Kmflett's Blog

How Engels celebrated his 70^th birthday on 28^th November 1890

Engels was born in Bremen on 28^th November 1820 but by 1890, when he turned 70, he was living in Regents Park Rd, having retired a while since from his job in the family firm in Manchester.

Writing to Laura Lafargue on 1^st December 1890 he noted that he had received numerous birthday messages and in the evening of 28^th November had celebrated with a number of comrades mainly from the  German socialist movement:

‘we kept it up till half past three in the morning, and drank besides claret, 16 bottles of champaigne- the morning we had 12 dozen oysters…One can celebrate one’s 70^th birthday only once.