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 06/04/1516 - A Willaert installed as singer of cardinal Ippolito I d'Este 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 proclaimed 26/02/1848 - 2nd French Republic forms 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 12/08/1851 - Isaac Singer patents sewing machine 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) 09/10/1855 - Isaac Singer patents sewing machine motor 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
30/01/1563 - Franciscus Gomarus, [Fran‡ois Gomaer], Dutch theologist/opera singer 19/05/1616 - Johann Jacob Froberger, German singer/organist/composer 16/04/1703 - Caffarelli, [Gaetano Majorano], Italian castra singer/duke 18/07/1810 - Peter Singer, composer 27/10/1811 - Issac Merrit Singer, inventor (1st practical home sewing machine) 28/08/1840 - Ira D Sankey, US evangelist/composer/singer (Gospel hymns) 24/11/1848 - Lilli Lehmann, opera singer 27/06/1862 - May Irwin, US comedienne/singer (Hot Time in the Old Town) 27/03/1867 - Edyth Walker, US singer 11/08/1867 - Joseph M Weber, comedian/singer (Weber and Lewis Fields) 02/04/1868 - Eduard Jacobs, singer/pianist (Dutch cabaret) 23/10/1869 - Jacobus H "Koos" Speenhoff, Dutch singer 04/08/1870 - Harry Lauder, Scotland, comedian/singer (Roman in the Gloamin) 04/04/1872 - Pauline de Haan-Manifarges, Dutch singer 15/09/1876 - Bruno Walter, [B W Schlesinger], Berlin Germany, conductor (NY Phil) 25/05/1877 - Billy Murray, singer (Denver Nightengale) 13/05/1881 - Ilona Durigo, Hungarian singer 02/08/1882 - Nanny I Larsen-Todsen, Swedish opera singer 13/01/1884 - Sophie Tucker, [Kalish], Russia, singer/last of red hot mammas 14/06/1884 - John McCormack, Irish/US singer (Irish folksongs) 21/01/1885 - Huddie Ledbetter, "Leadbelly", blues singer [or 12/1/89, 1/29/89] 22/10/1885 - Giovanni Martinelli, Montagnana Italy, opera singer (NY Met) 06/10/1887 - Maria Jeritza, [Jedlicka], Austria, singer (Vienna Opera) 31/10/1891 - Charlotte "Lotte" Bartschart, German/Dutch operetta singer 08/05/1892 - Ezio Pinza, Rome Italy, bass singer (South Pacific, RCA Victor Show) 31/05/1892 - Willem Ravelli, baritone singer 26/06/1893 - "Big Bill" Broonzy, Miss, blues singer/guitarist (Blues by Broonzy) 13/01/1895 - Fortunio Bonanova, Palma de Mallorca Spain, opera singer 01/04/1895 - Alberta Hunter, blues singer/composer (Downhearted Blues) 14/06/1895 - Cliff Edwards, Hannibal MO, singer (When You Wish Upon a Star) 14/07/1895 - Cliff Edwards, "Ukulele Ike", Hannibal Mo, singer (54th Street Revue) 08/11/1895 - Hermann Schey, German/Neth singer 23/11/1896 - Ruth Etting, US dancer/singer/actress (Roman scandals) 08/09/1897 - Jimmie Rodgers, Mendoza Miss, country singer/singing brakeman 09/04/1898 - Julius Patzak, Austrian tenor singer 15/04/1898 - Nini de Bo‰l, Flemish operette singer (White Horse) 01/07/1899 - Cavan O'Connor, singer 01/03/1900 - Donald Keith Falkner, singer 28/07/1901 - Rudy Vallee, Vt, singer (Vagabond Dreams, My Time Is Your Time) 14/11/1901 - Morton Downey, Wallingford Ct, singer (Star of the Family) 11/09/1902 - Alice Tully, Corning, NY, singer/patroness (Carnegie Hall) 20/09/1902 - Steve Smith, singer (Lawrence Welk Show) 29/04/1903 - Frank Parker, NYC, singer (Arthur Godfrey Show, Masquerade Party) 03/05/1903 - Bing Crosby, Tacoma Wash, singer (White Christmas, Going My Way) 25/06/1903 - Arthur Tracy, Russia, street singer (Vincent Lopez Show, Limelight) 26/08/1903 - Jimmy Rushing, US blues singer 01/11/1903 - Don Robey, US gospel singer 08/12/1903 - Irene Eisinger, singer 06/04/1904 - Kurt G Kiesinger, German chancellor (Wherever They May Be) 21/05/1904 - Fats Waller, [Thomas Wright], jazz singer/composer (Ain't Misbehavin') 24/05/1904 - George Formby, [William Booth], Brit singer/comic (Let George Do It) 11/06/1904 - Clarence "Pinetop" Smith, jazz pianist/singer (Boogie Woogie Piano) 18/12/1904 - Wilf Carter, country singer 24/12/1904 - Daniel K Womack, singer/guitarist 26/01/1905 - Maria Augusta von Trapp, Austria, singer, inspired "Sound of Music" 12/01/1906 - Tex Ritter, Texas, country singer (5 Star Jubilee, Wayward Wind) 19/01/1906 - Lanny Ross, Seattle, radio singer (Show Boat, The Swift Show) 28/05/1906 - Phil Regan, singer (My Wild Irish Rose) 20/06/1906 - Bob Howard, Newton Mass, singer/pianist (Sing it Again) 18/07/1906 - Belle Stewart, singer 28/07/1906 - Gottlob Frick, singer 16/09/1906 - Annie Hermes, Dutch singer 13/11/1906 - Conrad Thibault, Northbridge Mass, singer (Jacques Fray Music Room) 09/12/1906 - Greet Koeman, Dutch singer 29/04/1907 - Tino Rossi, Ajaccio France, singer (Deux Amours, Marlene) 10/11/1907 - Jane Froman, St Louis Mo, singer (Jane Froman's USA Canteen) 29/11/1907 - Merle Travis, Muhlenberg County KY, country singer (16 Tons) 03/12/1907 - Connee Boswell, New Orleans La, singer (Pete Kelly's Blue) 01/07/1908 - Peter Anders, German opera singer 06/07/1908 - Leonce Grass, Flemish singer/conductor 06/08/1908 - George Singer, composer 30/08/1908 - Willie Bryant, New Orleans La, singer (Sugar Hill Times) 30/10/1908 - Stuart Hamblen, Texas, singer/composer (This Old House) 26/03/1909 - Chris[tiaan R] Reumer, Dutch opera singer 01/05/1909 - Kate Smith, Virg, singer (God Bless America)/Phila Flyer luck charm 10/05/1909 - Maybelle Carter, Nickelsville Va, country singer (Johnny Cash Show) 07/09/1909 - Natalia Dmitrevna Shpiller, singer 28/12/1909 - Billy Williams, Waco Tx, singer (Your Show of Shows) 15/02/1910 - 9th earl of Jersey, English large landowner/art collector 17/06/1910 - Red Foley, Blue Lick Ky, country singer (Mr Smith Goes to Washington) 02/09/1910 - Bruce Boyce, singer/teacher 09/10/1910 - Phil Hanna, River Forest Ill, singer (Once Upon a Tune) 23/01/1911 - Dan Smith, harmonica/gospel singer 08/05/1911 - Robert Johnson, blues singer (King of Delta Blues Singer) 18/05/1911 - Joe Turner, KC, blues singer (Corrine Corrina, Shake Rattle and Roll) 20/07/1911 - William Dillard, trumpeter/singer 24/08/1911 - L‚o Ferr‚, French singer/composer (Silly-aim‚, Ni Dieu ni maŒtre) 13/09/1911 - Bill Monroe, Rosine Ky, country singer (Blue Moon of Kentucky) 15/09/1911 - Silas Hogan, blues singer/guitarist 07/10/1911 - Vaughn Monroe, Akron Oh, singer/orch leader (Vaughn Monroe Show) 26/10/1911 - Mahalia Jackson, New Orleans, gospel singer (Whole World in his Hands) 12/04/1912 - Herbert Mills, singer, (Mills Brothers) 18/05/1912 - Perry Como, [Pierino], Canonsburg Pa, singer/TV (Perry Como Show) 25/05/1912 - Eddie Maxwell, singer (Yes We Have No Bananas) 07/07/1912 - Tiny Alma, [Catharina E J Stam], operetta singer (Vienna Blood) 14/07/1912 - Woodrow Wilson "Woodie" Guthrie, folk singer (This Land Is Your Land) 21/08/1912 - Bruce Trent, singer 07/12/1912 - Louis Prima, New Orleans La, singer (That Old Black Magic) 25/12/1912 - Tony Martin, Oakland Cal, singer (Tony Martin Show, Tonight We Love) 25/12/1912 - Leighton Noble, singer/bandleader
17/12/1562 - Adrian Willaert, Flemish singer/bandmaster/composer, dies at about 82 09/03/1566 - David Riccio, Italian singer/secretary of Mary Stuart, murdered 27/08/1611 - Tom s L de Victoria, Spanish composer/singer/organist, dies 17/03/1640 - Philip Massinger, dramatist, dies 06/05/1667 - Johann Jacob Froberger, German singer/organist/composer, dies at 50 07/05/1667 - Johann Jakob Froberger, German organist/singer/composer, dies at 50 15/07/1782 - Farinelli, Italian singer, dies at 77 29/06/1784 - Caesar Rodney, US judge/singer (Declar of Independence), dies at 55 11/01/1797 - Francis Lightfoot Lee, US farmer (singer Decl of Independ), dies at 62 23/07/1875 - Isaac Merritt Singer, inventor (sewing machine), dies at 63 25/01/1882 - Peter Singer, composer, dies at 71 20/04/1900 - Mebel Mercer, popular British singer, dies 13/08/1908 - Ira D Sankey, US evangelist/composer/singer (Gospel Hymns), dies at 67 02/08/1921 - Enrico Caruso, Italian opera singer, dies at 48 01/11/1927 - Florence Mills, dancer/singer, dies in NYC at 32 04/03/1933 - Willie Walker, US jazz singer/guitarist (Dupree Blues), dies at 36 26/05/1933 - Jimmie Rodgers, country singer, dies at 35 24/06/1933 - Sissieretta Joyner Jones, "Black Patti", US singer, dies at about 64 03/08/1933 - Arthur Collins, singer/comedian (Peerless Quartet), dies at 69 02/09/1934 - Ruggiero de Rudolpho "Russ" Columbo, US singer/violist, dies at 26 23/01/1936 - Dame Clara Butt, alto singer (Country of Hope and Glory), dies at 62 26/09/1937 - Bessie Smith, singer, dies of injuries sustained in car crash at 43 16/08/1938 - Robert Johnson, US Delta-blues singer/guitarist, poisoned at 27 22/12/1939 - Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer/composer, dies at 53 16/01/1942 - Barbara Lynn, [Ozen], US singer (You'll Lose a Good Thing), dies 10/05/1942 - Joseph M Weber, comedian/singer (Weber and Lewis Fields), dies at 74 15/09/1942 - Jack Singer, US war reporter (Wasp), dies 25/12/1943 - Ilona Durigo, Hungarian singer, dies at 62 05/04/1944 - Willy Derby, [Dieben], singer (Hello Bandoeng), dies 03/03/1945 - Koos Speenhoff, Dutch singer, killed in bombing raid at 75 16/09/1945 - John McCormack, Irish singer (Irish national anthem/folk songs), dies 11/05/1947 - Else JT Rangstrím, Swedish conductor/singer/composer/critic, dies 06/12/1949 - Leadbelly, [Huddie William Ledbetter], blues singer, dies at 64 23/04/1952 - Elisabeth Schumann, singer, dies 01/01/1953 - Hank Williams, country singer (Cold Cold Heart), dies at 29 08/10/1953 - Kathleen Ferrier, English alto singer, dies at 41 02/05/1954 - Pauline de Cock-Manifarges, singer, dies at 82 17/08/1954 - Billy Murray, singer (Denver Nightengale), dies at 77 10/09/1954 - Peter Anders, German opera singer, dies 24/12/1954 - Johnny Ace, ballad singer, dies at 25 of Russian Roulette 07/11/1956 - Una Mae Carlisle, US pianist/singer, dies at 40 20/07/1957 - Phil Hanna, singer (Once Upon a Tune), dies at 46 06/02/1958 - 7 soccer players of Manchester United, die in an aircrash at Munich 15/08/1958 - William L C "Big Bill" Broonzy, US blues singer/guitarist, dies at 65 17/07/1959 - Billie Holiday, jazz singer, dies of drug OD at 44 07/10/1959 - Mario Lanza, opera singer, dies at 38 of a heart attack 05/11/1960 - Johnny Horton, country singer, dies at 33 06/03/1961 - George Formby, British singer/comedian, dies at 56 19/05/1961 - Joe Howard, singer (Gay Nineties Revue), dies at 94 02/09/1961 - Greet Koeman, Dutch singer, dies at 54 16/12/1961 - Cato Engelen-Sewing, Dutch soprano singer/primadonna, dies at 93 05/03/1963 - Hawkshaw Hawkins, country singer (Ozark Jubilee), dies at 41 05/03/1963 - Patsy Cline, country singer (Crazy), dies in a plane crash at 30 11/10/1963 - Edith Piaf, French singer (No, I don't regret anything), dies at 47 14/12/1963 - Dinah Washington, singer, dies of sleeping pill overdose at 39 15/01/1964 - Weldon John "Jack" Teagarden, US jazz trombonist/singer, dies at 58 31/07/1964 - Jim Reeves, US country singer, dies in air crash at 39 31/08/1964 - Carole Coleman, singer (Face the Music), dies at 42 10/12/1964 - Sam Cooke, US, singer (Sad Moon), slain at a motel at 33 20/06/1965 - Ira Louvin, country singer (Louvin Brothers), dies at 41 06/06/1966 - Claudette Orbison, wife of singer Roy, dies in a motorcyle crash 28/09/1966 - Lucky Millinder, bandleader/singer, dies 26/11/1966 - Harold Burrage, US singer/pianist (Got to Find a Way), dies at 35 26/12/1966 - Klaziena "Ina" Boudier-Bakker, singer (Armoede, Finale), dies at 91 18/03/1967 - Jimmy Blaine, singer (Stop the Music), dies at 42 08/05/1967 - Laverne Andrews, singer (Andrews Sisters), dies at 51 03/10/1967 - Woodrow Wilson "Woodie" Guthrie, US folk singer/guitarist, dies at 55 10/12/1967 - Otis Redding, singer (Dock of Bay), dies in plane crash at 26 26/05/1968 - William E "Little Willie" John, US RandB-singer (Fever), dies at 30) 19/09/1968 - Red Foley, country singer (Mr Smith Goes to Washington), dies at 58 29/06/1969 - Shorty Long, soul singer/pianist (Here Comes the Judge), dies at 29 22/10/1969 - Giovanni Martinelli, Ital opera singer (NY Met), dies on 84th birthday 17/01/1970 - Billy Stewart, singer (I Do Love You), dies in auto-accident at 32 16/03/1970 - Tammi Terrell, singer (You're All I Need), dies of brain tumor at 24 19/07/1970 - Barry Wood, singer (Your Hit Parade), dies at 61 04/10/1970 - Janis Joplin, rock singer (Down on Me), dies of a drug overdose at 27 18/11/1970 - Hal Dickinson, singer (Modernaires), dies at 56 26/06/1971 - Inia Te Wiata, opera singer, dies 03/07/1971 - Jim Morrison, rock singer (Doors), dies of heart failure at 27 17/07/1971 - Cliff Edwards, "Ukulele Ike", singer (54th Street Revue), dies at 76 16/01/1972 - David Seville, singer (Alvin and Chipmunks), dies at 52 27/01/1972 - Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer (He Got the Whole World), dies at 60 08/06/1972 - Jimmy Rushing, US blues singer, dies at 68 13/06/1972 - Clyde L Mcphatter, US singer (Drifters-Without Love), dies at 39 23/06/1972 - Elton Britt, country singer (Sat Night Jamboree), dies at 54 28/07/1972 - Heal Traubel, US singer (Sieglinde in Walkre, Nightclubs), dies 29/08/1972 - Lale [Liselotte H] Anderson, Ger night club performer/singer, dies 27/09/1972 - Rory Storm, lead singer (Rory Storm and Hurricane), commits suicide 21/05/1973 - Vaughn Monroe, singer/orch leader (Vaughn Monroe Show), dies at 61 10/11/1973 - Stringbean, country singer/comedian/banjoist (Hee Haw), dies at 58 20/12/1973 - Bobby Darin, singer (Mack the Knife), dies of heart failure at 37 02/01/1974 - Tex Ritter, country singer (5 Star Jubilee), dies at 67 28/03/1974 - Dorothy Fields, US singer (Way you Look Tonight), dies at 68 24/05/1974 - Duke Ellington, blues singer, dies of cancer at 75 27/07/1974 - Lightning Slim, blues singer (Nothing But the Devil), dies at 61 29/07/1974 - Cass Elliot, singer (Mamas and Papas), chokes to death in London at 32 10/01/1976 - Howlin' Wolf, singer/guitarist, dies following brain surgery at 65 23/01/1976 - Paul Robeson, athlete/lawyer/singer, dies in Philadelphia at 77 09/04/1976 - Phil Ochs, singer (Draft Dodger Rag), commits suicide at 35 04/10/1976 - Alexander Gray, singer (This is Music), dies at 74
