125 things happened on 11 October, from 1138 to 2025. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.
1872 · 154 years ago
Emily Wilding Davison was an English suffragette who campaigned for women in Britain to have the right to vote. She was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union and was arrested nine times for her protests. She also went on hunger strike seven times…
UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK story
Powerful nobles and churchmen in England published the Ordinances of 1311, rules to limit the power of King Edward II. The 21 men who signed them were known as the Lords Ordainers. They were unhappy about English defeats in the war with Scotland and the king's demands for money. The Ordinances handed much of the king's power to run the country to a council of barons.
UK story
Britain's Royal Navy defeated a Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown. The British captured eleven Dutch ships and lost none of their own. The battle was part of the French Revolutionary Wars, which lasted from 1792 to 1802. In these wars, France fought against Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia and several other countries.
UK story
The Second Boer War broke out in South Africa. It was fought between the British Empire and two Boer republics, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The war was sparked by the discovery of gold in the Transvaal and an argument over voting rights for British people living there. It lasted until 1902.
UK story
American Revolutionary War: A British fleet defeated American ships at the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, but gave American forces enough time to prepare their defenses for the Saratoga campaign.
Former President Theodore Roosevelt became the first US president to fly in an aeroplane. His pilot was Arch Hoxsey, an American aviator who worked for the Wright brothers. Only seven years earlier, the Wright brothers had made the first controlled flight in a powered aeroplane.
The US Federal Communications Commission approved a colour television system made by CBS. It was the first colour TV system to be licensed for broadcasting in the United States. It sent the main colours as separate pictures, one after another, and relied on viewers' eyes to blend them into a colour picture. Regular colour broadcasts began in June 1951, but CBS stopped them a few months later.
Apollo 7, the first Apollo mission with a crew, blasted off from Cape Kennedy in Florida. It was also the first American space mission to carry three astronauts. They were the commander, Walter Schirra, along with Donn Eisele and Walter Cunningham. The flight marked NASA's return to human spaceflight after the Apollo 1 fire in 1967.
Astronaut Kathryn Sullivan became the first American woman to make a spacewalk, leaving the Space Shuttle Challenger to work outside in space. Sullivan is a geologist and an oceanographer – a scientist who studies the oceans. She is also a former US Navy officer, and she flew on three Space Shuttle missions in total.
US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met for talks in Iceland. They continued discussions about cutting back the medium-range missiles that their countries kept in Europe. Gorbachev turned out to be the last leader of the Soviet Union, which broke up in 1991.
A massive earthquake strikes Aleppo; it is one of the most destructive earthquakes ever.
The Treaty of Shaoxing was ratified, ending the Jin–Song wars, although sporadic fighting continued until 1234.
The New Netherland Company applies to the States General of the Netherlands for exclusive trading rights in what is now the northeastern United States.
The Juliana begins operation as the first steam-powered ferry in New York harbor.
Bashir Shihab II (pictured) surrendered to the Ottoman Empire and was removed as Emir of Mount Lebanon after an imperial decree by Sultan Abdülmecid I.
The University of Sydney (pictured), Australia's oldest university, was inaugurated two years after being established by the University of Sydney Act.
In Washington, D.C., the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded.
San Francisco sparks a diplomatic crisis between the United States and Japan by ordering segregated schools for Japanese students.
First Balkan War: The day after the Battle of Sarantaporo, Greek troops liberate the city of Kozani.
Beginning of the National Liberation War of Macedonia.
World War II: At the Battle of Cape Esperance on the northwest coast of Guadalcanal, American ships intercepted and defeated a Japanese fleet sent to attack Henderson Field.
The Tuvan People's Republic is annexed by the Soviet Union.
A field-sequential color system developed by Hungarian-American engineer Peter Goldmark became the first color television system to be adopted for commercial use, only for it to be abandoned a year later.
In accord with the 1954 Geneva Conference, French troops complete their withdrawal from North Vietnam.
NASA launches Pioneer 1, its first space probe, although it fails to achieve a stable orbit.
The Second Vatican Council becomes the first ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church in 92 years.
George Washington is posthumously promoted to the grade of General of the Armies.
Sri Lankan Civil War: The Indian Peace Keeping Force began Operation Pawan to take control of Jaffna from the Tamil Tigers and enforce their disarmament as a part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.
An estimated 750,000 people attended the "Great March" in Washington, D.C., to demand greater civil rights for the LGBT community.
NASA launches STS-92, the 100th Space Shuttle mission.
The Polaroid Corporation files for federal bankruptcy protection.
Soyuz MS-10, launching an intended crew for the ISS, suffers an in-flight abort. The crew lands safely.
Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!
In which year did this happen: “The Royal Navy defeats the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown”?
A: 1797. 1797 — that’s 229 years ago. Find it on the page
In which year did this happen: “English nobles publish the Ordinances of 1311 to limit Edward II”?
C: 1311. 1311 — that’s 715 years ago. Find it on the page
Which of these happened first?
B: English nobles publish the Ordinances of 1311 to limit Edward II. 1797: The Royal Navy defeats the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown · 1311: English nobles publish the Ordinances of 1311 to limit Edward II · 1899: The Second Boer War breaks out in South Africa Find it on the page
“The Second Boer War breaks out in South Africa” happened in 1899. How many years ago was that?
C: 127 years. 2026 − 1899 = 127. Find it on the page
Famous people whose birthday is 11 October.
UK story
Sir Bobby Charlton was an English footballer, widely seen as one of the greatest players of all time. He was part of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup. That same year he also won the Ballon d'Or, a famous football award. He played almost all of his club football for Manchester United, where he was known for powerful long-range shots with either foot.
UK story
Emily Wilding Davison was an English suffragette who campaigned for women in Britain to have the right to vote. She was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union and was arrested nine times for her protests. She also went on hunger strike seven times. She died after being hit by King George V's horse when she walked onto the track at the 1913 Derby horse race.
Well-known people who died on 11 October.
Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 11 October somewhere in the world.
The United Nations declared the International Day of the Girl Child, which was first held on 11 October 2012. It supports more opportunities for girls around the world. It also raises awareness of the unfair treatment girls face because they are girls, such as in getting an education, healthcare and legal rights.
Content note: these entries mention things like war, violence, deaths, disasters or crime. They are part of history, but they can be upsetting. Grown-ups and teachers: you may want to read them first. They come straight from Wikipedia and have not been rewritten for children.
Stories with a heading have been written for young readers by A Day in the Past, using the linked articles as sources. Other entries show text from Wikipedia’s “October 11” page and its “On this day” feed, written by Wikipedia contributors and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. Each “Read more” link goes to the article an entry is based on. Photos are credited under each picture. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us.