Today in History

[Barry]

On the 6th August,

1504
Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, was born. He had a long nose and was extremely inquisitive - hence the saying 'Nosey Parker'.

1890
Murderer Walter Kemmer was the first man to die in an electric chair, at Auburn Prison, New York.

1945
An atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

1960
Chubby Checker performed The Twist on TV, starting a dance craze.

1964
Aged 4,800 years old, Prometheus - the world's oldest tree - was accidently cut down in Nevada.

1996
US punk rock band The Ramon's performed for the last time.

[Pigmy Pony]

I thought this thread would end exactly one year after its beginning, I was wrong. Well done for finding more stuff of interest

[Barry]

Thanks, I like to think that in my own little way, I get The Art of Sound forum to satisfy the Reithian triad of: information, education and entertainment. But all credit is due to a free London paper for the anniversaries (and for the crosswords).

(It was also a desperate attempt to try and increase post traffic.)

[Macca]

'The Ramon's'

Is that like a cover band made up of greengrocers?

[Barry]

'The Ramon's'

Is that like a cover band made up of greengrocers?

Oops! Now corrected. At least someone is looking at this thread.

[Lawrence001]

On 31st July,

1917
In World War I, the Battle of Pashendaele began. Some 500,000 casualties were reported by the time it ended on November 6.

1950
UK's first self - service store, Sainsbury's, opened in Croydon.

2012
US swimmer Michael Phelps became the greatest Olympian, winning his 15th gold medal and 19th medal overall in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay.


That's all for now.

I was going to point out the other day that Passchendaele was misspelt but I got distracted.

[Barry]

What's an extra 's' or 'c' between friends? Anyway the official name is now Passendale.

[Barry]

On 7th August,

1606
First performance of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' reportedly took place at Hampton Court Palace for James I.

1840
Parliament passed an Act prohibiting the employment of climbing boys as chimney sweeps.

1926
The first British Motor Grand Prix was held at Brooklands, over a distance of 110 laps and 287 miles.

1957
Oliver Hardy, who with Stan Laurel formed one of the most successful comedy double acts of all time, died.

2012
Sir Chris Hoy made Team GB history when he won his sixth Olympic gold medal.

2018
Winnie the Pooh film: 'Christopher Robin' was banned in China after the bear was compared to president Xi Jinping.


(Don't think i have made any spelling mistakes this time.)

That's all folks!

[Mikeandvan]

On 7th August,

1606
First performance of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' reportedly took place at Hampton Court Palace for James I.

1840
Parliament passed an Act prohibiting the employment of climbing boys as chimney sweeps.

1926
The first British Motor Grand Prix was held at Brooklands, over a distance of 110 laps and 287 miles.

1957
Oliver Hardy, who with Stan Laurel formed one of the most successful comedy double acts of all time, died.

2012
Sir Chris Hoy made Team GB history when he won his sixth Olympic gold medal.

2018
Winnie the Pooh film: 'Christopher Robin' was banned in China after the bear was compared to president Xi Jinping.


(Don't think i have made any spelling mistakes this time.)

That's all folks!

That's the difference between the free world and China, well one of the differences, we can lampoon our leaders.

[Barry]

On the 24th August,

79AD:
Vesuvius erupted, destroying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

1814:
British troops under Gen. Robert Ross invaded Washington and set fire to the White House and the Capitol.

1847:
Charlotte Brontë sent her novel Jane Eyre to a publisher under her nom de plume Currer Bell.

2015:
Facebook recorded 1 billion users for the first time.

2019:
NASA probed the first alleged crime in space, after astronaut Anne McClain was accused of illegally accessing her ex-spouse's bank account. She was cleared by the investigators.