Today in History

[Gemini]

1923

The marriage of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later 'the Queen Mother') to the Duke of York (later King George VI) at Westminster Abbey in London. It was the first royal wedding at the abbey since 1383. The newly formed British Broadcasting Company wanted to record and broadcast the event on radio, but the Abbey Chapter vetoed the idea.

[Daisy]

Also today, in 1999

TV presenter, Jill Dando was shot dead in front of her own home.

[Gemini]

1939

Conscription for men aged 20 - 21 was announced in Britain.

[Gemini]

1721

The death of the pirate Mary Read (also known as Mark Read). She began dressing as a boy at a young age, at first by her mother in order to receive inheritance money and then as a teenager in order to join the British military. She and her crew-mate Anne Bonny (also in male disguise) are two of the most famed female pirates of all time, and among the few women known to have been convicted of piracy during the early 18th century, a golden age for piracy. On their arrest, both delayed execution on the grounds of being pregnant, though Mary died the following year, in prison, of a violent feve

[Daisy]

Gem - what colourful lives the two of them lead.

[Gemini]

1990

Snooker player Stephen Hendry beat Jimmy White, to become the youngest ever world professional champion, aged 21 years and 106 days.

[Daisy]

Gem - I think I heard a commentator on the current Championships say one of the contenders was only 19! I don't think he's in the finals but still very young. They must play an awful lot of snooker to get to those levels so quickly.

[Gemini]

Yes they do have some very young players now Daisy!

[Gemini]

1945

Nazi leader Adolf Hitler committed suicide. Before beginning his assault on Europe, Hitler had assured his followers that the Third Reich would last for 1,000 years. His mistress, Eva Braun, whom he'd married the day before, died alongside him after taking a cyanide pill.

[Gemini]

1851

Queen Victoria opened the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London. Over 10,000 exhibitors set up eight miles of tables. Although technological wonders from around the world were on display, the exposition was dominated by Britain, which was the premier industrialized nation and workshop of the world.

[Gemini]

2007

Three year old Madeleine McCann went missing from her family's holiday apartment at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, Portugal. To date, she has not been found.

[Daisy]

The photos of that little girl's face still haunt me.

[Gemini]

The photo'sof that little girl's face still haunt me.

SO sad

[Gemini]

1966

Harold Wilson's government agreed to increase doctors' and dentists' salaries by up to 30% after fears that thousands of GP's would leave the Health Service for private practice.

[Gemini]

1955

World famous American virologist Dr Jonas Salk witnessed a ceremonial polio vaccination in London when Margaret Jenkins from Kent became the 500,000th person in London to receive the vaccine to prevent the crippling disease poliomyelitis.