Today in History

[Gemini]

1570

Queen Elizabeth I was excommunicated by Pope Pius V. He declared her a usurper for her severe persecution of Roman Catholics in England. It was the last such judgment made against a reigning monarch by any pope.

[Daisy]

I thought Henry VIII had already broken away from the Catholic church, but perhaps Pope Pius V thought he had to make a point.

[Gemini]

2002

London Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed that motorists would be charged £5 per day to drive into London on weekdays.

[Daisy]

I'm sure that looks like a bargain today! I don't know what the ULEZ charges are but just the fact that they cover a much larger area now must make life expensive for those who need to use cars, vans, etc.

[Gemini]

1975

At 8.37 am in the London rush hour, a Northern Line underground train crashed through the buffers at Moorgate station and hit a solid dead-end wall, killing 41 people and seriously injuring 50. The rescue operation took three days to complete.


I lived in London then, on the Northern Line. Although I never caught the tube to college - walking or going by bus, my poor mum was distraught worrying I was on that train. Once I became a mum and mine grew up I understood and I would have thought the same.

[Daisy]

Gem, I had nightmares about that awful crash. I was 7 months pregnant with DS2, and lived just north of London. Several people in the village commuted into town but luckily none were on that tube. It was so horrific and as you say, painfully slow to rescue people. I can imagine how worried your mum must have been.

I don't go into London often these days, but whenever I see the Moorgate sign on the underground I feel sick remembering the crash.

[Gemini]

Daisy, Moorgate means that crash to me too.

[Daisy]

Daisy, Moorgate means that crash to me too.

I'm not surprised, Gem. It was so awful.

[Gemini]

1940

English actress Vivienne Leigh won an Oscar for her performance as Scarlett O'Hara in the film Gone with the Wind.

[Gemini]

2015

Police were given new powers to catch motorists driving under the influence of drugs. The levels for the illegal drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, meant that there would be 'virtually zero tolerance' for drivers apprehended with these substances in their system.

[Daisy]

But sadly a lot of high-profile horrific traffic accidents seem to involve drivers who are under the influence of drugs.

[Gemini]

1934

The largest ever English football crowd outside Wembley watched the match between Manchester City and Stoke City, in the FA Cup 6th round. Spectators numbered 84,569.

[Daisy]

I can't imagine Stoke drawing crowds like that!

[Gemini]

1975

Charlie Chaplin was knighted after a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

[Gemini]

2002

Prime Minister Tony Blair was urged by 39 MPs not to back military action in Iraq.