HomeTrendingDecember 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

Posted on December 1, 2020

Today is, according to Wikipedia, the anniversary of a man named John Evelyn ice skating on a frozen lake in St. James Park, in London, England, in 1662.

December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry
This photo of people skating on the lake in St. James
Park was taken about 300 years after Evelyn’s skate.
We don’t have any photos of people skating –
or doing anything! – back then!



Ummm…Wikipedia, why do we care about a man going ice skating?

Well, the apparent claim to fame is that Evelyn’s skating was observed by the King and Queen of England – Charles II and Queen Catherine.

Still not sure why we care, but I gamely clicked the link to see if there was something interesting about this skate. And despite myself, I became interested, because Evelyn is described as a “diarist.” 

As in, one who keeps a diary.

December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

Apparently John Evelyn (1620 – 1706) kept a diary from age 20 until his death. He sometimes wrote daily, but at other times did
not. He wrote about art, culture, politics, and important events. Like the execution of Charles 1, Oliver Cromwell’s rise and rule and death, the last Great Plague of London, and the Great Fire of London.


With 60 years worth of diary entries, as you can imagine there are many volumes in Evelyn’s diary!

And the thing is – back in the 1600s, there weren’t regularly published materials like magazines and newspapers. So you can see why Evelyn’s diary and those of other diarists of his time are quite important to historians!!

December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry


I am still not a bit sure why Wikipedia has the ice skating outing listed in its December 1 events – I mean, seriously, there are only 49 events listed for this date – in all the thousand or two thousand years of history included in Wikipedia’s roundup! But I am also glad to have been tipped off about the importance (back then) of those who simply keep a diary!


Also on this date:

December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary EntryAdvent begins 



December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry
Freedom and Democracy Day in Chad
December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry






National Holiday in Romania






December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry


Rosa Parks Day



December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry



Portugal’s Restoration of Independence Day





December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry


Pay It Forward Day


December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry


Antarctica Day






December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary EntryRepublic Day in Central African Republic


December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary EntryBirthday of poetaster Julia Ann Moore









December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

Bingo Birthday Month



December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

Giving Tuesday







December 1 – Anniversary of a Diary Entry

World Trick Shot Day

(First Tuesday of December)




Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest pages on:
  • December holidays 
  • December birthdays
  • Historical anniversaries in December

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

  • January holidays 
  • January birthdays 
  • Historical anniversaries in January




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