April 1903

[April 1], 1903 (Wednesday)

• The Midwives Act 1902 came into effect in the UK, requiring midwives to be certified and penalizing any woman practising midwifery without certification.
• Died: Elliott Zborowski, American racing driver, race crash

[April 2], 1903 (Thursday)

• Composer Pietro Mascagni left New York City after completing a tour of the United States.

[April 3], 1903 (Friday)

• Born:
• *Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Indian social reformer and freedom fighter, in Mangalore
• *Peter Huchel, German poet, in Lichterfelde, under the name Hellmut Huchel

[April 4], 1903 (Saturday)

• In the UK, the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway and the Wrexham and District Electric Tramways both became operational.
• Democrat John Nelson Hinkle was defeated by Republican Robert H. Jeffrey in the election for Mayor of Columbus, Ohio.
• Scotland defeated England in the final match of the British Home Championship football tournament, resulting in a three-way tie for first place in the competition.

[April 5], 1903 (Sunday)

• French composer Gabriel Fauré was invested as an officer of the Légion d'honneur.

[April 7], 1903 (Tuesday)

• Died: George Chapman, 37, Polish-born serial killer known as "The Borough Poisoner", executedby hanging at Wandsworth Prison, London, UK

[April 8], 1903 (Wednesday)

• At the Camborne by-election in the UK, caused by the death of sitting Liberal MP William Sproston Caine, 74-year-old Wilfrid Lawson retained the seat for the Liberals.
• 1903 Copa del Rey Final: Athletic Bilbao defeated Madrid CF 3-2 at the Estadio del Hipódromo in Madrid, to win Spain's football cup.

[April 9], 1903 (Thursday)

• William Propsting became Premier of Tasmania.
• Three men were killed when a gun in the forward turret of the battleship shattered during firing practice.

[April 10], 1903 (Friday)

• US tycoon Joseph Pulitzer donated $2 million to Columbia University, to found a school of journalism, also making allowance for literary prizes.

[April 11], 1903 (Saturday)

• Hippolyte Aucouturier won the 8th Paris–Roubaix cycle race.
• Died: Gemma Galgani, 25, Italian mystic and Catholic saint

[April 12], 1903 (Sunday)

• A partial lunar eclipse took place.
• Born: Jan Tinbergen, Dutch economist and Nobel laureate, in The Hague

[April 13], 1903 (Monday)

• Died: Moritz Lazarus, 78, German philosopher

[April 14], 1903 (Tuesday)

• Aberdeen Football Club was founded, in Scotland.
• Two workers were killed and two injured by a delayed explosion of dynamite during construction of the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[April 18], 1903 (Saturday)

• In the UK, the 1903 FA Cup Final was won by Bury F.C., who defeated Derby County F.C. 6-0 at Crystal Palace.

[April 19], 1903 (Sunday)

• The first of the Kishinev pogroms took place in Kishinev, capital of the Bessarabia Governorate of the Russian Empire. At least 47 Jews were killed and a further 92 were seriously injured during two days of rioting, led by priests and encouraged by the press.
• Born: Eliot Ness, US law enforcement agent, in Chicago

[April 20], 1903 (Monday)

• John Aitken was elected unopposed as Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand.

[April 21], 1903 (Tuesday)

• The Norwegian steamer Freia was wrecked near Scharhörn during a passage from Kristiania to Harlingen, Friesland, Netherlands.

[April 22], 1903 (Wednesday)

• The New York Stock Exchange opened its new building in Broad Street, New York City, United States.

[April 23], 1903 (Thursday)

• The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Thomson Ritchie, announced the repeal of Corn Duty, to come into force on 1 July 1903.

[April 24], 1903 (Friday)

• Born: José Antonio Primo de Rivera, Spanish politician, in Madrid

[April 25], 1903 (Saturday)

• In the UK, the final of the rugby league Challenge Cup took place at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, and was won by Halifax, who defeated Salford 7-0.
• Born: Andrey Kolmogorov, Russian mathematician, in Tambov

[April 26], 1903 (Sunday)

• The Spanish football club Atlético Madrid was officially founded.
• The first round of voting took place in the Spanish general election.
• The 12th season of league football in Argentina began, with six teams competing.

[April 27], 1903 (Monday)

• The Jamaica Race Course opened in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, United States. The Excelsior Handicap was run for the first time as part of the opening celebrations.

[April 28], 1903 (Tuesday)

• 1903 Manzikert earthquake: An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck Manzikert in eastern Turkey. Approximately 3,500 people and 20,000 animals were killed.

[April 29], 1903 (Wednesday)

• Frank Slide: The mining town of Frank, North-West Territories, Canada, was devastated by a rockslide caused by limestone breaking off the summit of Turtle Mountain. About 70–90 people were killed, mostly buried alive.