If you have wanted to understand the history behind Friday 13th, you have come to the right place. In fact, we have created the definitive guide to the unluckiest day of the year, after surveying Great Britain to understand just how superstitious the nation really is.
So, if you are one of the 49 million Britons that dread a Friday 13th, allow us to add to your greatest fears by showing you some of the troubling coincidences that have happened on this most feared of days.
So, let’s get started:
- Forget walking under a ladder, superstitious people from the South-East think that if they walk under scaffolding it will attract bad luck. As you can imagine, this means that construction companies are not that popular in the area!
- It is a common belief by superstitious people that if your left ear is burning someone is speaking highly of you. However, if your right ear is burning someone is speaking negatively about you. If both are burning, you are someone who certainly makes your mark in one way or another!
- It is believed by superstitious people that if you ever find a comb on the floor, you should never pick it up. It is said to belong to a scary Irish spirit called the Banshee and picking it up will bring bad luck.
- Fashion designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (who just happen to be famous twins) were actually born on Friday, 13th June in 1986. They are the only set of famous twins that we have found born on this day, but feel free to reach out and let us know if we are wrong.
- On Friday 13th 1307, King Philip IV of France commanded for hundreds of members of the Knights Templar to be arrested, they were then tortured and burned alive.
- The European Union announced that 10 new countries would become members from May 2004, the announcement was made on Friday 13th. This seems an eternity before the Brexit vote and the UK’s decision to leave the single block.
- On Friday 13th 1989, stock markets crashed causing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop down by 190.58 points. Apparently, this was caused due to the breakdown of a UAL Corporation deal worth $6.75 billion.
- According to Zoopla, properties that are the number 13 are around £9,000 cheaper than other properties due to superstitious beliefs surrounding the number 13.
- The Aeroflot Flight 217 from Paris to Moscow crashed on approach to Sheremetyevo killing all 164 passengers and all 10 crew members.
- The Costa Concordia Disaster occurred on Friday 13th and involved a sinking cruise ship that killed at least 32. The cruise set sail with 3,206 passengers on board not including crew members.
- Data compiled by TheKnot.com revealed that 1,345 fewer couples wed on Friday 13th July 2012 compared with the following Friday. The only surprise here is that the number is not a little bigger!
- In the North West, 29% of residents believe that breaking a mirror will cause the most amount of bad luck.
- And now, as Monty Python would say, for something completely different. In 2015, Taylor Swift announced that she considers 13 to be her lucky number. She was born on the 13th of December, she turned 13 on Friday 13th and her first album went gold in 13 weeks.
