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24th June

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1901: Picasso exhibited in Paris


On June 24, 1901, Pablo Picasso shows his paintings for the first time in Paris at a gallery on the prestigious rue Lafitte. The 19-year-old Spanish artist was at the time a relative unknown outside of Barcelona, but he had already produced hundreds of paintings. Today, his life's work could fill an entire museum and offers histories on a variety of art movements. For most of his creative career, Picasso seemed more interested in creating form than in imitating it, but his first Paris exhibition offered moody, representational paintings by a young artist with obvious talent. Once described as a millionaire with a castle and a communist party card, Picasso refused to slow down until his death at age 91.

1971

In Britain, Queen Elizabeth II opens the new Mersey Tunnel under the River Mersey in Liverpool.

1968

Start of the first Open Wimbledon lawn tennis championships - open to both professional and amateur players.

1948

The beginning of the Berlin Airlift following the USSR blockade of Berlin. With West Berlin completely surrounded by East Germany and with the road and rail links to West Germany having been cut, Western Europe, aided by the Americans ferry food and other essential supplies into West Berlin by air. The operation, involving more than 1,000 flights, lasts several months.

1947

The world hears the first stories of 'flying saucers' when American pilot Kenneth Arnold reports seeing 9 disc-shaped objects in the sky near Mount Rainier in Washington, USA.

1917

World War I: Mutiny of Russian sailors serving with the Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.

1878

Formation of the St John Ambulance - originally called the St John Ambulance Association.

1859

Swiss businessman Henri Dunant witnesses the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in Italy - the large number of wounded soldiers, many of whom later die from their injuries, inspires him to found the International Red Cross.

1717

The Grand Lodge of the English Freemasons is founded in London.

1314

Battle of Bannockburn takes place near Stirling Castle in Scotland - with Robert the Bruce inflicting a crushing defeat on the English army of Edward II.

1911

Argentinian motor racing champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Between 1951-1957 wins the world championship a record five times - winning a total of 24 world championship races - a record which stands until beaten by Scotland's Jim Clark in 1968.

1895

American boxer Jack Dempsey is born in Manassa, Colorado. Known as the 'Manassa Mauler' he wins the world heavyweight title in 1919 beating Jess Willard from Kansas.

1850

British military commander Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener.

1825

English newsagent and bookseller William Henry (WH) Smith.

1985

British heart transplant patient Keith Castle - six years after his operation.

1908

American President Stephen Grover Cleveland aged 71. Served two terms as President for the Democrats (1885-1889 and 1893-1897). Former Governor of the State of New York.

1519

Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of Pope Alexander, dies aged 39.