The day - today

[Pigmy Pony]

Apologies for the delay - I was otherwise preoccupied.

1 May 1707
The Union of Scotland and England was proclaimed.

1 May 1840
The first Penny Black stamps went on sale five days before the official issue date.

1 May 1931
US president Herbert Hoover opened the Empire State Building in New York. At 1,250 ft high it was the world's tallest building.

1 May 1994
F1 ace Ayrton Senna was killed in a crash, age 34, at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola.

1 May 2009
Carol Ann Duffy became the first female Poet Laureate.

Birthdays:

Rita Coolidge, singer, 79
Joanna Lumley, actress, 78
Ray Parker Jr, singer, 70
Wes Anderson, director, 55

For a whole eleven months that title belonged to the Chrysler building, imo a much better looking building. But then I do like things art deco

[Barry]

I agree.

It's difficult to get excited about skyscrapers, but I always thought the twin towers of the World Trade Centre were particularly elegant in a minimalist sort of way.

[Barry]

3 May 1494
Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica.

3 May 1808
A duel was fought between two hot air balloonists over Paris.

3 May 1934
Author H G Wells predicted there would be a major world war by 1940.

3 May 1979
Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first female PM as the Tories won the general election.

Birthdays:

Francie Valli, singer, 90
Ben Elton, comedian, 65
Rob Brydon, actor/comedian, 59

[Pigmy Pony]

4 May 2014 - Science students at the University of Leicester concluded that the wooden puppet Pinocchio (who was prone to telling lies and whose nose would double in length for each lie) could only have told a maximum of 13 lies. After 13 lies it was concluded that the nose would be 140 metres long and the force exerted downwards would cause his neck to snap. I'm no scientist but I'm sure the type of wood in question would affect the results.

4 May 1945 - The North Germany Amy surrendered to British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

[Macca]

4 May 2014 - Science students at the University of Leicester concluded that the wooden puppet Pinocchio (who was prone to telling lies and whose nose would double in length for each lie) could only have told a maximum of 13 lies. After 13 lies it was concluded that the nose would be 140 metres long and the force exerted downwards would cause his neck to snap. I'm no scientist but I'm sure the type of wood in question would affect the results.

[Pigmy Pony]

6 May 1954 - Medical student Roger Bannister (25) becomes the first to run a sub-4 minute mile, recording 3:59.4 at Iffley Road Track, Oxford.

6 May 1979 - Six rock-cut tombs found at Heysham, Lancashire became Grade 1 Listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Even more importantly, they made the cover of The Best of Black Sabbath album.



6 May 2023 - Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey. The 40th reigning monarch to be crowned there since 1066.

[Barry]

7 May 1915
RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, with the loss of 1,198 lives.

7 May 1928
Parliament lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21.

7 May 1945
Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally, ending the war in Europe.

Birthdays:
Michael Rosen, author, 78
Phil Cambell, musician (Motorhead), 63
Matt Helders, drummer (Arctic Monkeys), 38.

[Lawrence001]

7 May 1915
RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, with the loss of 1,198 lives.

7 May 1928
Parliament lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21.

7 May 1945
Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally, ending the war in Europe.

Birthdays:
Michael Rosen, author, 78
Phil Cambell, musician (Motorhead), 63
Matt Helders, drummer (Arctic Monkeys), 38.

Interesting connection between the two world war dates as it was the sinking of the Lusitania that partly led to the US joining the allies in WW1 - which led to the defeat of Germany - which in turn contributed to the rise of Hitler and ultimately their defeat in WW2.

[Barry]

8 May 1902
Mount Pelée erupted on the island of Martinique, destroying the town of St. Pierrepont and killing around 30,000 people in three minutes.

8 May 1970
The Beatles' final album 'Let It Be' was released.

8 May 1980
The World Health Organisation announced that smallpox had been eradicated.

8 May 1984
The Thames Barrier at Woolwich was officially opened.

8 May 2013
Sir Alex Ferguson announced he would retire as Manchester United manager at the end of the season.

Birthdays:

Sir David Attenborough, naturalist, 98
Alex Van Halen, rock musician, 71
Enrique inglesias, singer, 49
Matt Willis (formerly known as 'Matty Jay'), musician, 41

[Barry]

9 May 1671
Capt. Thomas Blood made an unsuccessful bid to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.

9 May 1860
J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was born in Kirriemuir, Angus.

9 May 1887
Buffalo Bill's Wild West show opened in London. Queen Victoria was at the premiere.

9 May 1955
West Germany joined Nato.

9 May 1960
The world's first birth control pill was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

9 May 2012
US president Barack Obama officially stated his support for same sex marriage.


Birthdays:
Alan Bennett, playwright/author, 90
Billy Joel, singer, 75
Dave Gahan, singer (Depeche Mode), 62
Martin Lewis, journalist, 52.