365 Days Of Motoring

Denis Papin
Thursday 22nd August 1647 Born on this day, Denis Papin, inventor of the piston steam engine, was born in Blois, France. This British physicist, who also invented the pressure cooker, got the first seedlings of an idea when he noticed the enclosed steam in the cooker raising the lid. Why couldn’t one use steam to…
August 22, 1647
Born on this day
The first one-way streets were established in London
Wednesday 23rd August 1617 The first one-way streets were established in London. An Act of Common Council was passed to regulate the “disorder and rude behaviour of Carmen, Draymen and others using Cartes.” Seventeen narrow and congested lanes were specified. They ran into Thames Street, including Pudding Lane (where the Great Fire of London began…
August 23, 1617
On this day
Antoine de la Mothe, Le Sieur de Cadilla
Tuesday 5th March 1568 Born on this day, Antoine de la Mothe, Le Sieur de Cadillac, namesake of Cadillac cars. Cadillac was the explorer responsible for mapping the Great Lakes region of North America for the French crown and is credited as the founder of Detroit, Michigan, which today is affectionately known as the Motor…
March 5, 1568
Born on this day
The Memminger Chronicle (Germany) mentioned the trial of a carriage “without horse, oxen or people, yet the man who built it sat in it”, an event often cited as the first reference of a self-propelled vehicle
Saturday 2nd January 1447 The Memminger Chronicle (Germany) mentioned the trial of a carriage “without horse, oxen or people, yet the man who built it sat in it”, an event often cited as the first reference of a self-propelled vehicle.
January 2, 1447
On this day