20th 

1673..... U.K ..... the FIRST recorded wine auction took place in London

1896 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST screening of a film before a paying audience in Britain was at the Regent Street Polytechnic. Admission was 1s for a two hour programme of Lumiere films which included Arrival of a Train at a Station and Prestigidateur 

1935 ..... ANTARCTICA ..... Karoline Mikkelsen became the FIRST woman to set foot on Antarctica

1939 ..... U.S.A ..... nylon stockings went on sale in the USA for the FIRST time. The price per pair was $1.15 (about 5s). In the same year the FIRST washing machine went on show at the British Industries Fair in London 

1952..... NORWAY ..... Jeannette Altwegg won Britain’s FIRST Olympic Gold Medal for figure-skating at the Winter Olympics in Oslo 

1962 ..... SPACE ..... John Glenn became the FIRST American to orbit the earth when he was launched into space in the Mercury capsule, Friendship 7 

1991 ..... FRANCE ..... Catherine Choukron was gunned down at a radar speed control in Paris, the FIRST French policewoman to be killed on duty

Back to top of page ** Next page ** Previous page