Major Events
- 30 BC Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves minor victory over Octavian, but most of his army subsequently deserts, leading to Octavian's invasion of Egypt
- 1620 Pilgrim Fathers depart Leiden, Netherlands for England on their way to America
- 1917 World War I: Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) begins, goes on to cause approximately 500,000 casualties
- 1961 Israel welcomes its one millionth immigrant
- 2007 Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland comes to an end, longest-running British Army operation ever
- More July 31 Events
Jul 31 in Film & TV
- 1912 US government prohibits movies and photos of prize fights (censorship)
Jul 31 in Music
- 1959 Cliff Richard and the Shadows have their 1st British No. 1 single with "Living' Doll" (biggest British single of 1959)
Jul 31 in Sport
- 1928 Halina Konopacka of Poland hurls discus world record 39.62m to win first gold medal in women's Olympic athletics at the Amsterdam Games; American Lillian Copeland and Ruth Sveberg of Sweden take minor medals
Did You Know?
Black Tot Day: the last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the Royal Navy (started 1740)
Philip the Good
Maximilian II
John Ericsson
Milton Friedman
John Searle
J. K. Rowling
Ted Cassidy
Michael Biehn
Wesley Snipes
Fatboy Slim
Hank Bauer
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
Victoria Azarenka
Fun Fact About July 31
Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but is pelted with flowers
Famous Weddings
- 1790 Danish Crown Prince Frederick (Later Frederick VI) marries his cousin Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel at Gottorp Castle
- 1940 Actress Loretta Young (27) weds advertising executive Tom Lewis at the chapel of St. Paul's Church in Westwood
- 1951 American musician Ray Charles (20) weds Eileen Williams in Georgia; divorce in 1952
Famous Divorces
More July 31 Weddings
Aurelia Cotta
Denis Diderot
Andrew Johnson
Charles E. Hires
Roddy Piper
Bill Russell
