On 30th January…

1948 - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was assassinated by a Hindu extremist in New Delhi, India. Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader of the Indian Independence Movement who used non-violent resistance to campaign for India’s independence from Britain.

1965 - Winston Churchill’s funeral took place on live television; it was the first state funeral of a politician. Churchill served as Prime Minister for Britain from 1940-1945 and 1951-1955. He kept Britain upbeat and positive during World War II with his rousing and patriotic speeches.

1972 - Bloody Sunday - In Londonderry, Northern Ireland, British paratroopers shot 13 unarmed civil rights demonstrators who were marching in protest of the British imprisonment of suspected Irish Nationalists (people fighting for Irish independence and separation from Britain). The incident brought worldwide attention to the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland.

On 31st January…

On 1st February…

On 2nd February…

On 3rd February…

1399 - John of Gaunt, the fourth son of King Edward III died. On John’s death his cousin, King Richard II, confiscated his lands and prevented them from being passed onto his son Henry Bolingbroke. Henry Bolingbroke eventually deposed King Richard II, forcing him to abdicate. Henry then became King Henry IV and the whole affair began the friction which ended up as the Wars of the Roses.

On 4th February…

211CE - The Roman Emperor Septimius Severus died in the city of Eboracum which is now called York. He was preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians (Scottish tribes) when he died.

On 5th February…