Today in History

[Gemini]

1989

A deaf choir from South Wales gave what was claimed to be the first concert using sign language. Performed in unison with a leading male voice choir, it enabled members of the audience who were deaf, to enjoy the concert at the Gwyn Town Hall in West Glamorgan.

[Daisy]

I bet that was amazing.

[Gemini]

1861

Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria died, at the early age of 42 of typhoid fever. His death plunged the Queen into a deep mourning that lasted for the rest of her life.

[Daisy]

I didn't realise he was quite that young.

[Gemini]

I knew that Daisy, but didn't realise it was so close to Christmas He was credited with introducing the Christmas tree tradition over here.

[Daisy]

He was a very clever and innovative man, from what I've read, and you can't help wondering what he would have achieved if he'd lived longer.

[Gemini]

2014

Jonathan Paul Burrows, a London hedge fund manager who regularly avoided buying a train ticket on his commute to the City, was banned for life from working in any regulated financial industries. In total, Mr Burrows was believed to have dodged £42,550 in fares.

[Gemini]

1914

German warships attacked the seaside resort of Scarborough, believing it to be a major British port. Hartlepool and Whitby were also targeted.
It was the first successful bombing on British shores for 250 years. Over five hundred shells of varying calibres were fired into Scarborough and on to the Grand Hotel. The attacks resulted in a total of 592 casualties, many of them civilians, of whom 137 died.
There was public outrage towards the German navy for an attack against civilians and against the Royal Navy for its failure to prevent the raid.

[Gemini]

1843

Charles Dickens began inscribing copies, for friends, of his new novel A Christmas Carol. There were 10 pre-publication presentations made 'on this day' and the novel went into general publication on 19th December. It was an immediate success with the public and the initial print run of 6,000 copies was sold out by Christmas Eve.

[Daisy]

Gem, it must be one of his best-known and best-loved novels.

[Gemini]

2013

The Bank of England announced its plans to press ahead with switching to plastic banknotes, starting with the new Sir Winston Churchill £5 note in 2016. The decision marks the beginning of the end of 320 years of paper notes from the Bank.

[Gemini]

1606

English entrepreneurs set sail in the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery to establish a colony at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.

[Daisy]

They must have been very brave, sailing into the unknown, quite literally.

[Gemini]

2013

A poll showed that 1 in 10 people aged 25 to 34 in Britain thought that Father Christmas was mentioned in the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

[Daisy]

Nothing surprises me any more!