On this day in 1801, Elen Keon Cosgrove died aged 37. See this and other gravestone inscriptions from St. Molaise graveyard, Monea, Devenish, Co. Fermanagh, in the Journals: https://bit.ly/cosgrove1801
On this day in 1803, Judith Bradley died. See this and other gravestone inscriptions from Drumcondra, Dublin, in the Journals: https://tinyurl.com/brad1803
Charles Babbage proposes a difference engine in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society.
The difference engine is based on the method of divided differences, a way to interpolate or tabulate functions by using a small set of polynomial co-efficients. Some of the most common mathematical functions are built from logarithmic & trigonometric functions, which can be approximated by polynomials, so a difference engine can compute many useful tables.
James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was born #OTD. As a physicist, he ranks alongside Newton & Einstein (“He achieved greatness unequalled”—Max Planck). He also wrote poetry: “Rigid Body Sings” is based on “Comin’ Through the Rye” by Robert Burns
On this day in 1738, Matilda Morton died aged 36. She was buried at Drumlane, Co. Cavan. Find out more about Drumlane in the Journals: https://bit.ly/morton1738
On this day in 1820, Elenor Wheelar Phelan died. Her husband, John, erected a gravestone at St. Martin's near Kilkenny. See more inscriptions from this graveyard in the Journals: https://bit.ly/phelan1820
"Each time the discovery of new facts, the overthrow or extension of accepted theories, reminded us that science is never finished."
French physicist Charles Fabry was born #OTD in 1867.
Together with Henri Buisson, they made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying the presence of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere (1913). They used spectroscopic techniques to measure the absorption of ultraviolet light by atmospheric ozone, providing the first definitive evidence of the ozone layer.
On this day in 1796, Mary Fairy Burne died aged 59. She was buried with her husband, Tom. See this and other gravestone inscriptions from Templeboy, Co. Sligo, in the Journals: https://bit.ly/burne1796
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door that had been barred to me, and all people of my color, by the governor of this state - that simple act represented an end to legal segregation in the American South.”
#OnThisDay, 11 June 1963, Vivian Malone defies the Governor of Alabama to become the first Black female student at the University of Alabama.
On this day in 1622, Hugh "Buye" MacGahagan of Castletown, Co. Westmeath, died. His funeral entry names his wife, children and father-in-law. See more 17th-century funeral entries in the Journals: https://bit.ly/mcgah1622
O'Hart's Irish Pedigrees shows Hugh Buidhe MacGeoghagan's purported descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages: https://bit.ly/macgeoghagan
#OTD 9 June 1885 The Treaty of Tientsin is signed to end the Sino-French War, with China eventually giving up Tonkin and Annam – most of present-day Vietnam – to France.
On this day in 1771, Daniel O Boyle died aged 63. See this and other gravestone inscriptions from Creevelea Abbey, Co. Leitrim, in the Journals: https://tinyurl.com/oboy1771
Italian mathematician, astronomer and engineer Giovanni Domenico Cassini was born #OTD in 1625.
His observations & calculations helped to confirm & refine Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. He formulated Cassini’s Law, describing the rotational behavior of the Moon, which was crucial for understanding the Moon's synchronous rotation with the Earth. He was involved in measuring the meridian arc of Paris, contributing to the accurate determination of the shape of the Earth.
On this day in 1747, Elizabeth Archer, daughter of Henry, was baptised at Wexford. See more transcripts of this parish register in the Journals: https://bit.ly/archer1747
#OnThisDay, 8 Jun 1953, Mary Terrell wins her Supreme Court case and desegregates Washington DC's restaurants. She's 93, and celebrates with lunch in the very restaurant that she'd taken to court.
#OnThisDay, 8 Jun 1944, Violette Szabo returns to occupied France by parachute for her second posting with the British Special Operations Executive.
She is captured two days later, after a gun battle. She's tortured and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. She is killed in Jan 1945. Her daughter Tania received the George Cross on her behalf in 1947.
Violette Szabo's story was filmed as Carve Her Name With Pride (1958).