Friday, 20th May 1983 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's World Bee Day and World Metrology 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 rainy with temperatures between 6°C and 14°C. Tonight's moon is in its waning gibbous 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 Friday, 20th May in London, GB.
On 20 May 1983, London experienced rainy weather as the city remained under the influence of a waning gibbous moon. The capital, located in south-east England on the River Thames, serves as the political and economic centre of the United Kingdom and has been a major settlement for nearly two millennia. Residents born on this date fell under the Taurus zodiac sign, characterised by its association with stability and determination.
Throughout history, 20 May has marked several significant moments that shaped international affairs and scientific progress. In 1927, the Treaty of Jeddah represented a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics when the United Kingdom formally recognised the sovereignty of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud over Hejaz and Nejd, territories that would subsequently merge to form modern Saudi Arabia. Decades earlier, in 1875, representatives from seventeen countries gathered to sign the Metre Convention, establishing an institute dedicated to coordinating international metrology and advancing the development of the metric system that would eventually standardise measurements across much of the world.
The date has also witnessed tragic events that claimed numerous lives and caused substantial material losses. In 2012, a major earthquake struck Northern Italy, resulting in seven deaths and leaving widespread damage in affected regions. These historical occurrences underscore how single dates can encompass both achievements in human cooperation and the devastating consequences of natural disasters.
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What the Weather Had in Store for London on 20th May 1983
True strength reveals itself in the choice to yield.
Fortune of the Day
20th May in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on 20 May blend Taurus steadiness with Mercurial intellect, creating thoughtful communicators grounded in practicality. They navigate life with deliberation, appreciating both sensory pleasures and mental stimulation. This combination generates quiet confidence and genuine interest in others.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths include patience, clear thinking, and natural charm from Venus influence. Weaknesses involve occasional stubbornness, overthinking through Mercury, and resistance to change. Finding balance between analytical mind and intuitive body requires awareness.
Love These natives seek sensual, lasting partnerships with genuine conversation. They value both physical intimacy and intellectual engagement equally. Loyalty is non-negotiable—they expect commitment and offer unwavering dedication in return.
Caree & Finance Professionally, they excel where communication meets patience: teaching, negotiation, craftsmanship, writing. Financially shrewd and methodical, they steadily build security. Analytical nature prevents impulsive decisions but may cause missed opportunities.
Health Moderate, consistent movement suits their bodies best. Mental peace matters as much as physical exercise—overthinking disrupts nervous system balance. Enjoying food mindfully, combined with gentle routine, sustains long-term wellbeing.
That night, the moon was in its waning gibbous phase.
Chinese year of the Pig (Water).
Fun Facts About 20th May
Name Days in Your Language: Bernadette, Bernardina, Bernardine, Bernetta, Bernita
Someone born on this day in 1983 would be 42 years old today — just 15,665 days into life, which is roughly 375,981 hours, 22,558,893 minutes, or 1,353,533,585 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 140. day of the year.
There are 225 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 20 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 20th May
- Dexter Blackstock, English footballer (1986)
- Stéphane Mbia, Cameroonian footballer (1986)
- Jiřina Svobodová, Czech pole vaulter (1986)
- Chris Froome, Kenyan-English cyclist (1985)
- Brendon Goddard, Australian footballer (1985)
- Mauro Rafael da Silva, Brazilian footballer (1984)
- Patrick Ewing Jr., American basketball player (1984)
- Keith Grennan, American football player (1984)
- N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Indian Film Actor (1983)
- Óscar Cardozo, Paraguayan footballer (1983)
Lives Remembered on 20th May
- George Wendt, American actor and comedian (born 1948) (2025)
- Ivan Boesky, American stock trader (born 1937) (2024)
- Roger Angell, American sportswriter and author (born 1920) (2022)
- Susan Roces, Filipino actress (born 1941) (2022)
- Gary Wilson, American anti-pornography activist (born 1956) (2021)
- Niki Lauda, Austrian race car driver (born 1949) (2019)
- Kho Jabing, Malaysian convicted murderer who was executed by hanging in Singapore (born 1984) (2016)
- Bob Belden, American saxophonist, composer, and producer (born 1956) (2015)
- Femi Robinson, Nigerian actor and playwright (born 1940) (2015)
- Sandra Bem, American psychologist and academic (born 1944) (2014)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 20th May
- Christian feast day: Abercius and Helena
- Christian feast day: Alcuin of York
- Christian feast day: Aurea of Ostia
- Christian feast day: Austregisilus
- Christian feast day: Baudilus
- Christian feast day: Bernardino of Siena
- Christian feast day: Ivo of Chartres
- Christian feast day: Lucifer of Cagliari
- Christian feast day: Sanctan
- Christian feast day: May 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Day of Remembrance (Cambodia)
- Emancipation Day (Florida)
- European Maritime Day (European Council)
- Independence Restoration Day, celebrates the independence of East Timor from Indonesia in 2002.
- Josephine Baker Day (NAACP)
- National Awakening Day (Indonesia), and its related observances: Indonesian Doctor Day (Indonesia)
- National Day (Cameroon)
- World Bee Day
- World Metrology Day
- Doug the Pug Day (Nashville, Tennessee)
What Happened on 20th May?
- Russo-Ukrainian war: Russia claims full control of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol after a nearly three-month siege. (2022)
- The International System of Units (SI): The base units are redefined, making the international prototype of the kilogram obsolete. (2019)
- The government of Singapore authorised the controversial execution of convicted murderer Kho Jabing for the murder of a Chinese construction worker despite the international pleas for clemency, notably from Amnesty International and the United Nations. (2016)
- An EF5 tornado strikes the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, killing 24 people and injuring 377 others. (2013)
- At least 27 people are killed and 50 others injured when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Italy. (2012)
- Mamata Banerjee is sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, the first woman to hold this post. (2011)
- An Indonesian Air Force Lockheed L-100 Hercules crashes in Magetan Regency, killing 99. (2009)
- The independence of East Timor is recognized by Portugal, formally ending 23 years of Indonesian rule and three years of provisional UN administration (Portugal itself is the former colonizer of East Timor until 1976). (2002)
- Civil rights: The Supreme Court of the United States rules in Romer v. Evans against a law that would have prevented any city, town or county in the state of Colorado from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to protect the rights of gays and lesbians. (1996)
- The first post-Communist presidential and parliamentary elections are held in Romania. (1990)