April 29: a significant date in the annals of history

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds welcomed the birth of their son on Wednesday April 29 2020.

A casual glance through the history books reveals April 29 to be a significant date in times past – even more so now for Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds following the birth of their son in hospital on Wednesday.

Here are some of the events to have taken place on this date in previous years:

The feast day of St Catherine of Siena

Wing of an Alterpiece/stolen art — The painting Wing of an Altarpiece – featuring Saints Catherine of Alexandra, Barbara and Anthony Abbot, and Saints Catherine of Siena, Ursula and Dominic – from 1480 (Paul Barker/PA)

She rejected suggestions of marriage, took up a life of prayer and volunteered to nurse the sick in Siena’s hospitals, helping fight the ravages of the plague. She died on this date in 1380 at the age of 33 shortly after a paralytic stroke, and was canonised by Pope Pius II in 1461.

1376

Prime Minister’s Questions — Sir Lindsay Hoyle is the latest Speaker of the House of Commons (PA)

In the dispute with Edward III, Sir Peter acted as spokesman for the Commons and their collective strength prevailed, but as soon as Parliament was dissolved, Sir Peter was thrown into prison and his successor Sir Thomas Hungerford presided over the “Bad Parliament”, which reversed most of the gains of the previous year.

1916

The Easter Rising was a military failure for the revolutionaries, who included poets, journalists and teachers, but it sparked a chain of events that ultimately led to the partition of Ireland and the creation of an independent Republic as well as Northern Ireland.

1945

1958

‘My Fair Lady’ Twelfth Night Ceremony – Theatre Royal — Julie Andrews played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 1958 (PA)

It was met with acclaim from punters and critics, although one review at the time noted the play contained “Americanised” flourishes from its time in New York and had not been “re-Anglicised” for its London audience.

1980

Film – Directors – Alfred Hitchcock – Claridges Hotel – London — Sir Alfred Hitchcock (PA)

A famous example of his alleged insensitivity towards his big name stars involved Tippi Hedren in The Birds (1963) when, legend has it, she did not know so many real birds would be used and was traumatised for months afterwards by the terrifying scene. He was also the architect of the revered bathroom scene in Psycho (1960).

1986

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY – 11/12/1937 — King Edward VIII abdicated from the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson (PA Archive/PA Images)

The couple had met in 1931 although their relationship drew outrage within royal circles due to the American socialite being married at the time, leading to a constitutional crisis and the king’s eventual abdication in 1936.

2011

Duke and Duchess of Sussex statement — William and Kate married in 2011 (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

The couple, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have had three children: George, Charlotte and Louis.