Tuesday, 20th August 1957 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's World Mosquito Day. Explore 61 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 15°C and 21°C. Tonight's moon is in its first quarter phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Leo. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Tuesday, 20th August in London, GB.
On 20th August 1989, the pleasure boat Marchioness collided with the dredger Bowbelle on the River Thames in London, resulting in one of the capital's worst maritime disasters. The vessel sank in approximately thirty seconds, claiming 51 lives in what remains a significant tragedy in British maritime history. This incident highlighted safety concerns on one of England's most historically important waterways, which has served as a vital commercial and transport route for centuries. London itself, situated on the Thames in south-east England, remains a major global financial and cultural centre with a population exceeding nine million in its metropolitan area.
Historical events recorded on this date extend across centuries. In 1998, the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan was destroyed by a missile attack launched by the United States in response to the August 7 embassy bombings. Similarly, in 2018, Silent Sam, a Confederate monument located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was toppled by protestors during the ongoing debates surrounding commemorative statues in the United States. These events illustrate how specific dates can mark pivotal moments in social and political discourse across different nations and time periods.
On Tuesday, 20th August 1957, London experienced drizzly weather conditions typical of the British summer season. The zodiac sign for this date falls under Leo, whilst the moon was in its first quarter phase. DayAtlas provides comprehensive information about weather conditions, significant events, and notable births and deaths for any specified date and location, making it a useful resource for historical research and astronomical tracking.
Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 20th August 1957
Contradictions are the soil where understanding grows.
Fortune of the Day
20th August in the Stars – Star Sign Leo
Personality Profile
Personality People born on 20 August blend classic Leo boldness with Jupiter's expansive wisdom. They pursue grand visions and inspire others through infectious enthusiasm. An optimistic outlook and drive for personal growth deeply shape their character.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths include creativity, generosity, and natural leadership abilities. Jupiter's influence enhances intellectual curiosity and philosophical depth. Weaknesses emerge through overconfidence or attempting everything on a massive scale.
Love These natives seek partners who share their passion and ambitions. They love intensely and dramatically, yet crave intellectual substance too. Loyalty and admiration are essential for them to feel truly fulfilled.
Caree & Finance Well-suited to leadership roles, creative ventures, and entrepreneurship. Their expansive nature draws them toward influential projects and big-picture thinking. Financial generosity is a strength but requires conscious management.
Health Natural vitality and abundant energy characterize their physical constitution. Regular movement and creative expression keep them balanced. Channeling their intensity and avoiding burnout remain important priorities.
That night, the moon was in its first quarter phase.
Chinese year of the Rooster (Fire).
Fun Facts About 20th August
Name Days in Your Language: Barnard, Bernard, Bernardo, Filbert, Philbert, Rey, Reyna, Reynalda, Reynaldo, Reynold
Someone born on this day in 1957 would be 68 years old today — just 25,078 days into life, which is roughly 601,883 hours, 36,113,015 minutes, or 2,166,780,902 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 232. day of the year.
There are 133 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 34 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 20th August
- Dom Duff, Breton singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer (1960)
- Mark Langston, American baseball player (1960)
- Nigel Dodds, Northern Irish lawyer and politician (1958)
- Patricia Rozema, Canadian director and screenwriter (1958)
- David O. Russell, American director and screenwriter (1958)
- John Stehr, American journalist (1958)
- Finlay Calder, Scottish rugby player (1957)
- Jim Calder, Scottish rugby player (1957)
- Simon Donaldson, English mathematician and academic (1957)
- Sorin Antohi, Romanian journalist and historian (1957)
Lives Remembered on 20th August
- Al Attles, American basketball player and coach (born 1936) (2024)
- Darya Dugina, Russian journalist (born 1992) (2022)
- Igor Vovkovinskiy, Ukrainian-American law student and actor, American tallest person (born 1982) (2021)
- Uri Avnery, Israeli writer, politician and peace activist (born 1923) (2018)
- Jennifer Ramírez Rivero, Venezuelan model (born 1978) (2018)
- Jerry Lewis, American actor and comedian (born 1926) (2017)
- Egon Bahr, German journalist and politician, Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany (born 1922) (2015)
- Paul Kibblewhite, New Zealand chemist and engineer (born 1941) (2015)
- Frank Wilkes, Australian soldier and politician (born 1922) (2015)
- Anton Buslov, Russian astrophysicist and journalist (born 1983) (2014)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 20th August
- Christian feast day: Amadour
- Christian feast day: Bernard of Clairvaux
- Christian feast day: Blessed Georg Häfner
- Christian feast day: Heliodorus of Bet Zabdai
- Christian feast day: Maria De Mattias
- Christian feast day: Oswine of Deira
- Christian feast day: Philibert of Jumièges
- Christian feast day: Samuel (prophet)
- Christian feast day: William and Catherine Booth (Church of England)
- Christian feast day: August 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Feast of Asmá’ (Baháʼí Faith, only if Baháʼí Naw-Rúz falls on March 21)
- Indian Akshay Urja Day (India)
- Independence Restoration Day (Estonia), re-declaration of the independence of Estonia from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Meitei Language Day, also known as Manipuri Language Day, the day on which Meitei (Manipuri) was included in the scheduled languages' list and made one of the official languages of India.
- Revolution of the King and the People (Morocco)
- Saint Stephen's Day (Hungary)
- World Mosquito Day
What Happened on 20th August?
- Joe Biden gives his acceptance speech virtually for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. (2020)
- Fifty-four people are killed when a suicide bomber detonates himself at a Kurdish wedding party in Gaziantep, Turkey. (2016)
- Seventy-two people are killed in Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture by a series of landslides caused by a month's worth of rain that fell in one day. (2014)
- A prison riot in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, kills at least 20 people. (2012)
- First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard. (2011)
- Spanair Flight 5022, from Madrid, Spain to Gran Canaria, skids off the runway and crashes at Barajas Airport. Of the 172 people on board, 146 die immediately, and eight more later die of injuries sustained in the crash. (2008)
- China Airlines Flight 120 catches fire and explodes after landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan. (2007)
- Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP S. Sivamaharajah is shot dead at his home in Tellippalai. (2006)
- A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering. (2002)
- The Supreme Court of Canada rules that Quebec cannot legally secede from Canada without the federal government's approval. (1998)