Today in History

[Daisy]

Was it really that long ago!

[Gemini]

1973

Women stockbroker were allowed on the floor of the London Stock Exchange for the first time in its 200 year history.

[Oma]

It seems strange now that this was ever the norm , women being kept out of Male domains doesn't it .

[Daisy]

That's true, Oma. Thank goodness things have changed.

[Gemini]

1880

The Salvation Army uniform was authorized, but the distinctive bonnets for women did not appear until June.

[Oma]

I can still remember as a very little girl my Fathers Mother in her uniform , GD had died before I was born but I have photos of him in uniform ,
GM singing in the choir in the park
I loved her bonnet ,
I didn't know them very well but this sticks in my mind

[Gemini]

2014

Beryl Walker, 88, was named as the oldest paper girl in the world by Guinness World Records. "Beryl has been doing the round for 35 years, gets up at 6am every morning and hops on her bike 'Hercules' to deliver papers to homes in Gloucester. She works six days a week and cycles over eight miles a day.

[Gemini]

1980

Britain's first nudist beach opened at Brighton.

[Daisy]

This always amused me, as Brighton beach is very stony, and well, you can see where I'm going with this, can't you!

[Gemini]

Well hopefully they take thick mats to lie on then!

[Oma]

OUCH hahaha

[Gemini]

1873

Almost 14 years after the United States, British trains were fitted with toilets, but only for sleeping cars. Day carriages were fitted in 1881. Third class passengers weren’t able to 'spend a penny' until 1886.

[Daisy]

1873

Almost 14 years after the United States, British trains were fitted with toilets, but only for sleeping cars. Day carriages were fitted in 1881. Third class passengers weren’t able to 'spend a penny' until 1886.

Hahaha, travelling 3rd class must have been for short journeys only.

Being old enough to remember the days of steam trains, I remember that there was no second class option. It was first or third!

[Gemini]

1934

Yorkshireman Percy Shaw laid the first "cats' eyes" along the centre of the road at an accident black spot near Bradford.


I have always known about this.
Mum and Dad were very proud that it was a Yorkshireman and it was usually mentioned if we went out in a car!

[Daisy]

Gem - this was a lovely story I remember telling our sons when they were little. There was a tv programme about Percy Shaw when he was a very old man. He was living in a bungalow with all hard floors because they were easy to clean up if beer got spilt.

The story I remember was that Percy was going down a steep road at night and it was foggy. He was on his way home after 'a few' in the pub. It was pitch dark but he spotted two little sparks of light and realised they were the eyes of cat out on its nightly prowl. His light bulb moment was thinking that he could invent something that would reflect like a cat's eyes in the dark.