieldings' "Tom Jones" published 16/02/1751 - 1st publication of Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard" 25/02/1751 - 1st performing monkey exhibited in America, NYC (admission 1›) 15/02/1768 - 1st mustard manufactured in America advertised, Philadelphia 20/02/1768 - 1st American chartered fire insurance company opens (Penn) 17/02/1772 - 1st partition of Poland-Russia and Prussia, joined later by Austria 22/02/1775 - 1st US joint stock company (to make cloth) offers shares at œ10 17/02/1776 - 1st volume of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of Roman Empire" published 22/02/1784 - 1st US ship to trade with China, "Empress of China," sails from NY 04/02/1787 - 1st Anglican bishops of NY and Pennsylvania consecrated in London 01/02/1788 - 1st US steamboat patent issued, by Georgia to Briggs and Longstreet 04/02/1789 - 1st electoral college chooses Washington and Adams as Pres and VP 25/02/1791 - 1st Bank of US chartered 12/02/1793 - 1st US fugitive slave law passed; requires return of escaped slaves 25/02/1793 - 1st cabinet meeting (At George Washington's home) 11/02/1794 - 1st session of US Senate open to the public 14/02/1794 - 1st US textile machinery patent granted, to James Davenport, Phila 07/02/1795 - 11th Amendment to US Constitution ratified, affirms power of states 13/02/1795 - 1st state university in US opens, University of North Carolina 19/02/1797 - 1/3 of papal domain ceded to France 13/02/1799 - 1st US law regulating insurance passed, by Massachusetts 15/02/1799 - 1st US printed ballots authorized, Pennsylvania 25/02/1799 - 1st federal forestry legislation authorizes purchase of timber land 02/02/1802 - 1st leopard exhibited in US, Boston (admission 25›) 25/02/1803 - 1,800 sovereign German states unite into 60 states 18/02/1804 - 1st US land-grant college, Ohio University, Athens Ohio, chartered 21/02/1804 - 1st locomotive, Richard Trevithick's, runs for 1st time, in Wales 24/02/1807 - 17 die and 15 wounded in a crush to witness execution of Holloway, Heggerty and Elizabeth Godfrey in England 01/02/1810 - 1st insurance co managed by blacks (American Insurance Co of Phila) 28/02/1810 - 1st US fire insurance joint-stock company organized, Philadelphia 07/02/1812 - 8.2 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri 23/02/1813 - 1st US raw cotton-to-cloth mill founded in Waltham, Mass 27/02/1813 - 1st federal vaccination legislation enacted 13/02/1816 - -14] Teatro San Carlo in Naples destroyed by fire 05/02/1817 - 1st US gas co incorporated, Baltimore (coal gas for street lights) 17/02/1817 - 1st US city lit by gas (Baltimore) 07/02/1818 - 1st successful US educational magazine "Academician," begins (NYC) 28/02/1819 - 1st public performance of a Schubert song, "Sch„fers Klageleid" 06/02/1820 - 1st organized emigration of blacks back to Africa (NY to Sierra Leone) 27/02/1827 - 1st Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans 28/02/1827 - 1st commercial railroad in US, Baltimore and Ohio (BandO) chartered 21/02/1828 - 1st American Indian newspaper in US, "Cherokee Phoenix," published 19/02/1831 - 1st practical US coal-burning locomotive makes 1st trial run, Penn 06/02/1832 - 1st appearance of cholera at Edinburgh, Scotland 13/02/1832 - 1st appearance of cholera at London 18/02/1834 - 1st US labor newspaper, "The Man," published, NYC 26/02/1834 - 1st US interstate crime compact (NY-NJ) ratified 24/02/1836 - 3,000 Mexicans attack 182 Texans at Alamo, lasts 13 days 08/02/1837 - 1st VP chosen by Senate, Richard Johnson (Van Buren admin) 25/02/1837 - 1st US electric printing press patented by Thomas Davenport 18/02/1841 - 1st continuous filibuster in US Senate began, lasting until March 11 15/02/1842 - 1st adhesive postage stamps in US (private delivery company), NYC 21/02/1842 - 1st known sewing machine patented in US, John Greenough, Wash DC 28/02/1844 - 12-inch gun aboard USS Princeton explodes 21/02/1846 - 1st US woman telegrapher, Sarah G Bagley, Lowell, Mass 04/02/1847 - 1st US telegraph co established in Maryland 02/02/1848 - 1st ship load of Chinese arrive in SF 26/02/1848 - 2nd French Republic forms 26/02/1848 - 2nd French Republic proclaimed 18/02/1849 - 1st regular steamboat service to California starts (or 02/28) 28/02/1849 - 1st boat load of gold rush prospectors arrives in SF from east coast 11/02/1851 - 1st cricket 1st-class game in Australia, Tasmania v Vic, Launceston 02/02/1852 - 1st British public men's toilet opens (Fleet St London) 11/02/1852 - 1st British public female toilet opens (Bedford Street London) 22/02/1854 - 1st meeting of Republican Party (Michigan) 22/02/1856 - 1st national meeting of Republican Party (Pittsburgh) 24/02/1857 - 1st perforated US postage stamps delivered to govt 11/02/1858 - 1st apparition of Mary to 14-year-old Bernadette of Lourdes France 25/02/1859 - 1st use of "insanity plea" to prove innocence 01/02/1860 - 1st rabbi to open House of Representatives, Morris Raphall of NYC 05/02/1861 - 1st moving picture peep show machine is patented by Samuel Goodale 06/02/1861 - 1st meeting of Provisional Congress of Confederate States of America 13/02/1861 - 1st military action to result in Congressional Medal of Honor, AZ 10/02/1863 - 1st US fire extinguisher patent granted to Alanson Crane, Virginia 01/02/1864 - 2nd German-Danish war begins 04/02/1864 - 24th Amendment abolishes Poll tax 06/02/1864 - -7] Skirmish at Barnett's Ford Virginia 21/02/1864 - 1st US Catholic parish church for blacks dedicated, Baltimore 21/02/1864 - -22] Battle at Okolona, Mississippi
06/01/1692 - Rynoldus Popma van Oevering, composer 27/01/1775 - Manuel del Popolo Vicente Rodriguez Garc¡a, Spanish tenor/composer 16/06/1843 - David Popper, composer 01/09/1870 - Timotei Popovici, composer 12/09/1904 - Gavril Nikolayevich Popov, composer 24/12/1909 - Adam Popovich, composer 15/02/1910 - 9th earl of Jersey, English large landowner/art collector 28/12/1915 - Roebuck "Pops" Staples, US gospel/singer (Staple Singers) 21/01/1921 - Todor Popov, composer 10/01/1927 - Johnnie Ray, Dallas OR, pop singer (Cry) 12/06/1928 - Richard Sherman, composer/lyricist (Mary Poppins) 22/10/1929 - Dory Previn, Rahway NJ, pop singer (Love Be My Cover) 27/02/1933 - 6th marquess of Bute, Scottish large landowner/bibliophile 06/11/1933 - Joseph Pope, US singer (Hey Girl Don't Bother Me) 29/11/1933 - John Mayall, MacClesfield England, pop musician (Don't Washed Me Time) 29/03/1935 - Ruby Murray, Irish pop singer (Softly Softly) 07/08/1936 - Charles Pope, US soul singer (Tams-Hey Girl Don't Bother Me) 11/06/1939 - Wilma Burgess, country-pop singer 12/11/1939 - Lucia Popp, Uhorsk Ves Czechoslovakia, soprano (Die Zauberfl”te) 08/06/1941 - Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, US pop singer (Funkadelic-Knee Deep) 23/03/1942 - Jimmy Miller, US pop drummer (Rolling Stones, Mot”rhead) 28/03/1942 - Brian Jones, [Lewis B Hopkin], English pop guitarist (Rolling Stones) 02/08/1943 - Garth Hudson, Canada, pop musician (The Band-Life is a Carnival) 06/10/1943 - Cees Veerman, pop guitarist/singer (Cats-Sure He's a Cat) 28/01/1944 - Arnold Muhren, Dutch pop bassist/singer (The Cats-Sailin' Home) 26/04/1944 - Bruce Johnston, US pop musician (Beach Boys-God Only Knows) [or 6/24] 02/05/1945 - Bob Henrit, English pop drummer (Kinks-Waterloo Sunset) 17/11/1946 - Martin Barre, British pop guitarist (Jethro Tull) 21/04/1947 - Iggy Pop, [James Osterberg], Mich, rocker (Zombie Birdhouse) 02/11/1947 - Dave Pegg, British pop bassist (Jethro Tull-Crest of a Wave) 17/05/1948 - Bill Bruford, English pop drummer (Yes, King Crimson-Red, Genesis) 05/10/1948 - Lucius Ross, US pop guitarist (Funkadelic-One Nation Under a Groove) 08/10/1948 - Johnny Ramone, NY, pop guitarist (Ramones-Love Live) 12/10/1948 - Rick Parfitt, Surrey Engld, pop guitarist/singer (Status Quo-Wanderer) 10/04/1950 - Eddie Hazel, US pop guitarist (Funkadelic-Uncle Jam Wants You) 04/05/1950 - Darryl Hunt, English pop bassist (Pogues-Pair of Brown Eyes) 02/10/1950 - Michael Rutherford, English pop bassist (Genesis-Silent Sun) 11/10/1950 - Andrew Woolfolk, US pop musician (Earth, Wind and Fire-Shining Star) 19/08/1951 - John Deacon, British pop guitarist (Queen-Somebody to Love) 16/06/1952 - Rob Kloet, pop drummer/singer (Nits-In the Dutch Mountains) 12/09/1952 - Neil Peart, Canada, pop drummer (Rush-A Farewell to Kings) 13/11/1953 - Andy "the Clobberer" Ranken, English pop drummer (The Pogues) 04/01/1955 - Mark Hollis, English pop musician (Talk Talk, Dum Dum Girl) 03/05/1955 - Steve Jones, English pop guitarist (Sex Pistols-Mercy) 17/08/1955 - Colin Moulding, English pop guitarist (XTC) 25/09/1955 - Steven Severin, British pop bassist (Siouxsie and Banshees-Wild Thing) 15/12/1955 - Paul Simonon, English pop bassist (Clash-Havana 3 AM) 23/12/1955 - Dave Murray, English pop guitarist (Iron Maiden-Number of the Beast) 04/01/1956 - Bernard Albrecht, English pop guitarist (Joy Division) 01/04/1956 - Peter O'Toole, Irish pop bassist (Hothouse Flowers-People) 31/05/1956 - Bart van Poppel, Dutch bassist/guitarist/singer (Tambourine) 14/11/1956 - Alec John Such, US pop bassist (Bon Jovi-Wanted Dead or Alive) 06/12/1956 - Peter Buck, US pop guitarist (REM-Murmur) 04/04/1957 - Graeme Kelling, British pop guitarist (Deacon Blue-Real Gone Kid) 23/05/1957 - Jimmy McShane, Pop singer (Baltimora-Tarzan Boy) 17/06/1957 - Philip Chevron, English pop musician (Pogues-Peace and Love) 16/08/1957 - Tim Farriss, Australian pop guitarist (INXS-Kiss the Dirt) 21/10/1957 - Julian Cope, [Kevin Stapleton], Welsh pop musician (Eve's Volcano) 28/10/1957 - Stephen Morris, English pop drummer (Joy Division-Atmosphere) 31/07/1958 - Bill Berry, US pop drummer (REM-Sentimental Hygiene) 17/12/1958 - Mike Mills, US pop bassist (REM-One I Love) 23/12/1958 - Dave Murray, English pop guitarist (Iron Maiden-Powerslave) 27/11/1959 - Charlie Burchill, Scottish pop guitarist (Simple Minds-Breakfast Club) 23/05/1960 - Theo Vogelaars, pop bassist (Tr”ckener Kecks/Paid Love) 16/07/1960 - Eus van Someren, pop guitarist (Scene, Blaauw) 04/10/1960 - Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard, Apopka Fla, country singer (Betty's Bein' Bad) 19/11/1960 - Matt Sorum, US pop drummer (Guns n' Roses, Like a Suicide) [or Nov 2] 23/12/1960 - William Sinnot, Scottish pop musician (Shamen-Move Any Mountain) 06/01/1961 - Dirk de Vries, Dutch pop bassist (Kong-Slauerhoff) 23/06/1961 - Mark Drillich, Dutch pop bassist (Kong-Slauerhoff) 24/08/1961 - Colin Angus, Scottish pop musician (Shamen, Ebeneezer Goode) 14/05/1962 - Martin Rongen, Dutch pop drummer (Rowwen HŠze-Boem) 17/08/1962 - Gilby Clarke, US pop guitarist (Guns n' Roses-Civil War) 04/10/1962 - Aldo Sprenger, Dutch pop guitarist (Kong-Phlegm) 24/11/1962 - John Squire, English pop guitarist (Stone Roses, She Bangs the Drums) 06/01/1963 - Paul Brindley, English pop bassist (Sundays, Can't Be Sure) 04/03/1963 - MDV, [Michiel de Vos], Dutch pop bassist (Burma Shave-Stash) 04/04/1963 - David Gavurin, English pop guitarist/composer (Sundays, Blind) 26/06/1963 - Harriet Wheeler, English pop singer/composer (The Sundays) 27/08/1963 - John Philipson, pop bassist (Rowwen HŠze, Kroenenberg) 20/10/1963 - Nelis G”bel, pop guitarist (Burma Shave-Hippies) 30/10/1963 - Jerry de Borg, English pop guitarist (Jesus Jones-Real, Real, Real) 16/11/1963 - Gay "Mani" Mournfield, English pop bassist (Stone Roses) 10/03/1964 - Neneh Cherry, Stockholm Sweden, Swedish pop singer (Money Love) 10/04/1964 - Alan "Reni" Wren, English pop drummer (Stone Roses-Fools Gold) 23/04/1964 - Gen, [Simon Matthews], English pop drummer (Jesus Jones-Zeroes and Ones) 05/05/1964 - Lorraine McIntosh, British pop singer (Deacon Blue-Fellow Hoodlums) 02/11/1964 - Arnold van Dongen, pop guitarist (Lo‹s Lane-Amsterdamned) 21/12/1964 - Ed Jongsma, Dutch pop bassist (Sleeze Beez-Look Like Hell) 29/06/1965 - Barry D, [Iain Bakker], English pop musician (Jesus Jones) 27/11/1965 - Fiachna O'Braonain, Irish pop guitarist (Hothouse Flowers-Don't Go) 04/12/1965 - Rob Smits, pop drummer (Kong/Phlegm) 31/01/1966 - Al Jaworsky, [Alan Doughty], pop bassist (Jesus Jones) 04/03/1966 - Patrick Hannan, English pop drummer (Sundays-Can't Be Sure) 25/03/1966 - Jeff Healey, Canada, blind pop guitarist (See the Light) 11/04/1966 - Lisa Stansfield, English pop singer (Around the World) 15/10/1966 - Douglas Vipond, British pop drummer (Deacon Blue-Raintown) 05/12/1966 - Patricia Kaas, French pop singer (Mademoiselle Chant) 29/05/1967 - Noel Gallagher, pop musician and member of Oasis 30/04/1968 - Paulo Jr, Brazilian pop bassist (Sepultura, Morbid Visions)
06/04/1782 - Rynoldus Popma van Oevering, composer, dies at 90 20/04/1900 - Mebel Mercer, popular British singer, dies 07/08/1913 - David Popper, composer, dies at 70 11/07/1950 - Timotei Popovici, composer, dies at 79 06/02/1958 - 7 soccer players of Manchester United, die in an aircrash at Munich 10/07/1979 - Arthur Fiedler, orch leader (Boston Pops), dies at 84 25/09/1980 - John Bonham, English pop drummer (Led Zeppelin), overdoses at 32 23/05/1991 - William Sinnot, Scottish pop musician (Shamen), dies at 30 23/12/1992 - Eddie Hazel, US pop guitarist (Funkadelic-Knee Deep), dies at 42 16/11/1993 - Lucia Popp, Czech/Austria soprano (Vienna Opera), dies at 54 16/03/1996 - Joseph Lee Pope, singer, dies at 62 16/11/1996 - Jack Popplewell, composer/playwright, dies at 87
