Today in History

[Gemini]

1868

A team of Aboriginal cricketers arrived in England to play 47 matches. They preceded a white Australian team by more than ten years.

[Daisy]

That must have been quite an adventure for them - the sea voyage would have taken weeks!

[Gemini]

1894

Blackpool Tower first opened to the public who paid a 6d (six pence) entrance fee, six pence more for a ride in the lifts to the top, and a further six pence for the circus.



That was quite a lot of money at that time!

[Daisy]

Gem, I love Blackpool Tower. When I was a child our annual week's holiday in Blackpool always included the circus, and I was fascinated that at the end of the show the circus ring would sort of disappear and fountains would fill the area. I loved the Wurlitzer in the ballroom as well! But I never got to ride to the top of the Tower as mum was afraid of heights.

[Gemini]

1951

The first regularly scheduled transatlantic flights began between John F Kennedy International Airport in New York and Heathrow Airport in London.

[Daisy]

That must have seemed like a very long flight, and now we don't think twice about it. I seem to remember there were a lot of air crashes in the 50s and sixties, and they didn't have all the back ups and safety devices that are on modern planes.

[Gemini]

1830

Briton Edwin Budding signed an agreement for his invention, the lawn mower, to go into mass production. His first customer was Regent's Park Zoo in London.

[Daisy]

Well, all I can say, is bless him. Imagine trying to cut the lawn by hand!

[Gemini]

1997

Health Secretary Frank Dobson announced that the sponsorship of sports events by tobacco firms was to be outlawed. It gave a temporary exemption for Formula One motor-racing, whose owner, Bernie Ecclestone, had earlier donated £1m to the Labour Party.

[Oma]

Back hander there then 😏

[Gemini]

1867

Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for the Royal Albert Hall.

[Gemini]

1895

The actor Henry Irving became the first person from the theatre to be knighted. On his death he was cremated and his ashes buried in Westminster Abbey, thereby becoming the first person ever to be cremated prior to interment at Westminster.

[Daisy]

I think cremation was often frowned on in those days so that must have been quite controversial.

[Gemini]

1871

The House of Commons passed the Bank Holiday Act, creating public holidays on Easter Monday, Whit Monday and Christmas Day.

[Gemini]

2000

Scottish farmers who accidentally planted genetically modified seeds said they would fight for compensation.