27 March: On this day in history
What events happened on 27 March in history? We round up the events, births and deaths…
27 March 1770
Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo died in Madrid. His best-known works are frescoes he painted for, among others, the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Palazzo Labia in Venice and the Prince-Bishops' Residence in Würzburg.
27 March 1809
Georges-Eugene Haussmann is born in Paris. In the 1860s he will be employed by Napoleon III to remodel the French capital, sweeping away many of the old medieval streets and replacing them with wide boulevards.
27 March 1837
Death in Brighton of Maria Fitzherbert, the secret wife of George IV.
27 March 1871
The world's first international rugby match was played between England and Scotland at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh. The match was won by Scotland who scored a goal and a try to England's solitary try.
27 March 1881
In the then violent town of Basingstoke, troops are called to clear the streets after the Salvation Army’s anti-alcohol campaign provokes rioting by local brewery workers.
27 March 1912
Future prime minister Leonard James 'Jim' Callaghan was born in Copnor, Portsmouth. He was the only son of James Callaghan, later a chief petty officer in the Royal Navy, and his wife Charlotte.
27 March 1958
Soviet first secretary Nikita Khrushchev becomes premier of the Soviet Union after the resignation of Nicolay Bulganin. He will be forced out of office in 1964.
27 March 1963
Publication of Richard Beeching’s report on the future of Britain’s railways. This stated that large parts of the railway system were uneconomic and under-used, and called for major cuts in Britain’s railway infrastructure."
Get exclusive access to Ruth Goodman’s six-week Academy course on Victorian Life, featuring two live Q&As + a book of your choice when you subscribe to BBC History Magazine
