Wednesday, 21st June 1978 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's World Music Day and International Day of Yoga and World Giraffe Day. Explore 50 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 10°C and 16°C. Tonight's moon is in its waning crescent phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Cancer. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Wednesday, 21st June in London, GB.
Wednesday, 21st June 1978 saw London settled under drizzly conditions, the kind of weather typical of an English summer. The capital, home to over seven million residents at the time, sprawls across both sides of the Thames and serves as the political and cultural centre of the United Kingdom. The date marked the summer solstice, with the sun reaching its highest point in the northern hemisphere, whilst those born under the sign of Cancer entered their astrological season. Above, the moon hung as a waning crescent, visible only as a thin sliver in the pre-dawn sky.
Historical parallels can be drawn to earlier events recorded on this date across centuries. In 1948, the Manchester Baby, the world's first stored-program computer, successfully ran its first program, representing a watershed moment in technological development. Similarly, Ellen Fairclough's appointment to Canada's cabinet in 1957 marked a significant breakthrough in political representation, as she became the first woman to achieve such a position in the nation's government.
These historical milestones underscore the importance of tracking significant moments across time and geography. DayAtlas provides comprehensive information for any chosen date and location, displaying historical events, weather patterns, and notable births and deaths that occurred on that specific day. Users can explore how different dates have shaped history whilst also understanding the atmospheric conditions that existed during those defining moments.
Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 21st June 1978
Threads woven tight today hold fabric whole through years.
Fortune of the Day
21st June in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on 21st June blend emotional depth with spiritual sensitivity. Neptune's influence gifts them an artistic, dreamy quality that transcends typical Cancer characteristics. They are intuitive souls seeking emotional security and meaningful connections.
Strengths & Weaknesses Their greatest strength lies in compassion and empathy—they sense unspoken feelings naturally. However, emotional overwhelm and difficulty setting boundaries can challenge them. Escapism through excessive daydreaming presents a potential pitfall.
Love These individuals love deeply and loyally, seeking emotional merger rather than surface-level romance. Their idealistic vision of partnership can lead to disappointment when reality doesn't match their dreams.
Caree & Finance They thrive in creative, nurturing professions like therapy, art, or social work. Financial stability matters for emotional security, yet they may drift into impractical money management habits.
Health Their health intertwines closely with emotional wellbeing. Regular mindfulness, creative expression, and nature time help them stay grounded and balanced.
That night, the moon was in its waning crescent phase.
Chinese year of the Horse (Earth).
Fun Facts About 21st June
Name Days in Your Language: Summer, Willard, Winston, Winton
Someone born on this day in 1978 would be 47 years old today — just 17,462 days into life, which is roughly 419,101 hours, 25,146,113 minutes, or 1,508,766,839 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 172. day of the year.
There are 193 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 25 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 21st June
- Yann Danis, Canadian ice hockey player (1981)
- Garrett Jones, American baseball player (1981)
- Brandon Flowers, American singer-songwriter (1981)
- Brad Walker, American pole vaulter (1981)
- Michael Crocker, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster (1980)
- Łukasz Cyborowski, Polish chess player (1980)
- Richard Jefferson, American basketball player (1980)
- Sendy Rleal, Dominican baseball player (1980)
- Kostas Katsouranis, Greek footballer (1979)
- Chris Pratt, American actor (1979)
Lives Remembered on 21st June
- Frederick Crews, American essayist and literary critic (born 1933) (2024)
- Winnie Ewing, Scottish politician (born 1929) (2023)
- Charles Krauthammer, American columnist and conservative political commentator (born 1950) (2018)
- Pierre Lalonde, Canadian television host and singer (born 1941) (2016)
- Darryl Hamilton, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1964) (2015)
- Veijo Meri, Finnish author and poet (born 1928) (2015)
- Remo Remotti, Italian actor, playwright, and poet (born 1924) (2015)
- Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski, German soldier and politician (born 1932) (2015)
- Gunther Schuller, American horn player, composer, and conductor (born 1925) (2015)
- Yozo Ishikawa, Japanese politician, Japanese Minister of Defense (born 1925) (2014)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 21st June
- Christian feast day: Alban of Mainz
- Christian feast day: Aloysius Gonzaga
- Christian feast day: Engelmund of Velsen
- Christian feast day: Martin of Tongres
- Christian feast day: Onesimos Nesib (Lutheran)
- Christian feast day: June 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Day of the Martyrs (Togo)
- Father's Day (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Uganda, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates)
- Go Skateboarding Day
- International Yoga Day (international)
- National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): Day of Private Reflection (Northern Ireland)
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): International Surfing Day
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): National Day (Greenland)
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): We Tripantu, a winter solstice festival in the southern hemisphere. (Mapuche, southern Chile)
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): Willkakuti, an Andean-Amazonic New Year (Aymara)
- Solstice-related observances (see also June 20): Fête de la Musique
- World Humanist Day (Humanism)
- World Hydrography Day (international)
What Happened on 21st June?
- A hot air balloon catches fire mid-flight and crashes in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, Brazil, killing 8 of the 21 on board. (2025)
- A boat carrying more than 200 migrants capsizes in the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian island of Java and Christmas Island, killing 17 people and leaving 70 others missing. (2012)
- An Indonesian Air Force Fokker F27 Friendship crashes near Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, killing 11. (2012)
- Greenland assumes self-rule. (2009)
- Pluto's newly discovered moons are officially named Nix and Hydra. (2006)
- A Yeti Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter crashes at Jumla Airport in Nepal, killing nine people. (2006)
- Edgar Ray Killen, who had previously been unsuccessfully tried for the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Mickey Schwerner, is convicted of manslaughter 41 years afterwards (the case had been reopened in 2004). (2005)
- SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spaceplane to achieve spaceflight. (2004)
- A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicts 13 Saudis and a Lebanese in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen. (2001)
- Section 28 (of the Local Government Act 1988), outlawing the 'promotion' of homosexuality in the United Kingdom, is repealed in Scotland with a 99 to 17 vote. (2000)