300 years ago, on 7 April 1724 Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion was performed for the first time, at a church in Leipzig.
Also 300 years ago, on 22 April 1724 Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher was born. He was one of the leading philosophers during the Age of Enlightenment.
200 years ago, on 19 April 1824 Lord Byron died. Regarded as one of the greatest British poets and a leading figure in the Romantic movement, he died of sepsis and fever while fighting for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. He was only 36. A controversial figure, he was once described as “Mad, bad and dangerous to know.”
175 years ago, on 10 April 1849 American mechanic Walter Hunt was granted a US patent for his invention of the safety pin. He immediately sold the rights for $400, which is about $12,000 today. The company he sold it to made millions from it.
125 years ago, on 29 April 1899 Duke Ellington, American jazz/swing pianist, composer and orchestra leader, was born.
100 years ago, on 17 April 1924 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) was founded when Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B Mayer Pictures merged.
90 years ago, on 3 April 1934 British inventor Percy Shaw patented the Cat’s Eye reflective road stud. He set up a company to manufacture them in 1935 and in 1937 he was awarded a government contract to mass produce them for national use.
75 years ago, on 4 April 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was founded.
Also 75 years ago, on 7 April 1949 the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific was opened in Broadway.
70 years ago, on 26 April 1954 the Soviet Union transferred Crimea from Russia to Ukraine. In 2014 Russia annexed Crimea, but it is not recognised internationally, and a number of sanctions were imposed on Russia then and as a result of the subsequent war.
60 years ago, on 15 April 1964 twelve men convicted of carrying out the Great Train Robbery in England in August of 1963 were jailed for a total of 307 years. They were given some of the longest sentences in British criminal history.
50 years ago, on 6 April 1974 the Swedish pop group ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with their song Waterloo. It was the first time that Sweden won the contest. ABBA went on to be one of the most successful groups in music history.
30 years ago, on 6 April 1994 the Rwandan genocide began, when a plane carrying Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down by extremists. Civil war broke out the following day, and between 500,000 and one million people were massacred during the next 100 days.
Also 30 years ago, on 26 April 1994 the first post-apartheid multiracial elections were held in South Africa, with 18 million blacks eligible to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela was elected president, and took office on 10th May.
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