ON THIS DAY
What happened on October 21?
October 21 joins a famous naval victory with the development of practical electric lighting, women’s first national vote in France and the Aberfan disaster.
4 moments shown
The Battle of Trafalgar was fought
A British fleet commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated combined French and Spanish fleets off the coast of Spain.
Thomas Edison tested a durable incandescent lamp
Edison’s laboratory successfully tested a carbon-filament electric lamp that continued burning into the following day.
Women voted in a French national election for the first time
French women participated in the election for a Constituent Assembly, months after first voting in municipal elections.
The Aberfan disaster occurred
A colliery spoil tip collapsed onto the Welsh village of Aberfan, engulfing a school and nearby homes.
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