1908 in History

Taks the 1st aviation passenger, flies over Paris

Arrested & forced into exile, 1908-1917

Appointed President of the Board of Trade

Arrested & forced into exile, 1908-1917

Hosts a secret meeting between Count Lexa von Aehrenthal and the Russian Foreign Minister Izvolsky at his estate at Buchlau in Moravia. This meeting produced the so-called Buchlau bargain and led to the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Appointed Member of Cabinet for the 1st time, age 33

Claims continental powers discussed exploiting Britain's Boer War difficulties.

A major oil reservoir is struck at Masjed Soleyman, transforming the prospects of D'Arcy's Persian concession.

The constitutional convention represents 4 colonies, natives of South Africa excluded. Submits his scheme for a South African Union to the National Convention. Smuts calls for a constitutional convention. 1st day of the convention which determines the Government & constitition of South Africa

The Union of South Africa is born, the Afrikaners hold the key to political power, they forme the largest part of the electorate. Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII

The convention represents the 4 colonies but natives of South Africa are excluded

Smuts calls for a constitutional convention

Juan Vicente Gomez seized power while President Cipriano Castro was receiving medical treatment abroad.

Supports customs discussions encouraging closer union among the colonies.

Must be elected to Parliament since offerred a place in the Cabinet

Loses a bi-election in Manchester North West

Accepts an invitation to stand as prospective Liberal Member of Parliament for Dundee

Loses the North-West Manchester by-election by just 429 votes

The Christensen Government ends in Copenhagen, concluding this term as Council President of Denmark.

The Jørgen Løvland Government ends in Oslo, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Norway.

Returns to China to participate in the nationalist rebellion

Begins the First Gunnar Knudsen Government in Oslo and serves as Prime Minister of Norway.

Begins the First Neergaard Government in Copenhagen and serves as Council President of Denmark.

Is appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Begins the Frans Schollaert Government in Brussels and serves as head of the Belgian government.

Hosts a secret meeting between Count Lexa von Aehrenthal and the Russian Foreign Minister Izvolsky at his estate at Buchlau in Moravia. This meeting produced the so-called Buchlau bargain and led to the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Delclares the indpendence of Bulgaria

Patents a flying machine

The first model T Ford roles off the production line

Introduces a state scheme for old age pensions in the Invalid & Old Age Pensions Act

Churchill gets engaged to Clementine Hozier

Marries Clementine Hozier

Marries Winston Churchill

Signs the registar for Churchills marriage to Clementine Hozier

The concession syndicate begins drilling a third well at Masjed Soleyman after failures at earlier sites.

Elected Member of Parliament for Dundee with a Liberal majority 2,709

Ford introduces the Model T as a durable automobile intended for mass ownership.

Leads the first ascent of Mount Erebus with Douglas Mawson and Alistair Mackay during Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition

Participates prominently in the National Convention on South African union.

Is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for philosophical works advancing an idealistic view of life.

Introduces a state scheme for old age pensions.

The Old Age Pensions Act creates non-contributory pensions for eligible elderly people.

Appointed President of the Board of Trade

Begins a one-year term as President of the Swiss Confederation.

Appointed President of Venezuela, 1st term

Becomes Prime Minister and leads a government closely associated with British authority.

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1st term

Introduces a Bill to the House of Commons to set up Wage Boards

Introduces a state scheme for old age pensions in the Invalid & Old Age Pensions Act

Introduces the 2nd reading of the Mines Eight Hour Bill

Resigns as Prime Minister of Great Britain

Hosts a secret meeting between Count Lexa von Aehrenthal and the Russian Foreign Minister Izvolsky at his estate at Buchlau in Moravia. This meeting produced the so-called Buchlau bargain and led to the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Hannoverian Jager Battalion

Shackletons ship, the Nimrod, leaves Port Lyttlelton for the South Pole

Climbs Mt Erebus, the worlds southernmost active volcano

The Endurance leaves Plymouth for Buenos Aires

Minkowski presents spacetime geometry and recasts special relativity in four dimensional form

Appointed Teacher at Oneglia on the Riviera

Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII

Advocates political unification of the four self-governing colonies.

Helps build momentum for a national constitutional convention.

Birth of Edris Albert "Eddie" Hapgood

Birth of James Maitland Stewart

Birth of John Mills, born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills

Birth of Robert Morley

Simone de Beauvoir is born in Paris to Georges Bertrand de Beauvoir and Francoise Brasseur.

Birth of Stephane Grappelli

Birth of Vivien Fuchs

Death of Cixi

Death of Frederick Arthur Stanley

Dies after having been dogged by ill health

Death of Takeaki Enomoto