142 things happened on 27 November, from 8 BC to 2024. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.
1703 · 323 years ago
The Great Storm of 1703 was one of the most severe storms ever to hit southern Britain. It swept away the first Eddystone Lighthouse, a wooden tower built by Henry Winstanley on rocks off Plymouth. First lit in 1698, it was the world's first open-ocean lighth…
UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK story
The Great Storm of 1703 was one of the most severe storms ever to hit southern Britain. It swept away the first Eddystone Lighthouse, a wooden tower built by Henry Winstanley on rocks off Plymouth. First lit in 1698, it was the world's first open-ocean lighthouse. The storm also blew down about 2,000 chimney stacks in London and 4,000 oak trees in the New Forest.
UK story
The Berners Street hoax is perpetrated by Theodore Hook in the City of Westminster, London.
UK story
World War II: At the Battle of Cape Spartivento, the Royal Navy engages the Regia Marina in the Mediterranean Sea.
UK story
Under the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain, the former agrees to enter into discussions with Spain over Gibraltar, including sovereignty.
At the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Its aim was to bring the Holy Land, which had been under Muslim rule since the 7th century, back under Christian rule. The First Crusade lasted from 1096 to 1099. It was the first of a series of religious wars in the Middle Ages known as the Crusades.
The Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel signed his last will. In it, he left most of his fortune to set up prizes for those who bring 'the greatest benefit to humankind'. The Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901, for physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. They are widely seen as the most important awards in their fields.
The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in New York City. It is put on every Thanksgiving by the department store Macy's, and it has become the world's largest parade. Millions of people watch it each year, on television or in the streets of Manhattan. The three-hour parade ends outside Macy's store in Herald Square.
Penny Ann Early became the first woman to play in a major professional men's basketball league in the United States. She played for the Kentucky Colonels in an ABA game against the Los Angeles Stars. Early achieved another first in the 1960s too. She was the first female jockey to be licensed to ride in parimutuel horse races.
The Soviet Union's Mars 2 spacecraft released a landing module as it reached Mars. The lander did not work properly and crashed, but it still became the first human-made object to reach the surface of Mars. Mars 2 was part of a series of uncrewed Soviet spacecraft sent to explore Mars between 1960 and 1973.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on mission STS-61-B. On board was Rodolfo Neri Vela, who became the first astronaut from Mexico. Between 1981 and 2011, NASA's Space Shuttle programme flew 135 missions. It carried 355 astronauts from 16 different countries.
The Labour Party defeated the governing National Party in New Zealand's general election. Labour's leader, Helen Clark, became the country's first female prime minister to win office at an election. Labour and National are the two major political parties in New Zealand.
Astronomers announced that they had detected sodium in the atmosphere of HD 209458 b, a planet orbiting a distant star. It was the first time the atmosphere of an exoplanet, a planet outside our Solar System, had been measured. Sodium is a soft, silvery-white metal. It is also found in many minerals, including rock salt.
Luoyang is declared capital of the Eastern Han dynasty by Emperor Guangwu of Han.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius grants his son Commodus the rank of "Imperator" and makes him Supreme Commander of the Roman legions.
A Song dynasty fleet defeated Jin ships in a naval engagement on the Yangtze river during the Jin–Song Wars.
Al-Salih Hajji, the last Qalawunid sultan, is deposed by Barquq, ending the long Turkic Bahri Mamluk period in general and particularly the Qalawunid dynasty, and beginning the reign of the Circassian Burji Mamluk.
The foundation stone to the Jerusalem Church in Berlin is laid.
An earthquake in northern Morocco devastates the cities of Fes and Meknes.
Adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Poland.
Saint Catherine Labouré experiences a Marian apparition.
In Boston, Massachusetts, the American Statistical Association is founded.
William III (pictured) unilaterally revised the constitution of Luxembourg, greatly expanding his powers as grand duke.
American Civil War: Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and several of his men escape the Ohio Penitentiary and return safely to the South.
American Civil War: Battle of Mine Run: Union forces under General George Meade take up positions against troops led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
American Indian Wars: Battle of Washita River: United States Army Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer leads an attack on Cheyenne living on reservation land.
Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss is first performed.
The U.S. Army War College is established.
Spain declares a protectorate over the north shore of Morocco.
P. E. Svinhufvud becomes the chairman of his first senate, technically the first Prime Minister of Finland.
The Makhnovshchina is established.
World War II: Australian forces began the Battle of Wareo by conducting clearing operations between Bonga and North Hill.
A consortium of twenty-two U.S. charities founded CARE with the mission of delivering food aid to Europe in the aftermath of World War II.
Korean War: The Chinese People's Volunteer Army launched multiple attacks against United Nations forces, beginning the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
Alger Hiss is released from prison after serving 44 months for perjury.
Vietnam War: The Pentagon tells U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson that if planned operations are to succeed, the number of American troops in Vietnam has to be increased from 120,000 to 400,000.
Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States Senate votes 92–3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States. (On December 6, the House will confirm him 387–35).
Operations at the Reagan Test Site were disrupted due to the nearby formation of Tropical Storm Zelda.
For the second time in a year, military forces try to overthrow president Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela.
Pope John Paul II returns the relics of Saint John Chrysostom to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The House of Commons of Canada approves a motion introduced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper recognizing the Québécois as a nation within Canada.
Lady Gaga performed the first concert of The Monster Ball Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour in history for a debut headlining artist.
Days after the announcement of its discovery, the Utah monolith is removed by recreationists.
Syrian rebel groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham launch a ground offensive into Syria.
Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!
In which year did this happen: “The Great Storm of 1703 sweeps away the first Eddystone Lighthouse”?
B: 1703. 1703 — that’s 323 years ago. Find it on the page
In which year was Charles Scott Sherrington born?
C: 1857. 1857 — that’s 169 years ago. Find it on the page
Which of these happened first?
C: The Great Storm of 1703 sweeps away the first Eddystone Lighthouse. 1895: Alfred Nobel signs the will that creates the Nobel Prizes · 2001: Astronomers detect an atmosphere on a planet beyond our Solar System · 1703: The Great Storm of 1703 sweeps away the first Eddystone Lighthouse Find it on the page
“Alfred Nobel signs the will that creates the Nobel Prizes” happened in 1895. How many years ago was that?
B: 131 years. 2026 − 1895 = 131. Find it on the page
Famous people whose birthday is 27 November.
UK story
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington was a British scientist who studied how the nervous system works. He showed that reflexes work through chains of connected nerve cells, called neurons. He also invented the word 'synapse' for the connection between two neurons. In 1932 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Well-known people who died on 27 November.
Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 27 November somewhere in the world.
UK story
Lancashire Day is the county day of historic Lancashire in England. It marks the day in 1295 when Lancashire first sent representatives to Parliament. They went to the Model Parliament called by King Edward I. Lancashire Day was first celebrated in 1996.
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 “November 27” 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.