Happy Birthday July 1

The French writer George Sand (real name Aurora Dupin) was born in Paris on July 1, 1804. She was notorious for wearing trousers, smoking cigars and  penning her literary works under a male pseudonym. Dupin's refusal to act like a "real woman" made her  popular among the artists and intelligentsia of her time and helped ignite the woman's revolution.

Diana, Princess of Wales was born on July 1, 1961, in Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk. She was named after Diana Russell, an 18th century ancestor. Russell was born Lady Diana Spencer, was often called Di, and very nearly the married the then Prince of Wales. Diana failed all her O-level school examinations twice, and described herself as being "as thick as a plank." She did win a school award for having the ‘best-kept guinea pig’ and a school cup for ‘helpfulness’.

For more July 1 anniversaries, the closest passing of a comet to The Earth in recorded history, the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg and the marriage of Dwight Eisenhower to Mamie Geneva Doud check out OnThatDay.