Today in History

[Gemini]

1989

In London, the pleasure cruiser Marchioness was hit by a dredger, the Bowbelle, on the River Thames - 51 people attending a party on the boat were killed. The formal investigation put the time elapsed from the instant of collision at 1.46 a.m. to complete immersion of the Marchioness at a mere 30 seconds.

[Daisy]

That was such an awful tragedy - happy people enjoying a night out.

It's hard to believe it was that long ago, though, 29 years.

[Gemini]

1989

British Telecom launched the world's first mobile phones.They had a very limited operating range that restricted their use to 100 yards from a public base station.


This seems a short time ago, considering the role that phones have in most people's lives now!

[Daisy]

Back then it was impossible to imagine how important mobile phones would become. And, for most of us, hard now to imagine life without them.

[Gemini]

1617

The first one-way streets were introduced in London.

I would never have guessed this was so long ago!

[Daisy]

Gem - you're finding some really unusual facts! If I had to guess about one way streets I would have said about 1930!!! How wrong can you be!

[Gemini]

1975

The first ever nude performance in a British opera took place at Glyndebourne.

[Daisy]

I hope it wasn't out of doors!

[Gemini]

1804

Alicia Meynell rode Vingarillo over a four-mile racecourse at York to become the first recorded woman jockey. She was in the lead most of the way against only one other contestant, but lost.

[Gemini]

1959

British car manufacturers Austin and Morris launched a small family car - the 'Mini'.

[Daisy]

I can remember the excitement when a friend of my Dad's got one!

[Gemini]

I remember at college, one of our friends had one.
One night lot of us drove from north London to somewhere on the south coast late at night in her mini. All crammed in, great fun, but terrifying thought now!

[Daisy]

It's amazing what silly things we did in our youth, Gem! I'm sure you had loads of fun though.

[Gemini]

I frequently walked home alone in the early hours, through the streets of London. Mum and Dad would have been horrified if they knew! Nothing ever happened and I wasn't scared.
( I was more scared, back in Yorkshire a few years later due to the Yorkshire Ripper's reign)

[Daisy]

I bet they'd be even more worried these days, Gem.