Today in History

[Gemini]

1477

Margery Brews sent a letter to John Paston in Norfolk, addressed - Be my olde Valentine. It is the oldest known Valentine's Day message in the English language and was uncovered by the British Library

[Gemini]

1990

Wives of Royal Navy seamen protested over a decision to allow WRENs (women sailors) to go to sea.

[Daisy]

I remember that discussion being aired.

[Gemini]

1910

Manchester United played its first game at Old Trafford. The Sporting Chronicle said "The most handsomest, the most spacious and the most remarkable arena I have ever seen. As a football ground it is unrivalled in the world, it is an honour to Manchester and the home of a team who can do wonders when they are so disposed."

[Gemini]

1938

Anthony Eden resigned as British foreign secretary after the prime minister Neville Chamberlain decided to negotiate with Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini.

[Gemini]

1988

The grave of Boadicea, the warrior queen who fought the Romans in Britain nearly 2,000 years ago, was located by archaeologists under Platform 8 at King’s Cross railway station, London. British Rail said they had just refurbished the platform and anyone wanting to dig it up would have to come up with a strong case. And they did!

[Daisy]

I'm glad the archeologists succeeded in making British Rail agree to the excavation.

[Gemini]

1963

Peter Hicks, a farmer who electrified his car to ward off traffic wardens in London's Covent Garden had to wait nine months before police returned his electric device and told him they would not be prosecuting.

[Gemini]

1809

The third Theatre Royal Drury Lane was destroyed by fire. It was uninsured and still not paid for, so it was a financial disaster for the owners, who included Sheridan.

[Gemini]

1964


Muhammad Ali becomes world heavyweight champion
Ali, who still used his original name Cassius Clay at the time, is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history.

[Daisy]

"Dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee."

[Gemini]

1999

While trying to circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon, British pilots Colin Prescot and Andy Elson set a new endurance record after being in a hot air balloon for 233 hours and 55 minutes.

[Daisy]

That's nearly 10 days!

[Gemini]

2020

The meteorological office announced that February had been the wettest in over 150 years. On a fourth consecutive weekend of terrible weather, Storm Jorge prompted weather warnings stretching from Cornwall to the north of Scotland and across to Northern Ireland.



..... and then came Covid!!!

[Daisy]

Gem, looking back on 2020 it all looks like a scenario for a far-fetched dystopian movie, doesn't it.