Friday, 31st January 2020 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! Explore 57 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 9°C and 11°C. Tonight's moon is in its waning gibbous phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Aquarius. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Friday, 31st January in London, GB.
Friday, 31st January 2020 in London presented conditions typical of the capital's winter climate, with drizzly weather marking the day. The moon was in its waning gibbous phase, gradually diminishing in brightness as it progressed towards the new moon. For those born on this date, Aquarius was the governing zodiac sign, characterising individuals born during this period with traits associated with the water bearer.
London, situated in south-eastern England on the River Thames, serves as the United Kingdom's capital and largest city. The metropolis hosts significant historical institutions and continues to function as a major global centre for finance, culture and politics. On this particular date, the city experienced the kind of atmospheric conditions that define much of the British winter season.
Several significant historical events have been recorded on 31st January across different centuries. In 1961, the chimpanzee Ham became the first hominid to be launched into outer space aboard NASA's Mercury-Redstone 2, marking a pivotal moment in the history of space exploration and animal research programmes. Decades earlier, in 1578, Spanish forces achieved a decisive victory at the Battle of Gembloux during the Eighty Years' War, an outcome that significantly threatened the stability of the States General of the Netherlands and prompted its relocation from Brussels to Antwerp.
DayAtlas provides a comprehensive platform for exploring historical context tied to specific dates and locations. The site displays weather patterns for any selected day, catalogues notable events that occurred on that date, and documents famous births and deaths throughout history. This combination of features allows users to understand the broader historical and meteorological significance of any given calendar date.
Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 31st January 2020
Stones rejected by builders become another's foundation.
Fortune of the Day
31st January in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on January 31st blend classic Capricorn ambition with Mercury's intellect and communication skills. They appear serious and dependable, yet their minds work quickly across multiple interests. The numerological 5 introduces restlessness into their structured nature, creating tension between stability and change.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths include strategic thinking, organizational mastery, and intellectual versatility. They work conscientiously and remain loyal. Weaknesses: tendency toward perfectionism, emotional reserve, and occasional impatience with others' pace.
Love These individuals seek partners with intelligence and reliability. They express feelings through actions rather than words, needing time to trust. Long-term bonds flourish when both value intellectual depth alongside practical stability.
Caree & Finance Careers in management, law, science, or communication suit them well. They handle finances methodically and save strategically. Mercury's influence makes them skilled mediators between ideas and execution.
Health Regular physical activity matters—nervous energy builds without outlet. Mental challenges keep them balanced. They should reframe rest as essential, not weakness, and prioritize sleep to maintain rational clarity.
That night, the moon was in its waning gibbous phase.
Chinese year of the Rat (Metal).
Fun Facts About 31st January
Name Days in Your Language: Cyrus, Kira, Kyra, Lona, Loni, Lonnie, Scarlett, Zane
Someone born on this day in 2020 would be 6 years old today — just 2,258 days into life, which is roughly 54,195 hours, 3,251,736 minutes, or 195,104,180 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 31. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 335 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 5 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 31st January
- Sára Bejlek, Czech tennis player (2006)
- Gianluca Prestianni, Argentine footballer (2006)
- Hong Ye-ji, South Korean actress (2002)
- Beñat Turrientes, Spanish footballer (2002)
- Julián Alvarez, Argentine footballer (2000)
- Beto, Portuguese and Bissau-Guinean footballer (1998)
- Jalen McDaniels, American basketball player (1998)
- Arnaut Danjuma, Dutch footballer (1997)
- Donte DiVincenzo, American basketball player (1997)
- Miyeon, South Korean singer and actress (1997)
Lives Remembered on 31st January
- Rasual Butler, American professional basketball player (born 1979) (2018)
- Leah LaBelle, American singer (born 1986) (2018)
- Rob Stewart, Canadian filmmaker (born 1979) (2017)
- Terry Wogan, Irish radio and television host (born 1938) (2016)
- Vic Howe, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1929) (2015)
- Udo Lattek, German footballer, coach and journalist (born 1935) (2015)
- Lizabeth Scott, American actress (born 1922) (2015)
- Richard von Weizsäcker, German captain and politician, 6th President of Germany (born 1920) (2015)
- Anna Gordy Gaye, American songwriter and producer, co-founded Anna Records (born 1922) (2014)
- Abdirizak Haji Hussein, Somalian politician, 4th Prime Minister of Somalia (born 1924) (2014)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 31st January
- Christian feast day: Domitius (Domice) of Amiens
- Christian feast day: Francis Xavier Bianchi
- Christian feast day: Geminianus
- Christian feast day: John Bosco
- Christian feast day: Julius of Novara
- Christian feast day: Blessed Ludovica
- Christian feast day: Máedóc (Mogue, Aiden)
- Christian feast day: Marcella of Marseille
- Christian feast day: Marcella of Rome
- Christian feast day: Samuel Shoemaker (Episcopal Church (USA))
- Christian feast day: Tysul
- Christian feast day: Ulphia
- Christian feast day: Wilgils
- Christian feast day: January 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Amartithi (Meherabad, India, followers of Meher Baba)
- Independence Day (Nauru), celebrates independence from Australia in 1968.
- Street Children's Day (Austria)
What Happened on 31st January?
- Med Jets Flight 056 crashes near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, killing 8 people and injuring 23. (2025)
- The last Boeing 747, the first wide-body airliner, is delivered to Atlas Air and operated for ApexLogistics. The aircraft was registered as N863GT and named "Empower". (2023)
- Sue Gray, a senior civil servant in the United Kingdom, publishes an initial version of her report on the Downing Street Partygate controversy. (2022)
- The United Kingdom's membership within the European Union ceases in accordance with Article 50, after 47 years of being a member state. (2020)
- Abdullah of Pahang is sworn in as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. (2019)
- At least 113 people are killed in Kenya and over 200 injured following an oil spillage ignition in Molo, days after a massive fire at a Nakumatt supermarket in Nairobi killed at least 25 people. (2009)
- Emergency officials in Boston mistakenly identify battery-powered LED placards depicting characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force as Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), causing a panic. (2007)
- The Waterfall rail accident occurs near Waterfall, New South Wales, Australia. (2003)
- In the Netherlands, a Scottish court convicts Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and acquits another Libyan citizen for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. (2001)
- Two Japan Airlines planes nearly collide over Suruga Bay in Japan. (2001)