A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 1 October
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 1 October?
- AD 959 Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England
Edgar became king of all England after the death of his older brother, King Eadwig. - 1207 Born: Henry III of England
Henry III, also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England from 1216 until his death in 1272. - 1386 The Wonderful Parliament meets at Westminster Abbey
King Richard II called Parliament to meet at Westminster Abbey because he needed money. - 1553 Mary I is crowned as England's first queen to rule in her own right
Mary I, daughter of King Henry VIII, was crowned Queen of England and Ireland at Westminster Abbey. - 1861 Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is published
Isabella Beeton's guide to running a home in Victorian Britain was published as a complete book, after first appearing in parts. - 1868 St Pancras railway station opens in London
St Pancras railway station opened to the public in London. - 1969 Concorde flies faster than the speed of sound for the first time
Concorde, a passenger plane developed jointly by Britain and France, broke the sound barrier for the first time. - 2009 The new UK Supreme Court takes over from the House of Lords
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom began its work, taking over a job that had belonged to the House of Lords.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD 959 | Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England | 2026 − 959 = | |
| 1386 | The Wonderful Parliament meets at Westminster Abbey | 2026 − 1386 = | |
| 1861 | Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is published | 2026 − 1861 = | |
| 1969 | Concorde flies faster than the speed of sound for the first time | 2026 − 1969 = |
3. Put them in order
Write 1 next to the oldest event, then 2, 3 and so on up to the newest. Use list 1 to help you!
- Mary I is crowned as England's first queen to rule in her own right
- Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is published
- The Wonderful Parliament meets at Westminster Abbey
- Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England”?
- A. 1207
- B. AD 959
- C. 1964
In which year did this happen: “St Pancras railway station opens in London”?
- A. 1969
- B. 1868
- C. 1949
Which of these happened first?
- A. The Wonderful Parliament meets at Westminster Abbey
- B. Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England
- C. St Pancras railway station opens in London
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 1 October. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 959 → 1,067 years; 1386 → 640 years; 1861 → 165 years; 1969 → 57 years.
Order: 1 = Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England (AD 959), 2 = The Wonderful Parliament meets at Westminster Abbey (1386), 3 = Mary I is crowned as England's first queen to rule in her own right (1553), 4 = Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is published (1861).
Quiz: 1. B (AD 959); 2. B (1868); 3. B (Edgar the Peaceful becomes King of England).