Today in History

[Gemini]

1962

A new style of pedestrian crossing (the Panda crossing) was launched in London by the Minister of Transport, Ernest Marples. It caused confusion among both drivers and pedestrians.

[Daisy]

I think it took quite a long time for the Pandas to travel north though!

[Gemini]

1997

The 150th running of the Grand National at Aintree, Liverpool was cancelled because of an IRA bomb scare.

[Daisy]

I wonder if NannyD'Ange is at Aintree. I remember Glam and the family going to Ladies' Day a couple of years ago.

[Gemini]

1997

The results of the first ultrasonic scan of the front of the Titanic revealed a series of six short slits as the principal damage to the ship after it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912. There is a memorial in Southampton to the 35 engineer officers who battled to keep Titanic afloat during her fated maiden voyage

[Daisy]

Gem, there is a very interesting tour of Southampton about the Titanic and all the passengers and crew. There's one amazing tale of 3 Irish brothers who were due to work on the Titanic. But on the night before they ended up gambling, drunk and then overslept and missed the sailing. A lot of the catering staff were Italian, and there's a plaque marking the Catholic church they attended and a neighbouring restaurant where they met on the night before. So many different stories, even the warehouse where the first class passengers' luggage was stowed before being loaded onto the ship. It's heartbreaking, poignant and fascinating, all at the same time.

[Gemini]

I can imagine it being just as you described Daisy.
That Irish family were lucky!

[Daisy]

They were lucky. They realised they were late and ran as fast as possible to the terminal but were just seconds too late to board.

[Gemini]

1970

Paul McCartney announced that he was to leave The Beatles for personal and professional reasons.

[Daisy]

The Beatles were a once in a lifetime phenomenon weren't they. I don't know how any group would have survived the constant pressure they were under.

[Gemini]

1952

Queen Elizabeth II announced that her children and descendants would bear the surname of Windsor.

[Daisy]

I wonder if they all had to change their name by Deed Poll?

[Gemini]

1912

The formation of the Royal Flying Corps (later incorporated into the RAF)

[Daisy]

I wonder what those early pilots would have thought of today's modern fighter planes, let alone drones.

[Gemini]

Gosh yes Daisy.

My dad was in the air force