October 17th – Birthdays and Events
1860 - The world’s first Open Golf Championship was held at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland. Until his death in 1859, Allan Robertson was regarded as top golfer in the world.
October 16th – Birthdays and Events
1979 – Comedy sketch show “Not the Nine o’Clock News” debuts on BBC2, starring Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Gryff Rhys Jones and Pamela Stephenson.
October 15th – Birthdays and Events
1956 - The last RAF Lancaster bomber was retired from service. Built by Armstrong Whitworth, Lancasters served in the RAF from February 1946 until December 1953 and were officially withdrawn in a ceremony at St. Mawgan, Cornwall.
October 14th – Birthdays and Events
1929 - The world’s largest airship, the R101 (an experimental British airship), made its maiden voyage. At the time of this achievement, it was the world’s largest flying vessel, clocking in at an astonishing length of 223 meters (731 feet).
October 13th – Birthdays and Events
2014 - 176 people took part in the 48th World Conker Championships at Southwick, in Northamptonshire. Competitors came from overseas, including the United States, Mexico, and Italy.
October 12th – Birthdays and Events
1969 - The opening of Preston Bus Station, one of the largest in Western Europe. Threatened with demolition since the year 2000, campaigns and applications were made numerous times to save the building.
October 11th – Birthdays and Events
1957 - The largest radio telescope in the world (at that time) was switched on at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire.
October 10th – Birthdays and Events
1903 - Emmeline Pankhurst (pictured center) and several colleagues founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), an organisation open only to women and focused on direct action to win the vote.
October 9th – Birthdays and Events
1990 - One thousand radio stations from over 100 countries around the world simultaneously broadcast John Lennon’s “Imagine” in honor of what would have been his 50th birthday.