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Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England : Traditional 'Firing the Fenny Poppers'.

'St. Martin's Day' : also known as 'Martinmas'. It was traditionally believed in rural England (UK) that the following winter would be extremely wet if there was a heavy frost on this day.

Celtic feast day of 'Martin' of Tours', hermit, monk, Bishop of Tours. Originally a soldier, then converted to Christianity (and imprisoned). Believed to be the first to conduct missionary work across the British Isles, and known for providing the basic operation and working practices of Western monasticism, later followed by all those connected with the Celtic church. Established the first monastery in Western Europe at Marmoutier. Associated with Ninian (26 August). Patron of blacksmiths, portrayed on horseback, sharing his cloak with a beggar. The cloak is said to symbolise his meeting with a naked man who he gave his cloak to (before he entered the church). Martin is then said to have dreamed that the beggar reappeared before him, as Christ.

Celtic feast day of 'Machar', also known as 'Mochunna', monk, sixth century. Lived in Iona for some tine, then travelled to Scotland on missionary work.

R.L. Stevenson, writer, born on this day 1850.

The first ship sailed through the Panama Canal on this day in 1913.

Celtic feast day of 'Matthew' (see also 21 September).

'Queens Day', the day of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I first publicly celebrated in 1570.