June 1st
Today is the Feast Day of St. Justin a Christian Apologist, so he went around saying "Sorry...sorry about that...sorry for liking Jesus...sorry.." Sort of like a second century Nick Clegg, but without St Vince trying to bump him off. Ah I see he was in fact somebody attempting to rationalise the basis of the Christian Faith and defend the faith from objectors.
1533 Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England.
1905 English character actor Robert Newton was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Best remembered for his 'shiver me timbers' role as Long John Silver in Disney's version of Treasure Island, his portrayal becoming the archetypal Pirate role-model, he was indeed the first actor to use the phrase "Arrrrh,matey!".
1910 Robert Falcon Scott's ill fated expedition for the South Pole sets off from Cardiff in the ship Terra Nova.
1928 TV Quizmaster and accomplished comedian Bob Monkhouse was born in Beckenham, Kent.
1930 English actor Edward Woodward ward ward wood... Oh stop that! Edward Woodward was born in Croydon, Surrey.Best known for the cult film, The Wicker Man as well as the eponymous character in ITV's Callan and the American series The Equaliser in which he played the lead role of Robert McCall.
1934 American singer and actor Pat Boone is born in Jacksonville, Florida.
1937 Actor/Director Morgan Freeman is born in Memphis Tennesse.
1943 English actor/director Leslie Howard died, when the aircraft he was in, flying home to Bristol from Lisbon, was shot down by Luftwaffe Junkers maritime aircraft, it is believed the Germans thought that Churchill was aboard, Howard was one of seventeen fatalities on board.
1944 Jesus is born! No I know it is not Christmas Day, but upon this day, in Salford, actor Robert Powell was born. He is best known for playing the title role in Franco Zefferelli's ,Lew Grade funded television epic, " Jesus of Nazareth".
1946 The original Hannibal Lecktor, Scottish actor Brian Cox is born in Dundee. He played the part of Lecktor in 1986's Manhunter five years before Anthony Hopkins reprised the role in Silence of the Lambs.
1947 Welsh actor and singer Jonathan Pryce is born in Holywell, Flintshire.
1947 Also on this day Rolling Stones and Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex.
1967 Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band is released by The Beatles.
1968 A year after Sgt. Peppers another seismic musical event occurred as Australian actor and singer Jason Donovan was born.
1974 An explosion at a chemical plant near Flixborough, South Yorkshire kills 28 people and seriously injures 36 more.
1980 CNN begins broadcasting.
1985 TV and film star Richard Greene died in Norfolk of cardiac arrest aged 66yo. Best known for his role as Robin Hood in the ITV series The Adventures of Robin Hood from 1955-1960.
2002 South African cricket captain and exposed match fixer died in a plane crash on Cradock Peak in S. Africa
2008 French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died from brain cancer in Paris aged 71yo.
2009 Possibly the greatest ever trainer of racehorses, Michel Vincent O'Brien died upon this day aged 92yo. He won three Grand Nationals, four Cheltenham Gold Cups, Three Cheltenham Champion Hurdles, Six Epsom Derbys and in Nijinsky, the 1970 Triple Crown winner, possibly trained the best horse ever seen.
May 31st
Today is World No Tobacco Day, when abstinence from all tobacco products across the globe is encouraged.
It is also the Feast of the Visitation which commemorates the visit of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, (mother of John the Baptist). It was on this visit that Mary proclaimed 'The Magnificat':-
"My soul doth magnify the Lord: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: The lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is blessed hath magnified me: And Holy is his name.
And His mercy is upon those that fear them: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the poor and the meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich are sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever."
1669 Citing failing eyesight Samuel Pepys makes the last entry of events in his diary.
1680 The cousin, twice removed, of Titus Oates, namely Walter Oates, was arrested upon suspicion of treason for abetting his cousin with the fakery of the 'Popish Plot' to assassinate Charles II. Walter denied any type of involvement saying that his cousin's gang were "As Titus thieves!", and that whilst they were planning the fabricated plot he was out quite literally 'sowing the wild Oates!'. His outrageous puns and attempts at dry wit convinced the inquisitors that he was merely suspected due to his lineage and whilst his cousin Titus was fined and imprisoned, stripped of all clerical vestments, he was freed. 'Upon my Oates I had nought to do with it yet honour sir', being his parting shot.
Walter left for the Americas where he joined up with George Fox's brethren and began farming crops on an intensive system, entering the cereal market with his own porridge, ' Quaker Oates'.
1819 American author and poet Walt Whitman is born in West Hills, Huntington,Long Island, New York.
1859 The clock tower in Parliament, which houses Big Ben, begins keeping time.
1860 English artist Walter Sickert was born in Munich. The violent nature given off in his artwork plus his copious use of prostitutes as models gave rise to rumours that Sickert was the Whitechapel murderer, Jack The Ripper, Sickert did little to divert the rumours even painting his room,( in which he believed the murderer had once dwelt), titling it "Jack The Ripper's Bedroom". The painting today hangs in the Manchester City Art Gallery.
1922 Quintessentially English actor, Denholm Elliott was born today in Ealing, Middlesex. He starred in over 120 films and TV shows, starring as Dr. Marcus Brody in Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
1930 American actor, director,producer and sometime Republican stooge, Clinton ' Clint ' Eastwood was born in San Francisco, California.
1948 British actress, broadcaster, author and OXO mum, Lynda Bellingham was born in Montreal,Quebec, Canada as Meredith Lee Hughes. She made her first big break showing her boobs in 1977's " Confessions of a Driving Instructor", later becoming the face of OXO from 1983 to 1999. Lynda also took over the role of Helen Herriot from Carol Drinkwater in the BBC classic series, All Creatures Great and Small.
1949 Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was born in Redditch, Worcestershire.
1962 Adolf Eichmann, an SS Lieutenant -colonel and one of the major organisers of The Holocaust during World War Two, was hanged in Ramla, Israel on this day. After the war he had fled to Austria until 1950 when, using false papers he fled to Argentina, remaining there until discovered by Mossad agents and captured, being smuggled out and taken to Israel to stand trial. A trial that saw him show no remorse and delivered the sentence that was carried out today.
1967 Wrestler Ian Richard Hodgkinson was born today in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Better known by his ring name of 'Vampiro' and his finisher 'Nail in the Coffin'.
1983 American boxer Jack Dempsey died in New York City from heart failure aged 87yo. The Manassa Mauler was World Heavyweight Champion from 1919-1926. His last reported words to his wife were "Don't worry honey, I'm too mean to die".
2009 English entertainer and Drag Artist, Danny La Rue, died in Tunbridge Wells, he had suffered from prostate cancer for many years, had several minor strokes and then developed cancer of the throat to which he finally succumbed aged 81yo.
Politics: The lumbering row over Nick Clegg's leadership rumbles on. Despite incessant protestations of innocence, Vince Cable added more fuel to the fire by offering to take the load off Clegg's hands if he wanted to go back to Sheffield, Hallam to fight for his seat, " But of course I am fully behind Nick, (right behind ready to plunge my sharp stiletto!). " In a surprise show of support for the embattled Deputy PM, Gideon Osborne said that," Nick has always been fully behind me in my doings, he has the most wonderful way with his tongue as he laps at your backside, both David and I would miss him dreadfully if he was to go".
May 30th
Feast day of St. Joan of Arc, patron saint of soldiers and France. Joan was a peasant girl who led the French against the English in 1430, she was later captured and burned at the stake in Rouen in 1431.
1536 King Henry VIII married Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting to his previous two wives.
1593 Christopher Marlowe, English dramatist, poet and alleged spy, was stabbed to death by Ingram Frizer in Deptford, he was 29yo.
1723 English explorer Sit Walter Greenwood set sail for the New World in thick fog. Running aground a few hours later he believed they had found a quick route to the West Indies when in actual fact he had 'found' the Isle of Man. For the next week Greenwood and his crew 'explored' the island, they were amazed at the islander's knowledge of the English language and dress, after six weeks stay they bade farewell to their new friends taking away gifts of Manx Kippers and tail less cats.
Once again the swift journey home convinced them that they had found some kind of vortex channel to the West Indies, an incorrect thought that stayed with him until his dying day.
1744 English poet Alexander Pope died aged 56yo. He suffered from Pott's disease which deformed his body and stunted his growth,( he stood only 4ft 6in tall in adulthood).Most famous for his poem The Rape of the Lock, a mock epic first published in 1712.
1896 American director and screenwriter Howard Hawks, known for his Westerns such as Red River, Rio Bravo,The Outlaw,etc.,as well as the Oscar nominated Sergeant York in 1941.
1908 Bugs Bunny is born! American voice actor and singer Mel Blanc was born in San Francisco.
1912 American pilot and inventor WilburnWright died from typhoid tevervaged 45yo.
1942 1,000 British bombers launch a 90 minute attack upon Cologne, Germany.
1949 Former England test cricketer and present Sky commentator, Bob Willis, is born in Sunderland.
1953 Irish actor Colm Meaney, best known as Chief O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, is born in Dublin, at present he is second only to Michael Dorn in appearances in Star Trek episodes.
1953 American actor and singer, Dooley Wilson, died aged 67yo. Best remembered as the piano player and singer "Sam" in Casablanca.
1960 Dr. Zhivago author Boris Pasternak died from lung cancer in Russia aged 70yo.
1961 English actor and comedian Harry Enfield is born in Horsham, West Sussex.
1967 Hollywood Great, Claude Rains, died from an abdominal haemmorhage aged 77yo. Coincidentally Rains died upon the same date as his Casablanca co-star, Dooley Wilson. (See above).
1980 England and Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard is born in Whiston, Merseyside.
Political News: Police today announced they were actively searching for the Prime Minister. Little has been seen or heard from David Camoron since the Tory party's dismal showing in the local and European elections.
The Met police after searching 30 Millbank, Tory HQ,and only finding bad news buried, are to begin searching the grounds of the London Mayor's residence after rumours of a long standing vendetta surfaced, the mayor having been heard to say that " Bank Holiday Monday is a good time to bury bad Prime Ministers!"
Detectives warned the public not to approach the PM if they see him as he is dangerously likely to turn purple and call them plebs!
Locals named two suspects arrested and released on police bail as a Theresa May and Michael Gove, police enquiries are continuing.
May 29th
Feast Day of St Oswald the Unready. He was a bishop of Bolton in 867AD who performed great acts of charity to the poor people of his parish.
When he heard of a family who were having problems feeding their 17 children he ordered his priests to sell off the cathedral's silver and gold in order that they could feed and clothe the family, at first they refused saying that the treasures belonged to God, Oswald countered by saying God himself had told him to sell the items to help the poor as set out in the Bible. Reluctantly the priests offered some of the gold and precious stones to the family, the Presstones. Instead of feeding his family the father chose to make gold rings and necklaces from the items, becoming a famous, successful jeweller in the process, founding "Presstones of Bolton.
Oswald was beatified in 900 by the Pope.
Also Oak Apple Day in England celebrating the restoration of the monarchy, anyone who failed to wear a sprig of oak risked being pelted with eggs or beaten with nettles.
1630 Charles II of England is born.
1903 Leslie Townes Hope is born in Eltham, London. Better known as Bob Hope he became one of America's best loved entertainers earning great praise for his shows for serving troops all over the world, often in war-zones
1911 Sir William Schwenk Gilbert died from a heart attack suffered whilst he was attempting to save a 17yo woman, Ruby Preece, whom he was giving a swimming lesson to, he was 75.
1959 Suave, English actor Rupert James Hector Everett was born in Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk.
1962 So what's the weather got in store today? Weather lady, Carol Kirkwood is born in Mortar, Inverness hire, no doubt a bit of sun for her birthday?
1967 Oasis stalwart Noel Gallagher was born today in Manchester.
1973 People in London are warned about the spread of ringworm. The voracious inch long worm burrows into a person's skin either by transference from another carrier or from a toilet seat. The worm then feasts on blood and tissue before settling down to rest in a circular position known as a 'ringlet', doctors say the only way to remove the worm is to have a very hot bath, which causes the worm to push its head out for an instant at which moment you should grab it with a pair of tweezers and gently remove it.
Removed ringworms are collected together by culinary experienced experts who turn them into vermicelli.
The last recorded outbreak was in October 1968
2010 Dennis Hopper died from prostate cancer aged 74yo.
May 28th
Feast day of The Blessed Margaret Pole a Roman Catholic Martyr beheaded on the instructions of Henry VIII in 1541 aged 67yo.
1023 Wulfstan, Archbishop of York died.
1843 Novelist Anne Bronte died in Scarborough of pulmonary thrombosis aged just 29.
1907 First Isle Of Man TT race is held.
1908 Author and journalist, James Bond creator and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang writer, Ian Fleming is born.
1911 Comedy actress Dame Thora Hird is born in Oldham.
1951 First transmission of The Goon Show.
1911 Actress and Singer the diminutive Kylie Minogue is born in Melbourne.
1984 Comedic Great Eric Morecambe died aged 58yo in Cheltenham General Hospital from a heart attack. One half of the timeless Morecambe and Wise, the partnership lasted over 40years until his death on this day in 1984.
1987 Three years later little known Arthur Robert Rikton died. He was a regular on the Northern Comedy circuit, appearing with Morecambe and Wise at Blackpool's Grand Theatre in 1953. Rikton's claim to fame though relates to his spots in Working Men's Clubs, not the funniest comedian on the circuit he holds the record for the most pies thrown at a turn in entertainment history, one night in Wigan he was pelted with 71 pies of varying fillings until fleeing the stage after just 6 minutes 34seconds. In his 37 year career he was pelted by 34,089 pies beating Des O'Connor's record by over 3,450!
At his funeral service mourners showed their affection for Rikton by throwing Hollands Meat Pies at his casket.
2010 Different Strokes star Gary Coleman died today from an epidural hematoma aged 42yo.
European Election fallout continues with Nigel Farrrrrrage offering the post of UKIP Deputy Leader to Boris Johnson. Explaining his offer Farrrrage said," Well it is obvious that we need big political animals in UKIP, and the London Mayor is certainly that, plus I used to love listening to his Dad commentating on the cricket! Botham...
Leg over...hilarious stuff, so come on Bozza come join me on my Crusade!"
May 27th
Today is the Roman Catholic Feast Day of St. Augustine, (a day later than the Greek Orthodox, but there you are).
Also the Feast Day of St. Eutropius of Orange. He was Bishop of Orange in the 5th Century. His remains are interred in the altar of St. Mary Magdalene's Chapel at The London Oratory.
1199 John is crowned King of England.
1703 Tsar Peter the Great founds St. Petersburg.
1837 Wild Bill Hickok is born in Troy Grove, Illinois, best known as a gunfighter and gambler, he later became a lawman and seduced Doris Day.
1840 Composer and violinist Niccolo Paganini died from internal haemorrhaging before a priest could be summoned. Because of this and his rumoured association with the devil he was denied
a Catholic burial in Genoa. It took an appeal to the Pope four years later for the body to be transported there, even then burial was not allowed. His remains were finally laid to rest in 1876 in a cemetery in Parma.
1877 Legendary dancer Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco, California. A highly controversial figure due to her open bisexuality and Soviet sympathising, she died tragically aged 50yo when her silk scarf became entangled in the open spoked wheel and rear axle of an Amilcar sports car in which she was a passenger and broke her neck.
1907 Bubonic Plague breaks out in San Francisco.
1921 Animator Bob Godfrey, best known for Roobarb and Custard, Noah and Nelly and Henry's Cat, is born in West Maitland ,Australia.
1922 English actor and singer Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born in Belgravia, London. Most famous for Hammer Pictures' Count Dracula, Lee also played Felix Scaramanga in James Bond flick, The Man With The Golden Gun, then in Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit as Saruman.
1933 Walt Disney releases " The Three Little Pigs" introducing the hit song, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf". Possibly the most intriguing version of the song was 1991's LL Cool J's take on the album " Simply Mad About The Mouse".
1941 The German battleship "Bismarck" is sunk by HMS Norfolk, Rodney and King George V who disabled the great ship before withdrawing and allowing HMS Dorsetshire to complete the sinking of Hitler's most famous battleship with the loss of 2,015 crew and 98 Officers.
1943 Liverpudlian, Tory Party supporting Cilla Black is born Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Liverpool.
1955 Wrestling Promoter, commentator and occasional wrestler Eric Bischoff was born in Detroit, Michigan.
1965 Australian tennis legend Pat Cash is born in Melbourne, surprisingly he was delivered without a headband!
1966 Mad scientist chef, Heston Blumenthal was born,(created?), today in London.
1967 English footballing, alcoholic great Paul Gascoigne is born in Dundton, Gateshead. He holds the World Record for being at Death's door, currently standing at 32. He also keeps several rehabilitation centres in business.
1967 Also on this day Warehouse 13 star Eddie McLintock is born in North Canton, Dakota.
1968 Journalist, Editor,Liar, Phone Hacker, Cameron shagging soon to be jailbird, Rebekah Brooks was born today as Rebekah Mary Wade in Warrington.
1969 Jesus died!
Henry Herman McKinnies Jnr. died from an intercranial haemorrhage while on a set of steps at his California home. He fell, knocked over a planter and cracked his head on a bannister which fractured his skull. Found unconscious by his wife he was rushed to hospital and underwent brain surgery, but succumbed to his injuries shortly after, he was just 42yo. Better known as Jeffrey Hunter he will always be remembered for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in " King of Kings" in 1961, though he decided he would not star in the TV Series Star Trek as Captain Christopher Pike, after filming the pilot episode, thereby allowing a certain William Shatner an opportunity.
1971 British actor Paul Bettany, best known for stealing the film 'A Knight's Tale' from under Heath Ledger's nose, was born in Shepherd's Bush, London
1976 A good date for cooks today as James Trevor Oliver also popped into the world today in Clavering, Essex. Though at times completely unintelligible and drowning the audience, his no nonsense cooking caught the eyes of top politicians to try and reinvent school dinners, an experiment brought to a crushing standstill by the coalition when Michael Gove ordered schools to serve dried bread and water,( gruel available in the winter).
Political News: Nick Clegg continued his denial of reality today, insisting the Lib-Dems were doing fine and well and in 12 months would still be in government, as the men in white coats carried off the deputy PM, celebrating Nigel Farrrrrrrrrage claimed that, "UKIP were on an unstoppable bandwagon that was rolling through Europe like the Third Reich and would be a real force to be reckoned with!" When asked about his party's policies he snapped," Oh go away you silly woman, who cares about that? Not my voters anyhows, now where's the champers and let's go bot some Romanian layabouts!"
2011 Jeff Conaway passed away at the age of 60. Best known for the role of Kenickie in the film Grease, he also starred in Taxi and Babylon 5. His career was dogged by drug abuse, an addiction that eventually led to his death in Encino, California from pneumonia.
2013 English comedy actor, Bill Pertwee, best known as ARP Warden Hodges in Dad's Army died aged 86yo.
May 26th
Feast day of St. Augustine of Canterbury. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597.
Also National Day of Healing in Australia, sometimes known as National 'Sorry' Day. Held since 1997 to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of the national indigenous population.
735 The Venerable Bede died in Jarrow, Northumbria.
946 King Edmund I was murdered by an exiled thief, Leofa, at a St Augustine's Day Mass in Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire.
1703 Famous Diarist, Samuel Pepys died in Clapham.
1805 Napoleon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan.
1886 The legendary All Jolson is born as Asa Yoelson in present day Lithuania. At the peak of his career he was nicknamed 'The World's Greatest Entertainer'.
1897 Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula' is published, spawning a host of 'copy-cat' stories down the years.
1903 Wigan born entertainer George Formby enters the world as George Hoy Booth.
1906 Vauxhall Bridge is opened in London, probably the last time it wasn't gridlocked!
1907 American patriot, actor, director and icon John Wayne is born in Winter set, Indiana as Marion Robert Morrison, (Wayne often claimed his given name to be Marion Michael Morrison).
1912 Canadian-American actor Jay Silverheels, most famous for playing Tonto to Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger in the eponymous TV Series, is born.
1913 Horror film afficianado Peter Cushing is born in Kenley, Surrey.
1917 Several powerful tornadoes ripped through Illinois, including the town of Mattoon, killing 101 people and injuring 689. It would have been much worse apart from the fact The Trumpton Fire Brigade were on a fact-finding mission and put their expertise to great effect saving thousands.
1920 Peggy Lee, American singer-songwriter and actress was born in Jamestown, Dakota.
1923 British character actor, Roy Dotrice, was born on Guernsey, best known for his series 'Dickens In London' and his role as 'Father' in the original series of 'Beauty and the Beast'.
1932 Alphonse Wilderburg is appointed official chef to Adolf Hitler. He would remain at the Fuehrer's side until 1945 in Berlin, then in Argentina until Hitler's death in Mendoza. Best known for his signature dish of Der Fuehrer's Sauerbraten, a dish that ,it is alleged Hitler ordered when he seduced Eva Braun. Wilderburg's name lives on in Berlin in Alphonse's Chop-Houses run by his six sons.
1989 Former Leeds United and England manager Don Revie died aged aged 61yo from Motor Neurone Disease.
1996 A severe thunderstorm put the WWF Pay-per-View, In Your House: Beware of The Dog, off air after just two bouts...it was rescheduled for two days later. The original main event was for the WWF Title between Shaun Michaels and The British Bulldog, resulting in a double pin fall draw after original ref Earl Hebner had been knocked out and replacement Mike Chioda counted the 1-2-3 as Michaels' shoulders were on the mat, whilst a recovered Hebner counted as Bulldog's shoulders were. As a draw was announced it meant Michaels retained the WWF Title.
May 25th
Today is National Tap Dancing Day in America!
615, 1085, 1261 A bad day to be Pope! Three of them died on this date, Boniface IV, Gregory VII and Alexander IV to put their demises in chronological order. So not a great day to be St Peter's successor...then again they would be meeting the man himself very soon, so possibly a no lose situation.
1878 Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, 'HMS Pinafore' opens at the 'Opera Comique'.
"We sail the Ocean blue, and our saucy ship's a beauty;
We're sober men and true, And attentive to our duty."
1895 Playwright and author, Oscar Wilde, is convicted of "committing acts of gross indecency with other males" and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Times certainly change, I mean look at William Hague? Nowadays Oscar could have been Foreign Secretary.
1934 Planets composer Gustav Holst died this day aged 59yo. Unable to support himself through his composing the young Holst had played the trombone professionally and become a teacher.
1967 Glasgow Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup, beating Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon.
1913 TV Presenter and journalist Richard Dimbleby was born in Richmond, Surrey. He was the regular presenter of Panorama and famously showed his comedic skills combined with gravitas to present 'The Spaghetti Harvest" on April Fools Day in 1957. He is also the father of Richard and Jonathan Dimbleby, who carry on the Dimbleby dynasty.
1944 Miss Piggy herself, alias puppeteer Frank Oz is born.
1958 Jam and Style Council frontman Paul Weller is born in Woking.
1959 Comedian, actor, TV presenter and writer Julian Clary is born. He first came to fame as "The Joan Collins Fan Club" with his pet dog " Fanny the Wonder Dog" in the early 1980s.
1960 Heinrich Himmler is discovered in the house of a female hoarder, "I had no idea he was there!", wailed the woman, " I remember getting a large parcel from Berlin in late 1945 but I gave it no thought and my hoarding took over. The senior Nazi is believed to have been posted out of Berlin in Summer of 1945 and assisted by sleeper Third Reich agents in the Post Office was posted to the woman's home to be collected later. Something went wrong and the SS head had to escape from the brown paper himself and hid amongst the clutter of the hoarder's home, even finding work nearby as a Traffic Warden a role in which his SS training proved invaluable, it is alleged he paid a huge fine to remain in anonymity for the rest of his life, standing successfully as a Conservative councillor for six years.
1960 Ex Blue Peter presenter, journalist, TV presenter and serial OK magazine contributor, (remember the wedding photos? "Mr and Mrs Grant Bovey enjoy a New Cadburys Snowflake", the marriage just about outlived the chocolate!), Anthea Turner was born in Stoke-on-Trent.
1963 Sschwingg...Wayne's World star Mike Myers is born. Austin Powers' altered to arrived in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
2006 Desmond Dekker died from a heart attack in Thornton Heath, Greater London aged 64yo.
2009 Wayne Rooney's hair is born in a London Clinic. The botox using England 'striker' was said to be very happy with the new born and was looking forward to wearing it very soon!
May 24th
Today is Bermuda Day, appropriately enough in Bermuda!
Also today is Aldersgate Day, a holiday celebrated by Methodists to commemorate the day in 1738 when John Wesley 'experienced confirmation of his salvation by the grace of God' in a meeting room in Aldersgate Street, London.
A bit like the feeling you get after a few drinks down the local, sort of White Lion Experience!
1626 Peter Minuit buys Manhattan from Native Americans for goods valued at 60 Dutch Guilders, the equivalent of £403.01p in today's currency.
1830 Mary Had A Little Lamb by Sarah Joseph's Hale was published, spouting a host of copycat and parody rhymes:-
Mary had a little lamb, She also had a bear,
I've often seen her little lamb, but I've never seen her...
1941 Singer/Songwriter and 20th Century icon Bob Dylan is born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota.
1945 Priscilla Presley, American actress, businesswoman, (?), and ex-wife of Elvis, is born Priscilla Ann Wagner in Brooklyn, New York.
1956 Michael Jackson, the Irish Archbishop of Dublin was born in Kurgan, County Armagh. He had a sideline, encouraged by the Holy Father in Rome, of 'blacking up' and being 'The King of Pop', a dual role he performed tirelessly for over 40yrs.
1966 Ex footballer and kung-fu exponent Monsieur Eric Daniel Pierre Cantons is born in Marseille, France. Now best known for off-beat, deep poetry, acting and beer commercials.
1974 Duke Ellington, American pianist and composer died aged 75yo, from lung cancer and pneumonia. He was leader of his eponymously named Orchestra for over 50 years from 1923 until his death.
1995 Baron Wilson of Rievlaux K.G. died aged 79yo from colon cancer and Alzheimer's disease. He was better known as Harold Wilson, Labour Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970, then 1974-76, winning four General Elections.
Political News..On the eve of the European Parliamentary Results Nick Clegg seemed to be putting a brave face on it during an interview, "Am I down hearted by what tomorrow might bring, not at all! If we lose all our MEPs, so what! It appears that the electorate want to see the UK leaving Europe, so we are trailblazing the way as usual, setting the standard for others to follow!" He then ended the interview by singing "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life".
May 23rd
Today is World Turtle Day! Heroes in a half shell!...Ah they mean the non mutant ones,(spoil sports!), still if you are into your Loggerheads, Leatherbacks or even the humble terrapins and tortoises,well today's the day for you! People dress as turtles, (Donatello?...Michaelangelo?... Leonardo?...Raphael?...Timmy?), etc. To promote conservation and helping to make them thrive, etc.
Also the Feast Day of Aaron the Illustrious...no Craig you are not named after him! He was a Mesopotamian Christian Monk of the century also known as Aaron the Nuts...scrub the above, perhaps you were named for him Craig after all.
1533 The marriage between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon is declared null and void.
1666 New Bakers Shop opens in Pudding Lane, London. "We aim to bake it fast, pile it high and sell it cheap", stated the new owner "Cookie" Gregg, "what shall we call it? Mmmm well as it's mine I reckon I should call it 'Greggs', has a nice ring to it. Successful? I reckon we will be I've got the best bread and cake makers this side of Watford, mark my words you come back in September and we'll be roaring along like a house on fire!".
1883 American actor and film innovator, Douglas Fairbanks is born
1910 Jazz great, clarinetists, Artie Shaw is born
1918 England Test cricketer and Footballer, Denis Compton is born
1921 Jazz trumpeter and Sorry I Haven't A Clue host Humphrey Littleton is born.
1934 American, notorious bank-robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are ambushed by police and killed in Black Lake ,Louisiana.
1944 Three time Wimbledon Men's Champion, John Newcombe is born in Sydney, Australia.
1959 Robert Renwick Mortimer, better known as Bob Mortimer, one half of the 'Reeves and Mortimer' comedy duo,(I won't say which one!), is born in Middlesbrough, England.
1998 Legendary British film star Lionel Harbuthnot died after a long illness, (he had pneumonia for 23 years), aged 96yo. He was famous for playing archetypal Northern England types of a certain ilk. Best known for his role as 'Ar Eric' in the follow up to Hobson's Choice, 'Hobson's Pig In A Poke', though an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor escaped his grasp for the role the very next year he was nominated again for his part in the sequel to Henry V, namely Henry Six, in which he played the Duke of Malmesbury's man-servant Dickie Doobers , his stand out line remembered to this day, ''Mind yer 'at me Lordship thum arrers are flyin' thick 'n fast!", a line that still draws a huge laugh from today's more astute filmgoers. Harbuthnot left a wife, ten children, seventeen grandchildren, thirty- three grandchildren, three cats, a dog and two guinea pigs.
May 21st
Today is the Feast Day of St. Herbert of Sowerby Bridge. Best remembered for the 1234 "Miracle of The Fish and Chips",when Herbert produced, out of the ground seemingly, thirty fish suppers for his hungry followers who had accompanied him to The Shrine of the Lady at Cleckheaton. It is alleged that each follower's meal included every personal taste, e.g. mushy peas,salt and vinegar, scratchings, etc. He is venerated each May 21st as the devoted Herbertites place fresh Spring flowers and a hot fish supper on his shrine in Sowerby BGerard Also commemorated by an Old Age Pensioners' sheltered housing block in Chadderton, Oldham.
1894 The Manchester Ship Canal is officially opened by Queen Victoria.
1917 Raymond William Stacey Burr is born in New Westminster, British Colombia, Canada. He is best known for playing wheelchair bound detective Robert Ironside in the eponymous TV series, he had also switched careers to play top lawyer Perry Mason in nearly 300 episodes from 1953 until his death in
1927 Charles Lindbergh touched down at Least Bourget Field in Paris completing the first non-stop trans Atlantic flight.
Politics Nigel Farrrrrrage today admitted he 'cannot stand his German born wife and their Kraut kids', he said, " I cannot wait until they go back to the Fatherland and leave me in peace with my new PR lady...what do you mean she's French? Ah well sleeping with the enemy and all that...vote UKIP this Thursday you may not know what we stand for...but neither do we! Just vote for me Nigel Farrrrrrage!"
1938 World Champion Dry Stone Wall Jumper, Frederick Winter bottom was born in Pickering, North Yorkshire. Winter bottom won his first North Riding Wall-jumping championship aged 17. He won the first of seven World titles in 1957, defending it in 1958,'59,'60 and 1961. Injury and a court case for damaging a farmer's wall in Holmfirth, preventedvhim from competing again until 1966, when Winter bottom successfully regained the World Title beating Nikolai Putin, (Vladimir's cousin), in a photo-finish, he defended it successfully in 1967 and 1968 before injury forced his retirement in 1969. Today the Dry Stone Wall Jumping World Championship trophy bears his name, " The Winterbottom Cup".
1948 Pop Star from the 1970s, Leo Sayer is born in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex as Gerard Hugh Sayer.
1949 Daily Politics host and former newspaper editor, rabid,right wing,Thatcher adoring, Andrew Neill is born in Paisley, Renfrewshire.
1973 Mighty Boosh star, Noel Fielding, was born in Westminster, London.
2000 Fragrant, Romantic novelist, Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland, died aged 98yo at her home in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.
2000 Respected Thespian, Sir John Gielgud, died peacefully aged 96yo.
May 22nd
It is the Feast Day of St. Fuli, an English pilgrim. He was beatified for his selfless assistance to plague victims in Castrofuli, Southern Italy in spite of any danger to himself, indeed succumbing to the plague himself in 1570, his cult was approved in 1572.
1807 The English town of Chudleigh was nearly destroyed by fire, luckily the Trumpton Fire Brigade were enjoying a short holiday there and their expertise helped save a disaster.
1859 Sherlock Holmes creator and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is born in Edinburgh.
Politics: Today the United Kingdom goes to the polls in European and local elections, last words from the leading candidatesv
were:-
David Cameron,(Alleged Prime Minister-Nazi Party):"Toodle-pip old bean! Yes you should vote for us 'cos we are not like or plebs like you and we know best how to spend your money...by giving it to hard working wank...sorry bankers like Gideon's best friend Claude. So vote me and let'svget the old champers ready"
Nick Clegg,(Enabler in chief to the Nazi Party - Lib-Dems,(soon to be extinct):"Look I'm sorry, right, I know I haven't done as I promised before the 2010 election, but hey look at me Deputy PrimevMinister! Who'd have think that and Uncle Vince and Little Danny all driven around in limos!Wow please vote for us and let us carry on enjoying ourselves,what?OK we have had to crucify the poor, sick and needy and destroy the NHS, but God look at our cars and bank accounts, you know we can make a difference... to ourselves at least!
Ed Miliband(Labour Party Leader...no Ed not David!):"Today it is very important you vote for us, I mean well like we aren't them are we? I'm not Stuck up Camoron or Liar liar pants on fire Clegg...I'm just god old Davis...I mean good old Ed...no not the one who can't drive straight, that's Balls...no I 'm not being rude! Anyways vote for us, you know it makes sense ,we will sort out your cost of living crisis at a stroke."
Nigel Farrrrrrage(UKIP Party leader and certified lunatic,racist):"Today it is very important that you think about who is best equipped to run the country...then forget it all and cast your vote for me! I mean look you don't want a family of Romanians moving next to you,do you? I mean what next blacks?Irish? For God's sake let's keep this country British, we don't want the Eastern Europeans, French,Scottish,Greeks,Germans...oh hang on some of them are OK...but you know what I mean...so vote Farrrrage and have a nice pint with cosy Nigel as we wave goodbye to Johnny Foreigner...and the NHS, jobs, trade,etc.,etc. Just vote Farrrrrrage for a better world for me!
Several other parties are standing but we couldn't be added talking to them as you don't really give a toss about them, do you?
1906 The Wright Brothers are granted Patent no. 821,393 for their "Flying Machine".
1924 French singer - songwriter and actor, Charles Aznavour was born in Paris, France as Shahnour Varinag Aznavournian.
1930 English trumpet player and jazz great Kenny Ball died aged 82yo from pneumonia.
1946 Northern Ireland football great George Best was born in Belfast.
1962 American wrestler Brian Pillman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Best known by the soubriquet 'Flyin' Brian', Pillman wrestled until his death in 1997 aged 35yo. An autopsy found his death was due to a condition called arteriosclerotic heart disease, a disease that had caused his father's death also.
1970 Supermodel and sometime professional fighter, Naomi Campbell was born in Streatham,London.
1972 Cecil Day - Lewis died aged 68yo in Hadley Wood, Worcestershire.
1972 Margaret Rutherford died aged 80yo in Chalfont St. Peter. Best known for her performances as Madame Acarte in Blithe Spirit, Miss Marple upon four occasions and roles in many great British comedies of the 1940s - 1960s. She was also cousin, once removed to Labour politician Tony Benn.
1978 Ex Jordan, professional bride, author and uber-slut, Katie Price was born Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis Infield, in Brighton.
1980 Namco release the first Pacman arcade game
1982 Jockey Tom Scudamore was born in Condicote, Gloucestershire, a third generation national hunt jockey.
1990 Microsoft released Windows 3.0. operating system.
2013 Soldier Lee Rugby is murdered in Woolwich, London.
2013 British Wresling legend Mick McManus died aged 92yo in a nursing home for retired actors. It is reckoned that McManus made more televised appearances as a wrestler than anybody else, revelling in the nickname, 'The man they love to hate'.
May 20th
Feast Day of St Lucifer of Cagliari...no not that Lucifer, this is a 4th Century Bishop.
Also World Metrology Day...so let's not, as b*witched did, "Blame It On The Weatherman", at least not for today!
1277 Pope John XXI died.
1285 John of Jerusalem died...not a good day if your name happens to be John!
1528 Jolly John James Jenkinson of Cleckheaton died when a mysterious lump of jelly fell from the skies hitting him on the head and killing him instantly. The jelly lump measuring 4ft by 6ft and tasting of 'raspberries', was investigated by doctors and alchemists ,the length and breadth of the fair land of England, even the scientists at the court of Henry VIII were called upon to investigate, yet to this very day nobody has an explanation to Jolly John James Jenkinson's Jelly Jinx.(see what I mean about being called John on this day?)
1840 York Minster is badly damaged by fire, luckily the Trumpton Fire Service were visiting the City and quickly sprang into action , saving the Minster!
1806 John Stuart Mill, who on half a pint of shandy got particularly ill is born in Pentonville.
1895 RJ Mitchell designer of the Supermarine Spitfire is born in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire.
1908 James Maitland Stewart is born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, his distinctive drawl and laid back persona was seen to good effect in over 90 films notably, Mr Smith Goes To Washington, It's A Wonderful Life, The Philadelphia Story, (for which he won an Oscar), Destry Rides Again, Vertigo,Rear Window,etc.
1960 Star Trek's Doctor Phlox, actor John Billingsley, is born, sadly not in Denobula, but Media, Pennsylania.
1964 Nigel Murray , the Scottish actor and director died aged 55yo after a short but fatal illness. He shot to fame in the 1950s by starring in and directing films that bore an uncanny likeness to previous cinematic hits, his 1954 version of 'From Near To Maternity' was a fine example as was his 1959 epic about a Welsh funeral director, 'Ben Hearse', in which he played the lead role opposite a young Shirley Bassey.
Many other 'hits' followed, 'Shitty, Shitty, Bong, Bong', ' Mary Poopins', (banned in many cinemas for its theme of Laxatives and diarrhoea.), he became ill whilst filming his final masterpiece, a new piece based upon suburban cannibalism, 'A Man For All Seasonings'.
Murray was never nominated for an Oscar or a Bafta but remains one of THE Cult film-makers to this day.
1969 The Battle of Hamburger Hill, in Vietnam ends.
1970 The battle of Cheeseburger Delta, in Vietnam begins...with fries!
1985 English cyclist Chris Froome is born in Nairobi ,Kenya.
1996 Third incarnation of Dr Who and Worzel Gummidge star Jon Pertwee died aged 76yo in Connecticut from a heart attack, sadly he did not regenerate.
2011 American wrestling star Randy Savage died aged 58 from a heart attack whilst driving. Losing control of the 4 x 4 he crashed into a tree. A post-mortem put death down to atherosclerotic heart disease.Savage's remains were cremated and placed under a tree in Largo, Florida with those of his favorite dog.
May 19th
Feast Day of St Dunstan. Patron Saint of blacksmiths, locksmiths, goldsmiths, silversmiths and Musicians! Also famous for outwitting and re-shoeing the Devil in a Harp playing contest...kind of an early 'Devil Went Down to Georgia'.
It is also Malcolm X Day in America. The day first took place in Washington DC in 1971.
1536 Anne Boleyn is beheaded for adultery, treason and incest. Well at least it saved Henry VIII the cost of a divorce.
1568 Elizabeth I ordered the arrest of Mary Queen of Scots, they really had it in for their relations that family!
1870 Albert Fish, serial killer also known as the Brooklyn Vampire was born , it is alleged that he killed nine children aged 4-17yo, though he was only charged with four murders. He was also known to be a child rapist and cannibal, he was executed by the electric chair upon January 16th 1936.
1879 The first woman ever to sit as an MP in The House of Commons, Nancy Astor, was born in Danville, Virginia,USA.
1897 Oscar Wilde is released from Reading Gaol after serving two years hard labour for various homosexual offences. Whilst in the prison he wrote 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol', with many memorable passages, i.e.
Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard.
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word.
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!
1900 On this day a Mr D. Anglford of Bury,Lands was convicted of riding a motor scooter at over 12mph! He pleaded guilty and was given 9 months Hard Labour, breaking rock at Blackpool. The magistrate told Anglford as he sent him down," Let this be a lesson to you! If God had intended us to go at such speeds he would have fitted us with combustion engines, I hope 9 months of breaking sticks of rock will let you see your folly.".
1932 Singer Alma Cogan was born in Whitechapel, East London. Known as 'The Girl With A Giggle In Her Voice', she had a string of hit records up until her untimely death from ovarian cancer aged 34.
1946 Andre The Giant, French-American wrestler and actor was born Andre Rene Roussimoff in Grenoble, France.
Connected to the above item in 1978, Norman Potts of Oldham beat Andre the Giant in a televised wrestling bout by a knockout! Potts was so terrified of the monstrous wrestler, that he peed his pants and fouled the ring, Andre in his haste to teach the Little Englander a lesson slipped in the resulting pool of pee, fell hitting his head hard and staying down for the big ten count...as Norman danced around wet trunks and all he too slipped in the mess and knocked himself out. As Kent Walton said "A legend is born grapple fans, you'll be seeing the name Piss-Potts on Wrestling Bills for years!"
2006 Pop star Freddie Garrity of "Freddie and the Dreamers" died from complications related to emphysema on holiday in Bangor, North Wales. He was 69yo.
May 18th
Vladamir Putin will be out beating his chest again today as Russia celebrates Baltic Fleet Day , (most are apparently parked just off the Ukranian coastline).
It is also International Museums Day so lets get out there and go visit some Mummys.
We also celebrate the feast day of St Eric of Sweden, the king of that same country c1155-1160. He should not be confused with St. Eric The Half-A -Bee who was bisected accidentally one summer afternoon by me.
1152 Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine, (not sure if the aforementioned King Eric got an invite!).
1763 Fire destroyed a large part of Montreal, things may have been much worse but for the fact that the Trumpton Fire Brigade were on 'fire watch' exchange with some Canadian force, and they battled hard to save what they could of the city.
1804 Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of France by the senate.
1812 John Bellingham is found guilty of the assassination of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval and sentenced to hang.
1897 American film director Frank Capra is born in Bisacquino, Sicily, His tour de force? Of course the magnificent It's A Wonderful Life.
1909 Fred Perry is born in Portwood, Stockport, he won Wimbledon three times in a row, 1934, '35, '36...remaining the last male British winner until Andy Murray in 2014!
1911 Austrian composer Gustav Mahler died in the Low Sanatorium from bacterial endocarditis. He was just 50yo.
1912 Perry Como is born Pierino Robert Como in Canonsberg, Pennsylvania.
1920 Pope John Paul II is born as Karol Josef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland. He was the first non Italian Pope since 1523.
1946 Aaron Craig of Nova Scotia broke the world Pencil Sharpening Record, putting a point on 3,345 pencils in one hour using his trusty pen-knife. He beat the pre-war record of Mr Ho Chi Min by 978 pencils. He put his skill down to 'practising all night and sleeping all day, it certainly puts an edge on my game!'. The record was published in 'The Oyster Stout Book of Recordings' and stands to this day, then again why wouldn't it?
1990 Mrs Charles Bronson, the actress Jill Ireland died at her Malibu home from breast cancer at the age of 54.
1995 And with a twitch of her nose she was gone! Bewitched star, Elizabeth Montgomery died from colorectal cancer just eight weeks after being diagnosed with the disease, she was 62yo.
2002 Davey Boy Smith, better known as the 'British Bulldog', died after suffering a heart attack on holiday with his girlfriend, Bruce Hart's ex-wife Andrea, in Invermere, Canada. An autopsy revealed past steroid abuse may have had a part in his death, though no certain reason was revealed, he was just 39yo.
2013 Nam Duck-Woo , ex South Korean Prime Minister, died aged 89. Why can't our politicians have such great names? Ed Milliband-Moo-Cow? David Cameron-Toad Face? Nick Clegg Weasel-Features? Nigel Farrage-Pig-Face-Turd-Bucket? Which would you vote for?
May 17th
Count your blessings...or potatoes! Today is National Famine Memorial Day in Ireland.
Also the Feast Day of Saint Restituta.
1590 Anne of Denmark is crowned Queen of Scotland. (Seems a little mixed up!).
1849 A large fire almost destroys the city of St. Louis, Missouri. Luckily the Trumpton Fire Brigade were on an exchange visit at the time and using their exquisite skills extinguished the conflagration quickly.
1935 The great English Television Playwright,Director, Author and Novelist,Dennis Potter, was born in Berry Hill, Gloucestershire. Best known for the BBC series 'Pennies From Heaven', which gave the big break to Bob Hoskins.
1936 American icon, actor and director Dennis Hopper was born in Dodge City, Kansas. Fondly remembered for his portrayals of 'Billy' in Easy Rider,(which he also directed), Clifford Worsley in True Romance, the mad bomber, Howard Payne and of course 'King Koopa' in Super Mario Brothers. He passed away on this day from prostate cancer aged 74yo.
1942 One of the most secret operations of the Second World War took place in the 'Schleswig-Holstein Sweep'. A group of specially trained chimpanzees and orangutans were parachuted into the area of the Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal,(later renamed the Kiel Canal). Their target was a fleet of mini U-Boats, armed with new and experimental torpedoes and grenades, the apes aim was to steal three of the craft and destroy the others. Though details are scarce to this day the monkeys succeeded in grabbing two craft, sailing them safely back to Blighty and all 37 of the remainder were destroyed completely thereby shortening the war by several months. Hitler was so incensed by the raid he stormed, "Verdammt, diese Menschenaffen wie sie es wagen,einen Affen aus mir machen!", (Damn those apes, how dare they make a monkey out of me!).
The apes lost sixteen of their party, the returning thirty two were awarded the P.G.T. and the leader was awarded the Victoria Banana. Winston Churchill later said," Never in the trees of Ape's conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few monkey-brothers. We should be grateful forever to our hairy cousins for giving the Führer a bloody nose. God save the Apes!"
2000 The 101st Archbishop of Canterbury, Donald Coggan, died aged 90yo in Winchester.
2004 American actor Tony Randall died aged 84yo in New York City from pneumonia. Best remembered for his role as Felix opposite Jack Klugman's grouchy Oscar in the TV version of 'The Odd Couple', he starred in more than 30 feature films.
2005 Frank Gorshin, American actor and brilliant impressionist died aged 72yo from lung cancer in Burbank, California. He is probably best known for his portrayal of The Riddler in the 1960s Batman TV series.
2012 American diva Donna Summer died aged 63yo from lung cancer.
May 16th
To cheer us al up it is 'Mass Graves Day' in Iraq.
One of the twelve Apostles of Ireland today is also St. Brendan's Feast Day.
1435 Albert Blenkinsop led the Lancastrian Peasants' Revolt against Henry VI. The revolt arose when the King decreed that a tithe would be placed upon offal to raise money for the Royal Coffers in order to bolster his fight for the disputed throne of France. Blenkinsop and his followers marched upon Bacup on Easter Saturday battling the infamous Brittannia Coconut Men. a battle commemorated to this very day , they got as far south as Bury before the King's Army intercepted them and the Peasants were routed. Blenkinsop was tried for treason and was found guilty . He was hung,drawn and quartered in Bury's town square and his entrails are believed to have been used to create the very first Bury Black Pudding.
To this very day the revolt is remembered by people who eat tripe in honour of Albert Blenkinsop and his battle against Henry's Awful Offal Tax.
1905 Henry Fonda was born in Grand Island ,Nebraska.
1936 English comedian and actor Roy Hudd is born in Croydon ,England.
1953 Remmington Steele himself is born .Pierce Brosnan arrived in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland , he later became the fifth James Bond before joining the Swedish pop group Abba in 2008.
1957 Nigel Twiston - Davies National Hunt jockey and trainer is born. He has trained the winners of The Cheltenham Gold Cup.(Imperial Commander), and The Grand National twice(Earth Summit and Bindaree ).
1957 American Federal Agent Eliot Ness, ( Yes he was a real person!), died aged 54yo.
1990 Sammy Davis Jnr , "A One-Eyed Negro Jew", as he famously said when asked what his golf handicap was. Primarily a dancer,singer,musician and a gifted impressionist Davis died fom lung cancer on this day aged 64yo.
1990 Father to the Muppets , Jim Henson, died from organ failure resulting from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome aged just 53yo.
2013 And it's 'Hi-Di-Hi, Ho-Di-Ho' no more for Ted Bovis as Paul Shane dies in a hospice at Rotherham after 'a short period of illness' aged 72yo.
May 15th
It is The International Day of Families, so let's remember all our Families, no matter how dysfunctional they may be!
1536 Anne Boleyn was put on trial charged with treason,adultery and incest. She was found guilty and sentenced to death by a 'specially selected jury,( Henry VIII really liked to keep things stacked in his favour!).
Politics. The Education Secretary Michael Govesays we should learn from the 'Boko Haram 'Militants in Nigeria. He told a gathering of Conservative activists in Birmingham," they should go out and terrorise and persecute those teachers and Heads who disagree with my beautiful Free Schools Crusade, and send them all to Hell in a Handcart ".
The duel this morning at dawn between the aforementioned Michael Gove and the deputy PM ,Nick Clegg , ended in farce when both their Seconds,namely, Jeremy Hunt and Vince Cable, both overslept and missed the duel. After several minutes of posturing and tongue- sticking,Messrs Give and Clegg were ushered away by their wives to save further embarrassment.
1856 Wizard of Oz author Frank L. Baum was born.
1888 American poet Emily Dickinson died aged 55yo.
1905 American actor Joseph Cotten was born, he came to prominence in Orson Welles masterpiece, Citizen Kane, also starring alongside Welles in the iconic ,''ThevThird Man".
1909 James Mason was born in Huddersfield ,West Yorkshire, he was awarded a Golden Globe for his role in thev1955 version of A Star is Born.
1928 Mickey Mouse premieres in his first movie, Plane Crazy.
1937 American actor and singer Trini Lopez is born in Dallas,Texas.
1941 Magical Jim Williams, British Vaudeville's worst ever magician, dies aged 56yo, on stage in Bradford when his " Cutting Himself in Half " trick goes tragically wrong when his glamorous assistant, BeckyTrikon, uses a real blade instead of the trick one.She, and a number of the audience were treated for shock after the incident. Williams was famous for being booed off every single theatre in the UK, a fact he was immensely proud of. I,ronically, given the nature of his death it was reported that he suffered from schizophrenia.
May 14th
Feast Day of Englemund of Velsen...didn't he sing 'Release Me'?
Also Feast Day of Saints Victor and Corona...sounds like a comic duo off a Variety Bill!
1873 Edgar Bumsveldt, an American entrepreneur was bork in Hicksville, Pennsylvania. He moved to Manchester, England in the early 1900s and opened 'The International Cheese Emporium' on Deansgate. Immediately a great success they stocked such cheeses as, Red Leicester, Tilset, Caerphilly, Bel Parse, Red Windsor, Stilton, Gruyere, Emmental, Norwegian Jarlsberg, Liptauer, Lancashire, White Stilton, Danish Blue, Double Gloucester, Cheshire, Dorset Blue Vinney, Brie, Roquefort, Pont L'Eveque, Port Salut, Savoyard, Saint Paullin, Carre de L'est, Boursin, Bresse Bleu, Perle de Champagne, Camembert...possibly runnier than you'd like it, Gouda, Edam, Caithness, Smoked Austrian, Sage Derby, Wensleydale, Greek Feta, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Pipo Crem, Fynbo, Czechoslovakian Sheep's Milk Cheese, Venezuelan Beaver Cheese, Cheddar, Ilchester and Limburger.
Despite the shop having stock problems from time to time, often completely bereft of cheese he quickly franchised the brand throughout Europe. His son and his sons continued the brand until the 1960s when they were bought out by Sir Montgomery Python.
1936. American singer and actor Bobby Darin was born in The Bronx, New York City.
1957 American wrestling Bad Guy, 'Big Van Vader' was born as Leon Allen White in Lynwood , California.
1959 Edgar K. Leonard, the renowned tree- frog trainer croaked.
1970 Photographer Robert Ronkit died penniless on the streets in Torquay,Devon at the age of 57yo. He is famed for inventing 'The Inverted Self-Righting Instamatic Colourised Kaleidoscopic Cinematic Fish - Eye Camera', a piece of equipment no modern snapper could do without, indeed without Ronkit's invention photography would be back in the Dark Ages.
1980 Welsh Actor Hugh Griffith's died aged 67yo in London. He won the Best Supporting Oscar for his role as Sheik Ilderim in Ben Hur, (1959). A role that would be very in PC today as he 'Blacked-up' to play it!
1991 Idris the Wolf Boy is believed to have been born in Anglesey. Abandoned by his mother and father the baby was found and raised by a pack of wolves in the woods overlooking Llyn Codon, he was found completely naked,wild and walking on all fours by local clergyman Reverend Francis Ballantyne-Gray, who gave him the Christian name Idris as he was found on St. Idris' Day.
To this very day he sleeps in a dog-basket and is a constant gnawer on raw bones, he currently works as a Job Adviser for the DWP.
1998 Francis Albert Sinatra died from a heart attack in California aged 82yo. Besides his legendary singing career, Sinatra also won a Best Supporting Oscar for his role in 'From Here To Eternity'. He was also a founding member of the Hollywood 'Rat Pack' thereby introducing Roland and Rizzo to showbusiness.
May 13th
Feast day of St John the Silent, he was known for living alone for 76 years.
1907 Author Daphne due Maurier was born, amongst her works were Jamaica Inn, The Birds and Don't Look Now.
Latest Polls show the Tories have a 2 point lead, experts say that this shows just how stupid and gullible the British voter is! After five years of Gideon's cuts, IDS attacks on the disabled and poor they are still willing to vote for the Etonian Posh Boys to inflict more misery on the ordinary person.
1914 American boxer Joe Louis, 'The Brown Bomber', was born.
1939 Harvey Keitel,famous US Actor is born.
1940 Winston Churchill makes his 'blood, toil, tears and sweat' speech to the House of Commons.
As Manchester City celebrate their Premiership Title, neighbours United held a parade around Old Trafford in front of the groundsmen to celebrate Wayne Rooney's massive pay-rise .
1961 Basketball star and famed celebrity Denis Rodman is born in Trenton, New Jersey.
1961 Hollywood great Gary Cooper died aged 60yo of prostate cancer.
May 12th
It is the Feast Day of The Blessed Joan of Portugal,(isn't that Rinaldo's mum?).
It is also Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day...explains why I feel knackered!
1003. Pope Sylvester II possibly the first cat to be elected Pope before Pope Bagpuss I in the Middle Ages.
Sports News...David Moyes celebrated his fourth match in a row without defeat...'I am sure that my season's just about turned the corner," said the bewildered Scot as he wriggled madly in his straitjacket...meanwhile Sor Alex Ferguson seemed unduly reticent when asked about his "Noisy Neighbours" second title in 3 years, he was heard to mumble," Football,eh? Bloody Hell those Blues are good!".
1700AD English poet,playwright and critic, John Dryden, died in London aged 68yo. He was initially interred in Saint Anne's Churchyard in Soho but 10 days later he was exhumed and reburied in Westminster Abbey.
Politics ...As the row over School funding grew, the Education Secretary,Michael Gove , slapped the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg across the face and challenged him to a duel at dawn upon Wednesday.He accused the Lib- Dem leader of having besmirched his honour by calling him a lunatic and zealot in the media this weekend over his "theft" of £400million from the schools' budget, " and only the PM or Mr Murdoch can call me that!", the duelnis set for Wednesday morning and seconds will be announced
1820 Founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale was born in ...Florence, Italy...just as well she didn't arrive in Bognor!
1828 English poet and painter, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, was born in London.Best known for his Romanticised pictures of King Arthur and his Knights, he also provided illustrations for his sister, Christina Rossetti's poetry.
1864 In the American Civil War, the Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded during The Battle of Yellow Tavern, he had earlier won Battles at The Red Lion and The King's Head!
1907 British author Leslie Charter is is born , meaning he in turn can give birth to one of the most iconic English Literary Characters, namelybSimon Templar, better known as 'The Saint'.
1935 Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith meet for the first time at the home of Henrietta Siberling, founding Alcoholics Anonymous, celebrating until well into the night I suppose!
1925 Baseball player and manager Yogi Berra is born, he later moved to Jellystone Park with his friend Boo-Boo.
Ed Balls admitted hitting three parked cars, causing minimal damage, he apologised to magistrates adding it wasn't all his fault as he just cannot help veering to the left.
1924 Top comedic actor and manic depressive Anthony Aloysius Hancock is born, ensuring that in his torrid short life we would be given 'Hancock's Half-Hour'
1928 Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach is born.
1942 Another legend in the music sphere is born as Ian Dury is born paving the way to find his Blockheads and use his Rhythm Stick to good effect.
1967 Poet Laureate John Masefield dies aged 88yo in Abingdon Berkshire.
Sea Fever (1902)
'I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky.
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song
and the white sail's shaking
And a grey mist on the sea's face
and a grey dawn breaking.
1968 American skateboarding legend and actor,(not legendary!), is born thereby spawning innumerable video games bearing his name!
2001 Iconic crooner Perry Como dies in his sleep six days before his 89th Birthday,it has been reported he was suffering from symptoms of Alzheimers Disease. He has numerous hit records including:-
'Catch A Falling Star'
'Magic Moments'
'Papa Loves Mambo'
'Delaware'
'Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes'
'It's Impossible'
'And I Love You So'
'For the Good Times'
And so,so,so,many more!
Iconic Crooner Gary Barlow says he was duped by David Cameron andvGideon Osborne over his Tax affairs, " They have shafted me ," moaned the Take That star," they told !e they had these great ideas what their fathers had set up to avoid paying full taxes. They said if I backed them in the 2010 Election I'd never have tax to pay again! Now I've a £20 million bill on my mat and now they are going to empty my bank account to pay it! Well I've had it I'm looking to Nigel to Relight My Fire! Could It Be Magic? Well Babe you never know but with UKIP I'm Back For Good and the Tories , well I've lost my Patience so they can Pray for my support.Now it's time for UKIP to Rule The World...and me I'm off to the Seychelles!"
May 11th
It is the Feast Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius. They were 9th Century Byzantine Greek brothers who are attributed with devising the Glagolithic and Cyrillic Alphabets.
912AD Alexander becomes Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
1310 Fifty-four members of the Knights Templars are burned at the stake for heresy.
1812 Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons. . .(what we would give for a John Bellingham today!).
1820 HMS Beagle is launched,it will be used later by Charles Darwin on his scientific expeditions to find 'The Origin of Species'.
Crime News. Three Bears in home invasion shock. Police name main suspect as 'Goldilocks'...obviously an assumed name!
Foreign News - Vladimir Putin offered to put his arms around Ukraine to show his support. His arms were 1,900 tanks,3,675 aircraft, 6 ships and 276,000 firearms.
1888 - American composer Irving Berlin was born as Israel Isidore Beilin near Mogilyov,Russia.
1904 - Surrealist painter,Salvador Dali, was born in Figueres, Catalonia. Best known for paintings that look like a 7yo might have painted. Also provided the 'Dream Sequence' in Hitchcock's 'Spellbound'.
Financial News - Barclays Bank announces plans to axe a further 7,900 jobs . When asked about shortages in staffing, Chief Executive, Antony Jenkins said, " We've trained up a troop of monkeys to man the cashier desks...as you know they literally work for peanuts, so it's a great saving that will allow my bonus to be even bigger next Spring!"
1911 Sergeant Bilko alias Phil Silvers is born in Brooklyn ,New York. He players the scheming Ernie Bilko in 142 episodes of the Phil Silvers Show plus a special in 1959.
1941 - Lead Singer with The Animals, Eric Burdon, was born in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne
1950 Chief Inquisitor of Newsnight, Jeremy Paxman is born in Stonor, Oxfordshire.
Politics - London Mayor, Boris Johnson, denies he is homophobic, " It is complete nonsense, ask any of my queer friends and they'll tell you I'll bend over backwards for them!"
1963 British actress ,(and Mrs Liam Neeson), Natasha Richardson,was born in Marylebone,
London
1964 1991 Snooker World Champion, John Parrott, was born in Liverpool.
1973 Ex Tarzan star, Lex Barker, died of a heart attack walking in a New York Street aged just 54yo.
1974. Wrestling star Billy Kidman was born Peter Alan Gruber jnr in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
1988 Harold Adrian Russell Philby died in Moscow. He was one of the so called 'Cambridge Five', a Soviet Spy Ring.
2001 No more hiking! Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams died after suffering a heart attack aged 49yo.
