What Happened in April 1884

Historical Events

  • Apr 2 London prison for debtors closed
  • Apr 10 US Senate accepts Belgian administration of Congo

On Freemasonry

Apr 20 Pope Leo XIII encyclical "On Freemasonry"

  • Apr 21 Potters Field reopened as Madison Park
  • Apr 22 Thomas Stevens starts 1st bike trip around world (2 yrs 9 mths)

Congo Free State

Apr 22 US recognizes King Leopold II's Congo Free State

  • Apr 24 National Medical Association of Black physicians organizes in Atlanta
1884 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Hugo Bezdek, Czech American College Football Hall of Fame coach (University of Oregon, University of Arkansas, Penn State; NFL: Cleveland Browns; MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Prague, Czech Republic (d. 1952)
  • Apr 1 Laurette Taylor [Helen Loretta Cooney], American actress (Peg o' My Heart), born in New York City (d. 1946)
  • Apr 2 Sir J. C. Squire, British poet, writer, and historian, born in Plymouth, Devon (d. 1958)
  • Apr 3 Jimmy Matthews, Australian cricket spin bowler (8 Tests, 16 wickets; Victoria; only player to take 2 hat-tricks in same Test 1912), born in Mount Gambier, Australia (d. 1943)

Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943)

Apr 4 Japanese World War II Marshall Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese fleet who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, born in Nagaoka, Niigata

  • Apr 7 Charles Dodd, Welsh theologian (expert on the New Testament), born in Wrexham, Wales (d. 1973)
  • Apr 9 Franco Vittadini, Italian composer, born in Pavia, Italy (d. 1948)
  • Apr 12 Otto Meyerhof, German psychologist and biochemist (Nobel 1922), born in Hannover, Germany (d. 1951)
  • Apr 12 Tenby Davies, Welsh athlete (world half-mile professional champion 1909), born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales (d. 1932)
  • Apr 17 Leo Frank, American convict (murder of a 13-year-old employee), born in Cuero, Texas (d. 1915)
  • Apr 18 Magda Janssens, Belgian-Dutch actress and acting teacher (Maria Stuart), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1973)
  • Apr 20 Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, born in Eastwell Park, Kent, England (d. 1966)
  • Apr 22 Armas Launis, Finnish composer, born in Hämeenlinna, Finland (d. 1959)
  • Apr 25 Arthur Chevrolet, Swiss auto racer and car designer (co-founder Chevrolet Motor Car Company), born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland (d. 1946)
  • Apr 25 John Henry "Pop" Lloyd, American Baseball HOF shortstop (career batting average: .349 NgLs) and manager (Lincoln Giants, Bacharach Giants), born in Palatka, Florida (d. 1964)
  • Apr 27 Louis de Bree [Louis Davids], actor (De man zonder hart, The Cross-Patch, Bluejackets), born in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1971)
  • Apr 30 Albert Elkus, American composer, born in Sacramento, California (d. 1962)
Born in 1884

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 3 Carel van Nispen tot Sevenaer, Dutch Cath politician, dies at 59
  • Apr 5 John Wisden, English cricket all-rounder (launched Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1864; Sussex CCC, Kent CCC, Middlesex CCC), dies at 57
  • Apr 6 Emanuel Geibel, German poet and playwright (Gedichte), dies at 68
  • Apr 7 Maria van Ackere-Doolaeghe, Flemish poet (Daisies, Avondlamp), dies at 80
  • Apr 11 Charles Reade, English novelist (Cloister & Hearth), dies at 69