Historical eventDecember 81660
Margaret Hughes
Margaret Hughes (pictured) appeared professionally on the English stage; she is thought to have been the first woman to do so.
In context
- When
- Wednesday, December 8 1660366 years ago
- Category
- Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Era
- 17th century · 1660s
- Recorded from
- Wikipedia “On this day” feed
The Gregorian calendar was in use in Catholic Europe from 1582, but Britain and its colonies kept the Julian calendar until 14 September 1752 — sources from those places may date this event 10–11 days earlier.
At a glance
Dates: From 1660.
What happened
Margaret Hughes, also Peg Hughes or Margaret Hewes, was an English actress who is often credited as the first professional actress on the English stage, as a result of her appearance on 8 December 1660. Hughes was the mistress of the Royalist English Civil War general Prince Rupert of the Rhine.
December 8 through the years
Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.
- 1660Margaret Hughes
- 2010SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1
- 2010IKAROS
- 2010Solar sail
- 20132013 Little India riot
- 2013Little India, Singapore
- 2013Metallica
- 2019COVID-19
- 2024Syrian civil war
- 2024Fall of Damascus (2024)
- 2025Singapore
Also in 1660
- June 1Mary DyerMary Dyer was hanged in Boston for repeatedly defying a law banning Quakers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- November 28Robert BoyleRobert Boyle, John Wilkins, Christopher Wren and other leading scientists met at Gresham College in London to found a learned society, no…
- March 16Long ParliamentThe Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640 following the Bishops' Wars, dissolved itself.
- October 17List of regicides of Charles I of EnglandA series of executions of the commissioners who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England concluded; six were hanged, drawn a…
- February 13Charles XI of SwedenThe four-year-old Charles XI became King of Sweden upon his father's death.
Sources
- Wikipedia article (text, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 for adapted text · how we source this
Cite this page
“Margaret Hughes”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/margaret-hughes-1660-december-8, accessed October 28, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about this entry
When did Margaret Hughes happen?
December 8 1660 — 366 years ago, on a Wednesday.
Where does this text come from?
Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.
How do I cite this page?
Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.
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