May 19th, 1536 – Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, is executed for treason. Her downfall and execution were part of a larger political and religious conflict that would ultimately lead to the English Reformation.
May 29th, 1660 – Charles II is restored to the throne after years of republican rule under Oliver Cromwell and his son. This event is known as the Restoration and marked a return to monarchy and traditional forms of government in England.
May 1st, 1707 – The Acts of Union come into force, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The Acts of Union joined Scotland and England into one kingdom and established the framework for the modern UK.
May 10th, 1940 – Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the UK, just as Germany launches a massive invasion of Western Europe. Churchill’s leadership during the Second World War would come to define his legacy as one of Britain’s greatest statesmen.
May 4th, 1979 – Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the UK.
“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”
M. Thatcher
May 8th, 1945 – Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), marking the end of World War II in Europe.
May 24th, 1830 – The first steam locomotive passenger service begins in Britain.
May 29th, 1953 – Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
