Monday, 31st October 1949 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's Halloween and World Cities Day. Explore 48 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 cloudy with temperatures between 0°C and 8°C. Tonight's moon is in its last quarter phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Scorpio. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Monday, 31st October in London, GB.
On the 31st October 1949, London lay beneath cloudy skies as the city moved through the final phase of autumn. The weather remained overcast throughout the day, reflecting the typical conditions of late October in the British capital. London, situated on the Thames in south-east England, has served as a major political and cultural centre for nearly two millennia, evolving from a Roman settlement into one of the world's most influential cities.
This particular date marks several significant moments in history. In 1973, three Provisional Irish Republican Army members executed a daring escape from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, boarding a hijacked helicopter that landed directly in the prison's exercise yard. More recently, in 1999, Australian sailor Jesse Martin arrived in Melbourne, becoming the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo, non-stop, and unassisted, a feat that demonstrated the enduring spirit of maritime exploration.
The astrological conditions of 31st October place this date firmly within Scorpio, the eighth sign of the zodiac. The moon occupied its last quarter phase, marking the waning period between the full moon and the new moon. This lunar position traditionally signals a time of reflection and completion as the lunar cycle approached its conclusion.
DayAtlas provides comprehensive information about any date and location, allowing users to explore historical events, weather conditions, and notable births and deaths. The platform delivers contextual information about specific places alongside meteorological data and astrological details, offering researchers and history enthusiasts a multifaceted view of any given day in time.
Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 31st October 1949
Currents pull downward; the swimmer learns to breathe there.
Fortune of the Day
31st October in the Stars – Star Sign Scorpio
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on October 31st blend Scorpio intensity with emotional depth thanks to lunar influence. They are enigmatic, magnetic, and naturally gifted at uncovering hidden truths. Their complex inner world draws people seeking genuine psychological connection and understanding.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths: profound intuition, transformative power, unwavering loyalty. Weaknesses: controlling tendencies, emotional intensity can overwhelm others, difficulty releasing attachment. Balancing power with empathy remains their central life challenge.
Love These natives crave emotional fusion and soul-deep connection rather than surface romance. Their jealousy stems from genuine passion but can strain relationships. Fidelity is sacred to them; they give everything to those they truly love.
Caree & Finance October 31st-born excel in transformation-focused fields: psychology, investigation, finance, management. Their magnetic presence makes them natural leaders. Financial security matters deeply; they build wealth through strategic planning and discipline.
Health These individuals need regular emotional release through creative or spiritual practices. Their intense inner world can trigger stress; meditation and exercise provide relief. Learning to express rather than suppress emotions is essential for wellbeing.
That night, the moon was in its last quarter phase.
Chinese year of the Ox (Earth).
Fun Facts About 31st October
Name Days in Your Language: Cruz, Flint, Flynn, Kruz, Trent, Trenton
Someone born on this day in 1949 would be 76 years old today — just 27,927 days into life, which is roughly 670,271 hours, 40,216,306 minutes, or 2,412,978,418 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 304. day of the year.
There are 61 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 44 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 31st October
- Bernard Edwards, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (died 1996) (1952)
- Joe West, American baseball umpire (1952)
- Nick Saban, American football player and coach (1951)
- Dave Trembley, American baseball player, coach, and manager (1951)
- John Candy, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter (died 1994) (1950)
- Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-English architect and academic, designed the Bridge Pavilion (died 2016) (1950)
- Jane Pauley, American journalist (1950)
- Antonio Taguba, Filipino-American general (1950)
- Mart Helme, Estonian journalist and diplomat (1949)
- Bob Siebenberg, American drummer (1949)
Lives Remembered on 31st October
- Ken Mattingly, American astronaut (born 1936) (2023)
- Peter Philpott, Australian cricketer (born 1934) (2021)
- Sean Connery, Scottish actor (born 1930) (2020)
- MF Doom, British-American rapper and record producer (born 1971) (2020)
- Willie McCovey, American baseball player (born 1938) (2018)
- Gus Savage, American businessman and politician (born 1925) (2015)
- David Manker Abshire, American commander and diplomat, United States Permanent Representative to NATO (born 1926) (2014)
- Michael Alsbury, American engineer and pilot (born 1975) (2014)
- Brad Halsey, American baseball player (born 1981) (2014)
- Hitoshi Motoshima, Japanese educator and politician (born 1922) (2014)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 31st October
- Christian feast day: Alphonsus Rodriguez
- Christian feast day: Ampliatus
- Christian feast day: Begu
- Christian feast day: Erc of Slane (in Cornwall)
- Christian feast day: Foillan (in Namur)
- Christian feast day: Martin Luther (Anglican Communion)
- Christian feast day: Paul Shinji Sasaki and Philip Lindel Tsen (Episcopal Church)
- Christian feast day: Quentin
- Christian feast day: Blessed Theodore Romzha (Ruthenian Catholic Church)
- Christian feast day: Wolfgang of Regensburg
- Christian feast day: October 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Día de la Canción Criolla (Peru)
- Earliest day on which All Saints Day can fall, while November 6 is the latest; celebrated on Saturday between October 31 and November 6 (Finland, Sweden)
- Halloween and related celebrations: Allantide (Cornwall)
- Halloween and related celebrations: Halloween (Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, United States and other places)
- Halloween and related celebrations: Hop-tu-Naa (Isle of Man)
- Halloween and related celebrations: Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere; begins on sunset of October 31 (Gaels, Welsh people and Neopagan Wheel of the Year)
- Halloween and related celebrations: The first day of the Day of the Dead, celebrated until November 2 (Mexico)
- Girl Scouts Founders Day (United States)
- King Father's Birthday (Cambodia)
- National Unity Day (India)
- Reformation Day (Slovenia, parts of Germany, Chile, various Protestant churches with a particular emphasis in Lutheran and Reformed ones)
What Happened on 31st October?
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport opens its doors after nearly 10 years of delays due to construction issues and project corruption. (2020)
- A truck drives into a crowd in Lower Manhattan, New York City, killing eight people. (2017)
- Metrojet Flight 9268 is bombed over the northern Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. (2015)
- During a test flight, the VSS Enterprise, a Virgin Galactic experimental spaceflight test vehicle, suffers a catastrophic in-flight breakup and crashes in the Mojave Desert, California. (2014)
- The global population of humans reaches seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as the Day of Seven Billion. (2011)
- Mahathir Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, marking an end to Mahathir's 22 years in power. (2003)
- A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer. (2002)
- Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been crewed continuously since then. (2000)
- Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes on takeoff from Taipei, killing 83. (2000)
- Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted. (1999)