{"id":6373,"date":"2021-10-17T07:06:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-17T05:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=188558"},"modified":"2021-10-17T07:29:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-17T05:29:07","slug":"17-october-on-this-day-in-history","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/17-october-on-this-day-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"17 October: On this day in history"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Dominic Sandbrook\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 17 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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17 October 1091<\/h3>\n

In London, a powerful tornado tears through the streets, badly damaging the church of St Mary-le-Bow and destroying London Bridge.<\/p>\n

17 October 1777<\/h3>\n

British forces surrender to the Americans at Saratoga.<\/p>\n

17 October 1849<\/h3>\n

Polish-born composer and pianist Frederic Chopin died of pulmonary tuberculosis in his Parisian flat in the Place Vend\u00f4me. He is buried in Paris\u2019s P\u00e8re-Lachaise cemetery.<\/p>\n

17 October 1860<\/h3>\n

Britain\u2019s first Open Golf Championship was held at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire. Eight golfers competed, playing three rounds of the 12-hole course in the day. The first champion was Willie Park who beat the local favourite, Tom Morris, by two strokes.<\/p>\n

17 October 1898<\/h3>\n

Eight people are killed and 26 injured as the Great Central Railway Cleethorpes-to-Manchester Express strikes an obstruction on the line at Wrawby Junction in Lincolnshire.<\/p>\n

17 October 1912<\/h3>\n

At a public meeting in the Royal Albert Hall, suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst underlined the Women\u2019s Social and Political Union\u2019s opposition to all political parties, and its intention to continue its attacks on public and private property |\u00a0Read more about the Suffragettes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

17 October 1933<\/h3>\n

Horrified by the rise of Adolf Hitler<\/a>, Albert Einstein<\/a> arrives in the US to begin a new life and career.<\/p>\n

17 October 1961<\/h3>\n

At least 50 people were killed in Paris when police attacked demonstrators protesting at the curfew imposed on Algerian nationals. Many of those killed were thrown into the river Seine.<\/p>\n

Browse more\u00a0On this day in history<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n