Today in History

[Gemini]

1893

The opening of the Liverpool Overhead Railway (known locally as the Dockers' Umbrella) which operated for 7 miles along the Liverpool Docks. The railway had a number of world firsts - it was the first electric elevated railway, the first to use automatic signalling, electric colour light signals and electric multiple units and was home to one of the first passenger escalators at a railway station.

[Daisy]

I can remember this - not the opening, not even I am that old, but actually seeing it. I can't remember how old I was, but I can remember standing and looking up at it and wondering how it could be strong enough for trains to run on it. Of course, I didn't realise they weren't steam trains, but electric ones! My Dad had taken me to see the Empress of Canada which was in the docks at Liverpool, and I remember thinking how large it was. It was built in the 1920s and carried about 5-600 passengers I think, but it was destroyed by fire and replaced with another one in the 60s. I thought Liverpool must be a very exciting place to live.

I've no idea why we were in Liverpool and I don't remember anything else about the trip!

[Gemini]

It obviously impressed you Daisy!

[Daisy]

Gem - I was fascinated! I was a very strange child!!!!!

[Gemini]

1946

Doctors mounted a campaign to oppose the introduction of a National Health Service.

[Daisy]

Thank goodness they failed!

[Gemini]

1950

Timothy Evans was hanged for the murder of his wife. Three years later John Christie admitted killing her and several other women.

[Gemini]

1935

Britain imposed a 30 mph speed limit in built up areas.

[Gemini]

1996

Thomas Hamilton, a lone gunman carrying 4 handguns killed 16 children and their teacher at a school in Dunblane, Scotland. The killer fired randomly around the school gym in an attack that lasted just three minutes, but caused carnage in the class of five and six year olds. He then turned the gun on himself. Hamilton had been a scout master briefly before being sacked by the Scout Association. The event became a rallying point for anti-gun legislation. Two days after the shooting, a vigil and prayer session was held at Dunblane Cathedral and on Mothering Sunday, the Queen and Princess Anne attended a memorial service at Dunblane Cathedral.


This was so horrific One of those events you will never forget if you were old enough to be aware of it.
My youngest daughter was only slightly older than those children at the time so I think it hit home even more.

[Daisy]

Gem - it hit home with me as well. I heard the news as it was happening on the car radio - I was driving to one of our college's feeder schools to interview Year 10s. I was literally shaking when I got there, but it was clear they knew nothing about the massacre.

I didn't say anything to them - what could I have said, and I know I would have just burst into tears. But as a couple of polite 11 year olds held a door open for me and offered to carry my files I wept inside. No child's life would ever be the same, as schools became fortresses to guard against such future evil.

[Nanto2girls]

I remember this very well.
We were in Tenerife,sat on the balcony drinking coffee, listening to the radio.

[WeeGranny]

I was at Heathrow seeing DH off when the minute's silence was held on the Sunday morning. I can still sense the feeling of sadness in the terminal and the eerie silence. A group of travellers ( not from this country) were soon silenced when the y continued to chatter. Events like that don't ever leave you. I often wondered how I would have reacted if it had happened to me.
There is such evil in this world.

[Daisy]

I think it's one of those truly awful events we will always remember, and where we were.

[Sunshine]

14th March. It is one year today that Stephen Hawking died. What a truly amazing man he was. I feel very privileged to have met him on a cruise four years ago. I even got a selfie with him.

[Gemini]

Oh Sunshine how lovely!
A wonderful, brilliant man and much missed in the world.