Today in History

[Gemini]

1997

British astronaut, Michael Foale, returned safely to earth aboard the space shuttle 'Atlantis' after four and a half months on 'MIR', the Russian space station. The touchdown was Atlantis’ final mission before she was taken out of service for another 'Orbiter Modification Down Period'. Atlantis did not fly again until May 2000 when she made her first trip to the International Space Station.

[Gemini]

1986

The musical The Phantom of the Opera had its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

[Daisy]

Gem, I saw it in London at the time, and didn't really enjoy it. I'm not sure why - it just seemed a bit creepy somehow. I know I'm in a tiny minority as it was and still is, so popular.

[Gemini]

I really like it Daisy. We saw it on Broadway when we were in New York . I would like to see it again.
I take your point about the creepy aspect though.

[Daisy]

Gem, I think it's because I like my musicals to be light and frothy, with colourful costumes, a multitude of lively dances, and cheerful, catchy music.

I would imagine just seeing a show on Broadway is a wonderful experience, whatever the show is like.

[Gemini]

1999

Thousands gathered to watch the giant Millennium wheel become the latest landmark on the London skyline.

[Gemini]

1969

Ahead of the complete changeover to decimalization, Britain scrapped the 10 shilling note and introduced the 50 pence coin.

[Daisy]

I remember OH, who worked in a bank at the time, being very busy during the changeover, but it mostly worked very smoothly. There were hardly any computers in the finance world then, so it was all done manually.

[Gemini]

1666

Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary that Charles II had started wearing the first known waistcoat. The King was so overweight that he left the bottom button undone, a fashion custom
followed to this day.

Another of the facts I have always known thanks to my mum!

[Oma]

Never knew that fashion went so far back,
I do like to see a nice waistcoat on a man I must admit 😁

[Gemini]

1834

The original Houses of Parliament were almost completely destroyed by fire.
The blaze, which started from overheated chimney flues, spread rapidly throughout the medieval complex and developed into the biggest conflagration to occur in London since the Great Fire of 1666.
Westminster Hall and a few other parts of the old Houses of Parliament survived the blaze and were incorporated into the New Palace of Westminster, which was built over the following decades.

[Gemini]

1091

A tornado struck London.
It was Britain's earliest reported tornado. The wooden London Bridge was demolished, and the church of St. Mary-le-Bow in the city of London was badly damaged. Other churches in the area were demolished, as were over 600, mostly wooden, houses.

[Gemini]

2014

A flock of sheep was left feeling rather woolly-headed after accidentally munching on £4,000 worth of cannabis plants that had been dumped in their field, at the edge of Fanny’s Farm in Merstham, Surrey. By the time that the police arrived, much of the evidence had been eaten.

[Daisy]

I remember seeing that on the news.

[Gemini]

1959

Women's colleges at Oxford University were given equal rights to those of the men's.