World Events in 1911
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
On 25 March, 146 garment workers — mostly young immigrant women — died in a fire in New York City. Locked doors and inadequate fire escapes caused the tragedy, sparking major labour and safety reforms across the US.
Coronation of George V
George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 22 June in an elaborate ceremony attended by representatives from across the Empire. A grand coronation durbar was later held in Delhi.
Chinese Revolution
The Wuchang Uprising in October began the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty. Sun Yat-sen was declared provisional president of the new Republic of China, ending over two millennia of imperial rule.
Agadir Crisis
Germany sent the gunboat Panther to Agadir, Morocco, challenging French influence. Britain backed France firmly, and the crisis deepened the Anglo-French alliance while hardening European alliance blocs.
Amundsen reaches the South Pole
Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian team reached the South Pole on 14 December, beating Robert Falcon Scott's British expedition. Amundsen's meticulous planning and use of sled dogs proved decisive.
Music in 1911
"I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am"
Harry Champion
A raucous music hall favourite that became one of the most recognisable songs of the Edwardian era, performed in halls across Britain.
"Alexander's Ragtime Band"
Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan
Irving Berlin's breakthrough hit that made ragtime a national craze. It was the best-selling song of the year and launched Berlin's legendary career.
#1 Film of 1911
L'Inferno
Box Office: N/A
The first Italian feature-length film, a spectacular adaptation of Dante's Inferno with pioneering special effects that took three years to produce.
Born in 1911
Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States and former Hollywood actor
Lucille Ball
American actress and comedian, star of I Love Lucy
Mahalia Jackson
American gospel singer known as the Queen of Gospel
Tennessee Williams
American playwright of A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie
William Golding
British novelist and Nobel laureate, author of Lord of the Flies
Lost in 1911
W.S. Gilbert
English dramatist and librettist of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas
Age 74
Gustav Mahler
Austrian composer and conductor of late-Romantic symphonies
Age 50
Joseph Pulitzer
American newspaper publisher and namesake of the Pulitzer Prize
Age 64
Technology in 1911
Automobiles were becoming more reliable and affordable. The first airmail was carried in India. Refrigeration was beginning to change food storage, and the self-starter for cars was being developed by Charles Kettering at General Motors.
- ● Roald Amundsen's team reached the South Pole using cutting-edge sledging equipment
- ● Charles Kettering invented the electric starter motor for automobiles
- ● The first official airmail flight took place in Allahabad, India
- ● Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity
Cost of Living in 1911
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £260 | $3,250 |
| Average salary | £72 | $580 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | 7¢ |
| Loaf of bread | 2½d | 5¢ |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 2d | 33¢ |
| Pint of beer | 2d | 5¢ |
Shop 1911 memorabilia on eBay/Amazon
The Zeitgeist of 1911
George V's coronation brought pomp and celebration to Britain, though labour strikes and suffragette militancy simmered beneath the surface. Ragtime was sweeping dance halls on both sides of the Atlantic. In America, Ty Cobb dominated baseball and the first Indianapolis 500 was held. Silent cinema was booming, with purpose-built picture palaces opening in every town.
In the News in 1911
The Agadir Crisis between France and Germany over Morocco heightened European tensions. Britain was gripped by a summer heatwave and a national railway strike. In the US, Standard Oil was broken up by the Supreme Court in a landmark antitrust ruling.