January 4 » Topsy, an elephant, is electrocuted by the owners of Luna Park, Coney Island. The Edison film company records the film Electrocuting an Elephant of Topsy's death.
June 11 » A group of Serbian officers stormed the royal palace and assassinated King Alexander Obrenović and his wife, Queen Draga.
June 16 » The Ford Motor Company is incorporated.
July 1 » Start of first Tour de France bicycle race.
September 11 » The first race at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin is held. It is the oldest major speedway in the world.
October 10 » The Women's Social and Political Union is founded in support of the enfranchisement of British women.
Christening day March 8, 1903
The temperature on March 8, 1903 was between -1.1 °C and 7.4 °C and averaged 3.5 °C. There was 2.0 hours of sunshine (18%). Source: KNMI
January 17 » El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico becomes part of the United States National Forest System as the Luquillo Forest Reserve.
March 14 » Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the first national wildlife refuge in the US, is established by President Theodore Roosevelt.
April 29 » A landslide kills 70 people in Frank, in the District of Alberta, Canada.
July 23 » The Ford Motor Company sells its first car.
August 18 » German engineer Karl Jatho allegedly flies his self-made, motored gliding airplane four months before the first flight of the Wright brothers.
October 6 » The High Court of Australia sits for the first time.
Day of marriage December 31, 1919
The temperature on December 31, 1919 was between 3.6 °C and 10.0 °C and averaged 7.3 °C. There was 8.6 mm of rain. There was 0.6 hours of sunshine (8%). The average windspeed was 6 Bft (strong wind) and was prevailing from the south-southwest. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from September 9, 1918 to September 18, 1922 the cabinet Ruys de Beerenbrouck I, with Jonkheer mr. Ch.J.M. Ruys de Beerenbrouck (RKSP) as prime minister.
January 18 » Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes Prime Minister of the newly independent Poland.
April 10 » Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos.
June 2 » Anarchists simultaneously set off bombs in eight separate U.S. cities.
October 28 » The U.S. Congress passes the Volstead Act over President Wilson's veto, paving the way for Prohibition to begin the following January.
December 1 » Lady Astor becomes the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. (She had been elected to that position on November 28.)
December 21 » American anarchist Emma Goldman is deported to Russia.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Gert Esterhuizen, "Family tree Eric Esterhuizen", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-eric-esterhuizen/I14478.php : accessed January 6, 2026), "Heila Magdalena Elizabeth Catharina PRETORIUS (1903-)".
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