Today in History

[Gemini]

I bet Oma.

[Gemini]

1963

Cilla Black signed a contract with Beatles manager Brian Epstein. She changed her name from White to Black after a misprint in the music paper Mersey Beat.

[Daisy]

1975

Two people were killed and 63 injured as a suspected IRA bomb exploded in the lobby of the Hilton hotel in central London.

I lived in London then, and bomb scares and bag searches were all part of going out.

It was the same for us, Gem, although we were slightly out of London. OH worked in a bank and they had to put in place elaborate security systems because of raids. Oma - it must have been terrifying and I'm sure you dreaded the news coming on, or even worse a knock at the door. xxx

[Gemini]

1838

Grace Darling and her father rescued the crew of the Forfarshire, a steamer wrecked off the Northumberland coast, close to the Longstone Lighthouse . She became a national heroine.

[Daisy]

Gem - like everyone else, I recognise the name and know what happened, but I didn't realise it was quite so long ago.

[Gemini]

1914

World War I: Private Thomas Highgate became the first British soldier of the war to be executed for desertion. He was undefended and called no witnesses in his defence, as all his comrades had been shot and killed. Highgate claimed that he was a 'straggler' trying to find his way back to rejoin his regiment after having been separated from his comrades. His execution was almost as hasty as his trial, as senior officers insisted that he be executed 'At once, as publicly as possible'. Posthumous pardons for over 300 such soldiers were announced in August 2006, including Highgate.

[Daisy]

Wars are horrible anyway, but stories like this are very distressing. Poor lad didn't stand a chance.

[Oma]

So sad they were just cannon fodder anyway

[Daisy]

Oma - that's so true, lured on by visions of glory.

[Gemini]

1543

Mary Stuart, at just nine months old, was crowned 'Queen of Scots' in the Scottish town of Stirling.

[Daisy]

They must have had to get a wee crown made especially for her.

[Gemini]

2001

Charles Ingram won one million pounds on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He was later accused of cheating by having his wife, Diana, and an accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, cough as Ingram announced the correct answer from the available choices. The Ingrams and Tecwen Whittock were convicted, on 7th April 2003, by a majority verdict of 'procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception'. All three were fined and given suspended prison sentences. In October 2004 Diana and Charles Ingram were declared bankrupt.

There was a TV programme about this recently.

[Oma]

Cheats never prosper Gem xx

[Daisy]

I saw the film about this recently, and I really felt sorry for their children who faced a lot of criticism at school. It was hardly their fault, but I suppose that's what happens when parents hit the headlines.

[Gemini]

1987

Four men were arrested on charges of plotting to steal a dolphin worth £25,000 from the Marineland Oceanarium in Morecambe, Lancashire.