What Happened in October 1878

Historical Events

British Golf Open

Oct 4 British Open Men's Golf, Prestwick GC: Scotsman Jamie Anderson wins 2nd of 3 consecutive Championships; beats Bob Kirk by 2 strokes

  • Oct 15 Edison Electric Light Company incorporated

Macdonald Re-elected

Oct 17 After serving as the opposition for five years, John A. Macdonald is re-elected as Prime Minister of Canada

  • Oct 18 Anti-socialist laws are ratified in Germany
  • Oct 18 Edison makes electricity available for household use

Anti-Socialist Law

Oct 21 German chancellor Otto von Bismarck delegates end of "Socialism"

  • Oct 22 The first rugby match under floodlights takes place in Salford, between Broughton and Swinton.

Famous Birthdays

  • Oct 1 Othmar Spann, Austrian economist and sociologist (Geschichtsfilosofie), born in Vienna (d. 1950)
  • Oct 2 François Conrad Schlumberger, French physicist, born in Guebwiller, Upper Rhine (d. 1936)
  • Oct 2 Wilfrid Wilson, British Georgian poet (Flannan Isle), born in Hexham, Northumberland, England (d. 1962)
  • Oct 5 Louise Dresser [Kerlin], American actress (Maid of Salem), born in Evansville, Indiana (d. 1965)
  • Oct 9 Robert Warwick, American actor (Falcon's Adventure), born in Sacramento, California (d. 1964)
  • Oct 12 Karl Buresch, Austrian lawyer and politician, born in Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria (d. 1936)
  • Oct 13 Patrick Joseph Hartigan, Australian Roman Catholic priest, born in O'Connell Town, Yass, New South Wales (d. 1952)
  • Oct 15 Paul Reynaud, Premier of France (May-June 1940), born in Barcelonette, France (d. 1966)
  • Oct 16 Carlos Pedrell, Uruguayan guitarist and composer, born in Minas, Uraguay (d. 1941)
  • Oct 16 Maxie Long, American athlete (Olympic gold 400m 1900), born in Waverley, Massachusetts (d. 1959)
  • Oct 17 Barlow Carkeek, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (6 Tests, 6 dismissals; Victoria), born in Walhalla, Australia (d. 1937)
  • Oct 17 Henri Mulet, French organist, cellist, and composer (Carillon-Sortie; Esquisses Byzantines), born in Paris, France (d. 1967)
  • Oct 18 James Truslow Adams, American historian (Pulitzer Prize 1921, popularized phrase "American Dream"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1949)
  • Oct 19 Hermann Claudius, German folk poet (Meister Bertram), born in Langenfelde near Hamburg (d. 1980)
  • Oct 25 Nico van Suchtelen, Dutch writer and publisher, born in Amsterdam (d. 1949)
  • Oct 29 Alex von Falkenhausen, German general (China, WW II), born in Gut Blumenthal, Province of Silesia, German Empire (d. 1966)

Famous Deaths

  • Oct 1 Mindon, King of Burma (1853-1878) penultimate ruler of the Konbaung dynasty and founder of Mandalay, dies at 70
  • Oct 5 George B. Vashon, American, lawyer, academic and poet, first African American lawyer, dies of yellow fever at 54
  • Oct 25 Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer, German-Russian violinist, composer, and conductor, dies at 89