February 4, 1716

James VIII of Scotland escapes to France, concluding the Jacobite rising of 1715

Prince James Francis Edward Stuart or Stewart (June 10, 1688 - January 01, 1766) was a claimant of the thrones of Scotland and England (September 16, 1701 - January 01, 1766) who is more commonly referred to as The Old Pretender. His Jacobite supporters referred to him as James III of England and VIII of Scotland, and he was a key figure in the history of the British monarchy, although his personality was not such as to have made a great impact.

February 4, 1953

WW2 Rationing of chocolate and sweets finally ended

Rationing of chocolate and sweets in the United Kingdom, which was imposed during World War II as part of the broader system of rationing, finally ended on February 5, 1953. The rationing system was introduced during the war to ensure the fair distribution of food and goods, which were in short supply due to the conflict and the blockading of trade routes.

February 4, 1775

Robert Emmett, Irish patriot, born

February 4, 1941

SS Politician ran aground on Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides

The SS Politician, a British cargo ship, famously ran aground off the coast of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, on February 5, 1941. The incident became legendary, especially because the ship was carrying a significant cargo, including 264,000 bottles of whisky, which was highly prized during the wartime rationing period.