Brilliant artist killed by flu on cusp of success
The Austrian artist Egon Schiele was struck by a tragedy when his wife died in 1918. His own death followed just days later
Today In History
James Cook’s widow mourned him for the rest of her life
WHEN Captain Cook was killed in Hawaii in 1779 the nation mourned, particularly his wife, who lived for another 56 years after his death.
German sailors’ mutiny triggered end of WWI
WHEN sailors at Kiel Canal refused to take part in a do-or-die naval battle on October 29, 1918, it sparked a revolution that ended one destructive war, but laid seeds for another.
Gift gave Stonehenge back to British people
STONEHENGE had been in private hands for centuries. But a 100 years ago today, British barrister Cecil Chubb gifted the ancient neolithic monument to the public.
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Our last convicts were Irish political prisoners
IN a cabin on a frigate bound for Australia, a group of Irish political prisoners penned an opus which would chisel their journey into the annals of colonial history. The last convict ship to Australia was the Hougoumont and 150 years ago this week it docked at Fremantle, WA, with 280 convicts on board.
Actor was more than just you know Who
When producers wanted an actor who could be tough yet cheeky and unpredictable they found it in actor William Hartnell who became the first Doctor Who.
Stars who ran away to the circus
The circus has often lured people away from static lives to live the life of an itinerant performer
Getty family refused to help kidnapped son
BILLIONAIRE John Paul Getty Sr was designing a museum to display his immense art collection when he was advised of the kidnapping of his grandson John Paul Getty III in 1973. But despite having “all the money in the world”, why did his family reluctantly pay the ransom?
Hillary conquered the South Pole by tractor
When Edmund Hillary arrived at the South Pole, some Brits were angry that they had been beaten to the pole again.
Anti-fascist hero Graf stood against Nazism
Handing out pamphlets at a university could be a dangerous thing in Nazi Germany, but Willi Graf did it as a matter of faith.
No one like family for Wizard of Oz creator
In 1996 an academic uncovered the grave of an infant named Dorothy Gage, who was part of the inspiration for L. Frank Baum’s character Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz
Car crash brought an end to Ravel’s music
A taxi accident in 1932 may have been the cause of the premature demise of France’s greatest living composer
‘Chinese fire’ the celebration of choice for European royals
SPINNING displays of “Chinese fire” staged by Italy’s five Ruggieri brothers entranced Parisians in 1743. But when they and a competitor set off their works at the same time in 1749, misdirected explosions and a stampede as spectators attempted to flee killed 40 people and left 300 injured.
Von Trapp film family loses another sibling
Heather Menzies, who played Louisa in the film The Sound of Music, has died.
Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/today-in-history/page/38