What happened in 1903
13 entries recorded for 1903, listed by date. That was 123 years ago.
1903 at a glance
- Years ago
- 123 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 20th century
- Decade
- 1900s
- Generation born
- Greatest Generation
- Entries here
- 13
- Breakdown
- 13 historical events
February
- February 19
Venezuelan crisis of 1902–1903
A blockade against Venezuela (depicted), caused by President Cipriano Castro's refusal to pay foreign debts, was lifted.
- February 26
Storm Ulysses
Storm Ulysses struck Ireland, felling thousands of trees and causing damage to up to a quarter of all houses in Dublin.
March
- March 25
Scottish National Antarctic Expedition
The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (ship pictured) anchored in the South Orkney Islands with the intention of establishing the first weather station in Antarctic territory.
April
- April 19
Kishinev pogrom
Anti-Jewish riots broke out in Kishinev, the capital of Bessarabia Governorate, causing the death of nearly 50 Jews and focusing worldwide attention on the persecution of Jews in Russia.
- April 29
Frank Slide
A rockslide buried part of the Canadian mining town of Frank under 110 million tonnes of rock, killing around 70 people.
July
- July 19
Maurice Garin
French cyclist Maurice Garin won the first edition of the Tour de France.
August
- August 3
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization
Macedonian rebels in Kruševo established a republic, which existed for ten days before Ottoman forces destroyed the town.
- August 29
Russian battleship Slava
Slava, the last of five Borodino-class battleships, was launched by the Imperial Russian Navy.
September
- September 24
Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin became the second Australian prime minister, succeeding Edmund Barton, who left office to become a founding justice of the High Court of Australia.
October
- October 5
Samuel Griffith
Samuel Griffith (pictured) became the first Chief Justice of Australia, while Edmund Barton and Richard O'Connor became the first Puisne Justices of the High Court of Australia.
- October 10
Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst (pictured) founded the Women's Social and Political Union, a militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom.
November
- November 28
SS Petriana
SS Petriana struck a reef near Point Nepean, leading to Australia's first major oil spill and a debate over the White Australia policy.
December
- December 30
Iroquois Theatre fire
In one of the deadliest single-building fires in United States history, the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago killed more than 600 people.
Questions about 1903
What happened in 1903?
This site records 13 entries for 1903, including Venezuelan crisis of 1902–1903 on February 19. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1903?
123 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1903 turns 123 this year.
Which century is 1903 in?
1903 falls in the 20th century, in the 1900s.
Which generation was born in 1903?
Greatest Generation (1901–1927). Grew up in the Depression and fought in the Second World War.
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