On 16 April in poetry and history
Poets born or who died on this date, plus historical events that happened on this day across history.
610 poets with calendar dates · 6,535 events with calendar dates in the catalogue
4 birthdays · 3 death anniversaries · 7 world events on 16 April
Birthdays
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Sir John Davies
16 April 1569 – 8 December 1626 (~57)
Born 16 April 1569 — would have been 457 in 2026
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William Philpot
16 April 1823 – 16 April 1889 (~66)
Born 16 April 1823 — would have been 203 in 2026
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Death anniversaries
World events on this day
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The Battle of Culloden ends the Jacobite military threat
In 1746, government forces defeated the Jacobite army at Culloden near Inverness. The battle ended the 1745 rising and led to severe repression in the Highlands. It became a defining trauma in Scottish history.
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The Texas City Fertilizer Disaster
The French-registered vessel SS Grandcamp, carrying approximately 2,200 tons of industrial ammonium nitrate fertilizer, caught fire and detonated in the port of Texas City, Texas, United States. The explosion triggered a chain reaction that blew up nearby chemical storage facilities and another cargo ship, killing at least 581 people and destroying the entire port complex. It remains the deadliest industrial accident in United States history.
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MV Sewol Sinks off South Korea
The ferry Sewol capsized and sank near Jindo, South Korea, on 16 April 2014 while travelling from Incheon to Jeju. Of the 304 people who died, most were secondary-school pupils on an excursion. Failures in loading, regulation, crew conduct and emergency response produced prolonged national anger and grief.
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Aphra Behn's Final Years and Legacy
In 1689, on April 16, Aphra Behn passed away in London, leaving behind a legacy as one of the first professional female writers in England. Her works, characterized by their bold exploration of gender and sexuality, paved the way for future generations of women in literature.
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Harriet Quimby flies across the English Channel
In April 1912 Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly an aeroplane across the English Channel. Her achievement was overshadowed in the press by the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred the previous day. Even so, the flight was a landmark in women's aviation.
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Discovery of LSD by Albert Hofmann
Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann accidentally experienced LSD's effects, leading to systematic study of its consciousness-altering properties. Synthesized from ergot, it facilitated therapeutic and mystical insights. It mattered by catalyzing 20th-century psychedelic research and cultural shifts.
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Birth of Brother William Austin Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's older brother, William Austin Dickinson, was born on April 16, 1829, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Known as Austin, he would become a lawyer and remain a central figure in Emily's life, eventually marrying her close friend Susan Gilbert.