Nichola de la Haye

In 1216 King John of England made a woman named Nichola (Nicola) de la Haye sheriff of Lincolnshire. Nicola was a female landowner. For more than 40 years she was also constable (person in charge of) Lincoln Cathedral. She defended the castle against a siege in 1191. She sounds like a formidable woman.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Famous writer Mary Wollstonecraft was born on 27 April 1759. She is known for her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) http://www.localhistories.org/wollstonecraft.html

Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was baptised on 26 April 1564. His actual date of birth is not certain but it was probably 23 April. (In those days the date of a child's baptism was recorded not the day of his birth). http://www.localhistories.org/shakespeare.html

The Guillotine

On 25 April 1792 Nicolas Jacques Pelletier became the first person in France to be guillotined. But beheading devices were used in other parts of Europe much earlier. A beheading device was recorded in Dublin in 1307. Read more in my history of punishments.

St George's Day

Happy St George's Day http://www.localhistories.org/stgeorge.html

Charlotte Bronte

The great writer Charlotte Bronte was born on 21 April 1816 http://www.localhistories.org/bronte.html

Laundromat

The first laundromat opened in Fort Worth, Texas on 18 April 1934 localhistories.org/a-history-of-baths-and-showers