On This Day

[Raybosailor]

30th. July

1718 William Penn, English Quaker leader and founder of the American colony of Pennsylvania died.

1900 The Central Line in London was opened by the Prince of Wales, the fare for all destinations was two pennies.

1935 'Penguin' paperback books went on sale in Britain.

1966 England won the Football World Cup at Wembley, beating West Germany 4 - 2 with goals from Geoff Hurst 3 (the first hatrick in a World Cup Final) and Bobby Charlton.

Birthdays
1818 Emily Brontë, English novelist and author of Wuthering Heights was born in Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire.
1898 Henry Moore, English sculptor and artist.
1940 Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor and pioneer of the first home computers (Sinclair ZX81 and Spectrum) was born.
1958 Daley Thompson, British gold medal winning decathlon athlete was born.

[Raybosailor]

30th. July

1718 William Penn, English Quaker leader and founder of the American colony of Pennsylvania died.

1900 The Central Line in London was opened by the Prince of Wales, the fare for all destinations was two pennies.

1935 'Penguin' paperback books went on sale in Britain.

1966 England won the Football World Cup at Wembley, beating West Germany 4 - 2 with goals from Geoff Hurst 3 (the first hatrick in a World Cup Final) and Bobby Charlton.

Birthdays
1818 Emily Brontë, English novelist and author of Wuthering Heights was born in Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire.
1898 Henry Moore, English sculptor and artist.
1940 Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor and pioneer of the first home computers (Sinclair ZX81 and Spectrum) was born.
1958 Daley Thompson, British gold medal winning decathlon athlete was born.

edit: the other goalscorer was Martin Peters not Bobby Charlton (senior moment)

[Raybosailor]

31st. July

1942 The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) was founded.

1950 Britain's first self-service store, (Sainsbury's) opened in Croydon.

1956 Jim Laker became the first man to take all 10 wickets in a Test match innings, he took10 wickets for 53 runs against Australia in the second innings at Old Trafford. Over the two innings he took 19 wickets for 90 Australian runs.

1959 Cliff Richard had his first British No.1 with "Living Doll".

1969 The halfpenny ceased to be legal tender in Britain, strange to think now but you would need 480 halfpennys or 960 farthings in your pocket to have just a pound.

1970 Black Tot Day occurred On This Day. It was the last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the Royal Navy that dated back to 1665.

1990 In the England v India Test Match at Lords, a total of 1603 runs were scored, in exactly 1603 minutes.



Birthdays
1944 Jonathan Dimbleby, broadcaster and TV presenter was born.
1951 Evonne Goolagong, tennis player.
1959 Andrew William Stevenson Marr, journalist and tv presenter
1962 Wesley Snipes, actor.
1965 J.K. Rowling author ("Harry Potter")
1974 Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox, actress.

[Raybosailor]

1st. August

1798 The English, under Nelson, destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile, in Aboukir Bay, stopping Napoleon Bonaparte's plans to invade the Middle East.

1800 The Act of Union 1800 was passed which merged the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

1831 New London Bridge was opened by King William IV. It lasted for 140 years and was sold and rebuilt in Arizona.

1883 Parcel post started in Britain.

1914 World War I began with Germany's invasion of Luxembourg. The same day, Germany and Russia declared war against each other.

1992 Linford Christie won the 100m gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics.

2012 Bradley Wiggins and the women's rowing duo (Helen Glover and Heather Stanning) scooped Britain's first gold medals of the Olympic Games.

Birthdays
1930 Lionel Bart composer
1936 Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer was born in Algeria.
1979 Honeysuckle Weeks actress best known for her role as Samantha in 'Foyle's War' born in Cardiff.

[Raybosailor]

2nd. August

1784 The first specially-built Royal Mail coach began its scheduled service from Bristol to London.

1894 Death duties, now known as inheritance tax, were introduced in Britain.

1973 51 people were killed when fire swept through the Summerland Amusement Centre at Douglas on the Isle of Man.


Birthdays
1925 Alan Whicker, broadcaster and writer was born.
1948 Andrew Fairweather Low (Amen Corner) born in Ystrad Mynach, Wales.

[Raybosailor]

3rd. August

1792 The death, at Cromford, of Richard Arkwright, one of the central figures of the Industrial Revolution and founder of the factory system that transformed England into the workshop of the world. Arkwrights Mill at Cromford is now a museum and visitor centre and is well worth a visit, the water powered mill and village are very much the same as Arkwright left them and now a World Heritage Site. Cheryl and I are members of the Friends of the Cromford Canal where we run a restored canal butty boat that does trips up and down the top section from Cromford Wharf.
Come down and visit us you will not be disappointed.
http://www.cromfordcanal.info/
http://cromfordmills.org.uk/

1858 Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile, was discovered by the explorer John Speke.

1908 The Post Office sent its first parcel mail to the US on the White Star liner, Teutonic.

1926 Britain installed its first traffic lights at Piccadilly Circus, in London.

1957 Footballer John Charles was transferred from Leeds to Juventus for a £65,000 fee. He was the first British footballer to be transferred to a foreign club.

Birthdays
1803 The birth of Joseph Paxton, English gardener, designer, writer and creator of one of the most famous buildings of Queen Victoria's reign, the Crystal Palace.
1887 The birth of Rupert Brooke, the English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially ' The Soldier' that begins 'If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field That is forever England.'
1926 Tony Bennett, crooner.

[qbman1]

In 1460 James II, King of Scotland, died after being injured by an exploding cannon at Kelso, in the Scottish Borders.

Does Mrs Krankie own a cannon ?

[Raybosailor]

4th. August

1704 Gibraltar was captured for the British by Admiral Sir George Rooke.

1870 The British Red Cross Society was founded, by Lord Wantage.

1914 Britain declared war on Germany after the Germans had violated the Treaty of London by invading Belgium.

1923 The BBC began using the 'pips' as a time signal in its broadcasts.

1954 Britain's first supersonic fighter plane, the English Electric Lightning P-1, made its maiden flight.

2012 Great Britain enjoyed its most successful day at an Olympics in 104 years by winning six gold medals on day eight of the London Games.

Birthdays
1792 The birth of Percy Shelley, English poet
1900 Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, she lived to a grand age of 102.
1901 Louis Armstrong (Satchmo) musician, singer 'What A Wonderful World' born in New Orleans.

[Raybosailor]

5th. August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1583 English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620 The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone.

1858 The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

Birthdays
My DW Cheryl was born on this day "Happy Birthday Darling".

1930 Neil A. Armstrong, astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio
1948 Ray Clemence goalkeeper was born in Skegness

[qbman1]

5th. August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1583 English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620 The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone.

1858 The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

Birthdays
My DW Cheryl was born on this day "Happy Birthday Darling".

1930 Neil A. Armstrong, astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio
1948 Ray Clemence goalkeeper was born in Skegness

Well done, Raimondo - early night for you then !

[qbman1]

On this day in 1914 the first electric traffic lights were installed in Cleveland, Ohio.

I often wish they hadn't bothered !

[Dancing Queen]

5th. August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1583 English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620 The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone.

1858 The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

Birthdays
My DW Cheryl was born on this day "Happy Birthday Darling".

1930 Neil A. Armstrong, astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio
1948 Ray Clemence goalkeeper was born in Skegness

I'm impressed you omitted the year your wife was born .. that should score you some brownie points
A very happy birthday to Cheryl

[Raybosailor]

5th. August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1583 English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620 The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone.

1858 The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

Birthdays
My DW Cheryl was born on this day "Happy Birthday Darling".

1930 Neil A. Armstrong, astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio
1948 Ray Clemence goalkeeper was born in Skegness

Well done, Raimondo -early night for you then !

Afraid not Cubie we had a party for her and it was early morning more like, friends and family from all over the UK and a few from over the Channel descended on us and some did not want to leave.

[Raybosailor]

5th. August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1583 English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620 The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone.

1858 The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

Birthdays
My DW Cheryl was born on this day "Happy Birthday Darling".

1930 Neil A. Armstrong, astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio
1948 Ray Clemence goalkeeper was born in Skegness

I'm impressed you omitted the year your wife was born .. that should score you some brownie points
A very happy birthday to Cheryl

I do try Jo but brownie points in this house are endorse-able and by the end of today I will probably be back to nil poi, lets just say on my next birthday my driving licence expires and Cheryl is a few years younger.

[Dancing Queen]

Ha Ha it works the same way in our house

[Raybosailor]

6th. August

1623 Anne Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare died.

1844 The first UK press telegram was sent, to The Times, announcing the birth of Prince Alfred to Queen Victoria.


1889 The Savoy Hotel in London was opened.

1962 Jamaica became independent, after being a British colony for 300 years.

Birthdays
1881 Sir Alexander Fleming, scientist, Scottish bacteriologist and discoverer of penicillin was born.
1922 The birth of Sir Freddie Laker, British airline entrepreneur, best known for founding Laker Airways in 1966.
1934 Chris Bonington, British mountaineer was born.

[Raybosailor]

7th. August

1711 The first race meeting was held at Ascot, established by Queen Anne, thus giving them the status of 'Royal Ascot'.

1840 The employment of climbing boys as chimney sweeps was prohibited by an Act of Parliament.

1925 Britain introduced the Daylight Saving Act bringing in British summer time so the nation changed clocks by one hour twice a year.

1926 The first British motor racing Grand Prix was staged at Brooklands.

1995 British athlete Jonathan Edwards twice broke his own world triple jump record, becoming the first man to clear 18 metres - whilst winning the gold medal in the World Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.



Birthdays
1961 Brian Conley, comedian born in Paddington, London.
1961 Walter Swinburn, jockey best known for riding 'Shergar' to victory in the Epsom Derby was born in Oxford.
1971 Domonic Cork, England international cricketer born in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

[Raybosailor]

8th. August.

1834 The Poor Law Amendment Act was passed in Britain. The Act dropped the system whereby parishes cared for their poor by a rate of poor relief and replaced it with the workhouse.

1958 Columbia Records signed a 17 year old singer called Cliff Richard.

1963 The Great Train Robbery, in which over £2.5 million was stolen, took place near Bletchley, Buckinghamshire.

2002 The UK's biggest undertakers Co-op funeral services, reported that bereaved families preferred pop songs to hymns at funerals. Unusual choices requested included 'Another One Bites The Dust' by Queen and 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go' by Wham!

Birthdays
1929 The train robber Ronnie Biggs, born in Lambeth.
1953 Nigel Mansell, English racing driver was born in Upton-upon-Severn.
1966 Chris Eubank, boxer born in Dulwich.

[Frank Manning]

Hi Raybo; great train robbery was between Leighton Buzzard and Cheddington stations. We were married that year, and living in Leighton Buzzard.

[qbman1]

Were you lodging at Leatherslade Farm then Frank ?

When did you break out of the Scrubs ?

[Raybosailor]

Hi Raybo; great train robbery was between Leighton Buzzard and Cheddington stations. We were married that year, and living in Leighton Buzzard.

That's right Frank, it was actually at Ledburn about 15 minutes drive from my aunts house in Bletchley.

[Raybosailor]

9th. August.

1917 On this day my Great Uncle William was killed in action near Lens, France, after surviving one of the bloodiest battles at Vimy Ridge he fell at the battle to take Hill 70. He was actually fighting for the Canadian Expeditionary Force as he had emigrated to Canada just a few years earlier, his wife was pregnant at the time and gave birth to the son he never saw Graham William.
William had already lost two brothers and an uncle to the war and his father Samuel (my grandfather) was gassed in the trenches and never recovered fully, he died when my father was only 14.
In just two months my Great,Great Uncle and three great uncles had perished and my grandfather died at an early age due to the gas, five relatives of mine that I never knew and I always wondered why my grandmother was such a strong woman.

1796 Horatio Nelson captured from the French, the island of Elba, to which Napoleon Bonaparte was later exiled.

1870 The Elementary Education Act was passed. It gave compulsory, free education to every child in England and Wales between the age of five and 13.

1907 After an experimental week between the 1st and 8th. of August Robert Baden-Powell's first Boy Scout encampment concluded at Brownsea Island in Dorset. The camp developed into the worldwide Scouts and Guides organizations.

1958 Cliff Richard performed at Butlin's Holiday Camp in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, as Cliff Richard and The Drifters.

1963 ITV transmitted the first edition of the pop music programme Ready Steady Go to rival the BBC's Top of the Pops. The presenter was Cathy McGowan oooooh I used to fancy her.

1979 Brighton established the first nudist beach in Britain.

1984 Daley Thompson won the Olympic decathlon gold medal in Los Angeles.

1996 A West Midlands woman Mandy Allwood announced that she was expecting octuplets.


Birthdays
1757 Thomas Telford, Scottish civil engineer was born. He built the Menai suspension bridge in Wales plus a further 1200 bridges and more than 1000 miles of roads in Britain. The new town of Telford in Shropshire is named after him and there is a statue of him in the town.
1938 Rod Laver, Australian tennis player and winner of 200 singles titles was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
1963 Whitney Elizabeth Houston, need I say anymore about this icon ?, born in Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
1947 Roy Hodgson, ex England manager born in Croydon.

[Silver_Shiney]

On this day, 5 minutes ago, my little girl and her husband took off on their way to a new life in Melbourne

[Raybosailor]

On this day, 5 minutes ago, my little girl and her husband took off on their way to a new life in Melbourne

When you say 5 minutes ago Alan have you just waved goodbye to them ?, if so I bet emotions were high. Good luck to them anyway.

[Silver_Shiney]

They actually left here yesterday, Ray, and yes, emotions have been running high. They stayed overnight at Heathrow in the Radisson, and I watched the takeoff on flightradar24.com. They got their permanent residency visas very quickly and SIL has got a well-paid job to go to already. They reckon they should be able to buy a house in less than a year after landing (and having a look around) and paying off the mortgage within two years.