Saturday, 20th April 1968 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's UN Chinese Language Day. Explore 47 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in London. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Today's weather in London brings drizzly with temperatures between 11°C and 18°C. Tonight's moon is in its waxing crescent phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Taurus. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Saturday, 20th April in London, GB.
Saturday, 20th April 1968 marked a significant moment in British political history when Enoch Powell, a Conservative member of Parliament, delivered a controversial speech opposing immigration and anti-discrimination legislation. The address led directly to his removal from the shadow cabinet and remains one of the most contentious political moments of the post-war period. The same year saw other notable developments, including Pierre Trudeau's swearing-in as Prime Minister of Canada, succeeding Lester B. Pearson. These events occurred against the backdrop of broader social and political upheaval that characterised the late 1960s across the Western world.
London, the capital of the United Kingdom, served as the political epicentre for Powell's remarks. The city remains a centre of parliamentary governance and continues to shape political discourse at national and international levels. On this date, drizzly conditions persisted across the city, contributing to the grey and austere atmosphere typical of London in April.
Astrologically, this date fell under the sign of Taurus, whilst the moon was in its waxing crescent phase. These celestial conditions provided the backdrop for the day's events, though their influence remains a matter of personal interpretation rather than demonstrable historical causation.
DayAtlas provides detailed information about weather conditions, historical events, and notable births and deaths for any given date and location. The platform enables users to explore how specific days have shaped history and understand the atmospheric conditions that accompanied significant moments.
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What the Weather Had in Store for London on 20th April 1968
Small decisions compound into the shape of an entire existence.
Fortune of the Day
20th April in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on April 20th blend Taurus groundedness with Mercury intellect into a compelling personality. They are patient thinkers who love practical solutions while appreciating meaningful conversations. These natives radiate calm confidence yet remain mentally alert and inquisitive.
Strengths & Weaknesses Their greatest strengths are reliability, analytical minds, and artistic sensibility. Weakness lies in stubbornness and tendency to lose themselves in details. They must learn flexibility and maintain perspective on larger objectives.
Love April 20th natives seek depth and stability in relationships, not surface passion. They need partners who share intellectual interests and appreciate their sensual nature. Loyalty and honest communication are non-negotiable for these people.
Caree & Finance These natives thrive in work combining intellect and practical action: finance, crafts, writing, or design. They're skilled negotiators with natural value sense. Financial security matters, but not at the cost of integrity.
Health April 20th-born benefit from routine and regular movement for mental balance. They should overcome overthinking habits through meditation. Quality sleep and sensory pleasures like good food significantly support their wellbeing.
That night, the moon was in its waxing crescent phase.
Chinese year of the Monkey (Earth).
Fun Facts About 20th April
Name Days in Your Language: Ramsey, Rosco, Roscoe, Ross
Someone born on this day in 1968 would be 57 years old today — just 21,171 days into life, which is roughly 508,108 hours, 30,486,487 minutes, or 1,829,189,263 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 111. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 255 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 16 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 20th April
- Allan Houston, American basketball player (1971)
- Shemar Moore, American actor (1970)
- Felix Baumgartner, Austrian daredevil (died 2025) (1969)
- Will Hodgman, Australian politician, 45th Premier of Tasmania (1969)
- Julia Morris, Australian entertainer (1968)
- Lara Jill Miller, American actress (1967)
- Mike Portnoy, American drummer and songwriter (1967)
- David Chalmers, Australian philosopher and academic (1966)
- David Filo, American businessman, co-founded Yahoo! (1966)
- Kostis Chatzidakis, Greek politician, Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism (1965)
Lives Remembered on 20th April
- Hugo Gatti, Argentine footballer (born 1944) (2025)
- Antonio Cantafora, Italian film and television actor (born 1944) (2024)
- Andrew Davis, English conductor (born 1944) (2024)
- Roman Gabriel, Filipino-American NFL American footballer (2024)
- Lourdes Portillo, Mexican film director, producer, and writer (born 1943) (2024)
- Gavin Millar, Scottish film director (born 1938) (2022)
- Idriss Déby, Chadian politician and military officer (born 1952) (2021)
- Monte Hellman, American film director (born 1929) (2021)
- Les McKeown, Scottish pop singer (born 1955) (2021)
- Avicii, Swedish DJ and musician (born 1989) (2018)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 20th April
- Christian feast day: Agnes of Montepulciano
- Christian feast day: Beuno
- Christian feast day: Johannes Bugenhagen (Lutheran)
- Christian feast day: Theotimos
- Christian feast day: April 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- 420 (cannabis culture)
- Evacuee Flag Day (Finland)
- UN Chinese Language Day (United Nations)
What Happened on 20th April?
- SpaceX's Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, launches for the first time. It explodes four minutes into flight. (2023)
- State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin: Derek Chauvin is found guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd by the Fourth Judicial District Court of Minnesota. (2021)
- For the first time in history, oil prices drop below zero, an effect of the 2020 Russia-Saudi Arabia oil price war. (2020)
- Ten people are killed in a bomb attack on a convoy carrying food supplies to a United Nations compound in Garowe in the Somali region of Puntland. (2015)
- A 6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Lushan County, Ya'an, in China's Sichuan province, killing at least 193 people and injuring thousands. (2013)
- One hundred twenty-seven people are killed when a plane crashes in a residential area near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport near Islamabad, Pakistan. (2012)
- The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers and beginning an oil spill that lasted six months. (2010)
- Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300 becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race. (2008)
- Johnson Space Center shooting: William Phillips barricades himself with a handgun in NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas before killing a male hostage and himself. (2007)
- The Nicoll Highway in Singapore collapsed, killing four workers. (2004)