Today in 1919 the first scheduled flight took place between London and Paris. A souffleuse (female whistler) was employed to entertain the (presumably terrified) passengers. It was very noticeable that everyone wanted to fly from Paris to London and not vice versa.
In other news ..
'Is Paris burning?' Hitler asked today in 1940 as the Wehrmacht took the French capital. This was an 'in' joke really. Napoleon, a century and a half earlier, said 'If I made one mistake in my life it was not to bomb Berlin.'
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Sunday, 10 June 2012
10th June
722 years ago today Frederick Barbarossa (the red-bearded) was swept away in a swollen river on his way to the Third Crusade. It was destined, really. There were already so many egos in that war - Richard the Lionheart, Philip of France, Leopold of Austria, Saladin - and don't get me started on Nicholas of Montferrat! It's difficult to see how Frederick would have fitted in.
In other news ...
The first University Boat Race took place today in 1829. Because one team came from Cambridge and the other from Oxford, they naturally decided to hold the contest in London. Why there was no outcry from London University, I can't imagine, unless of course, University College and King's College were slugging it out on the Cam.
In other news ...
The first University Boat Race took place today in 1829. Because one team came from Cambridge and the other from Oxford, they naturally decided to hold the contest in London. Why there was no outcry from London University, I can't imagine, unless of course, University College and King's College were slugging it out on the Cam.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
10th May
The worst blitz of World War Two on London hit tonight in 1941. Like all such disasters, figures are unreliable, but there were at least 1400 deaths and 100,000 incendiary fires all over the capital. The Houses of Parliament were hit, so was St Paul's, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey and every major railway station. The Ministry of Information announced the next day that 28 German bombers were shot down. In fact the figure was a mere eight and one of those crash landed, out of fuel, somewhere in Scotland and had nothing to do with the Blitz at all.
Or did it? The Messerschmidt in question was flown by Rudolf Hess, Hitler's deputy and if you think that's a coincidence you've been reading too much British and Nazi propaganda.
In other news ...
One of the greatest generals in the American army died today in 1863 of pneumonia and complications brought on by wounds he received soon after his brilliant victory at Chancellorsville. He was Thomas Jackson, known to all and sundry as 'Stonewall' because of his stubborn steadiness under fire. Ironically he was shot by one of his own pickets, a terrified teenager who lost his nerve and fired too soon in the darkness while on guard duty at the Confederate camp.
Personally, I wouldn't trust a teenager to point a rifle at me or anyone else for fear they would forget what they were doing and just pull the trigger to hear the bang and see the pretty bullet. It would have been better all round and certainly for Stonewall Jackson if the under twenties had been confined to pea shooters. The Sixth Form at Leighford High are certainly not allowed weaponry of any kind until they have completed at least five terms and then only if they can shoot the 'i' out of the school noticeboard at fifty paces.
Or did it? The Messerschmidt in question was flown by Rudolf Hess, Hitler's deputy and if you think that's a coincidence you've been reading too much British and Nazi propaganda.
In other news ...
One of the greatest generals in the American army died today in 1863 of pneumonia and complications brought on by wounds he received soon after his brilliant victory at Chancellorsville. He was Thomas Jackson, known to all and sundry as 'Stonewall' because of his stubborn steadiness under fire. Ironically he was shot by one of his own pickets, a terrified teenager who lost his nerve and fired too soon in the darkness while on guard duty at the Confederate camp.
Personally, I wouldn't trust a teenager to point a rifle at me or anyone else for fear they would forget what they were doing and just pull the trigger to hear the bang and see the pretty bullet. It would have been better all round and certainly for Stonewall Jackson if the under twenties had been confined to pea shooters. The Sixth Form at Leighford High are certainly not allowed weaponry of any kind until they have completed at least five terms and then only if they can shoot the 'i' out of the school noticeboard at fifty paces.
Sunday, 18 March 2012
18th March
An Austrian army defeated a French Revolutionary one at Neerminden today in 1793. This was the last time Austria won anything, except possibly a Eurovision Song Contest.
In other news ...
The first telephone line was set up between London and Paris today in 1891. The conversation (which was recorded for training purposes) went like this:
Merde!
In other news ...
The first telephone line was set up between London and Paris today in 1891. The conversation (which was recorded for training purposes) went like this:
- Hello?
- Allo?
- Hello? Can you hear me?
- Allo?
- Can ... you ... hear ... me?
- Allo?
- CAN ... YOU ... HEAR ... ME?
Merde!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
3rd March
I'm writing this one in a whisper so that I don't upset the cat. You see, on this day in 1848, his namesake, Count Metternich, was overthrown by rebels in Vienna during the Year of Revolutions. All Hell was let loose all over Europe in fact by people demanding the vote, more food, the setting up of republics, more food, the end of aristocracy and the power of the church and more food. Louis Philippe's palace was destroyed the previous month in France. Venice broke away from Austrian control. There were barricades and burnings and running battles in just about every European capital.
Except London. To be fair, we did have a Chartist rally (the Chartists were those lunatics who wanted the vote and five other ludicrous demands) but it was typically British. The petition of 5 million names demanding reform actually contained less than 2 million and they included the Duke of Wellington (who would have put himself through the shredder before allowing any kind of reform) and Victoria Rex (King Victoria). Others were Pug Nose, Big Ears etc. All of which goes to show how seriously we British took our politics. Incidentally, in this rally, there were far more policemen than protesters (David Cameron, are you listening?)
In other news ...
Jean Harlow, the platinum blonde star of the new talkie screen was born today in 1911. Margot Asquith, when addressed by the star as Margotte, replied, 'the "t" is silent, as in Harlot [pronouncing it Harlow, of course].' But as Temperance Brennan of Bones would say, there is no 't' in Harlow, so that is not only illogical but it is non-consequential and ultimately unamusing. Although we at Maxwell Towers have been known to double up over it. It is one up on the 'pee is silent as in the bath' joke - but not by much.
Except London. To be fair, we did have a Chartist rally (the Chartists were those lunatics who wanted the vote and five other ludicrous demands) but it was typically British. The petition of 5 million names demanding reform actually contained less than 2 million and they included the Duke of Wellington (who would have put himself through the shredder before allowing any kind of reform) and Victoria Rex (King Victoria). Others were Pug Nose, Big Ears etc. All of which goes to show how seriously we British took our politics. Incidentally, in this rally, there were far more policemen than protesters (David Cameron, are you listening?)
In other news ...
Jean Harlow, the platinum blonde star of the new talkie screen was born today in 1911. Margot Asquith, when addressed by the star as Margotte, replied, 'the "t" is silent, as in Harlot [pronouncing it Harlow, of course].' But as Temperance Brennan of Bones would say, there is no 't' in Harlow, so that is not only illogical but it is non-consequential and ultimately unamusing. Although we at Maxwell Towers have been known to double up over it. It is one up on the 'pee is silent as in the bath' joke - but not by much.
Saturday, 28 January 2012
28th January
A lot of people assume that the drug culture is a late 20th century phenomenon tied in with rock and roll, easy sex and young people. As an historian I can refute that. If you had the cash, the hard stuff has been available for much longer. For instance, it is on record that on this day in 1817, the Prince Regent was stoned in St James's Park.
In other news ...
The Irish poet W B Years died today in 1939. As he himself nearly wrote in one of his best known poems, 'A terrible beauty is dead.'
This Saturday the Maxwell family is taking itself off up to London for the day. Mrs Maxwell - or Detective Inspector Carpenter-Maxwell to give her her full title - occasionally gets a hankering for the bright lights and so we head northish and a tiny bit eastish and hit the Great Wen. Nolan is becoming quite the city slicker these days and thinks nothing of hailing a taxi. The trick now is to stop him hailing a taxi without asking first; it is quite a heart stopping experience to see one's only son disappearing down Regent Street in the back of a black cab. The cabbies like him though - he's a heavy tipper.
In other news ...
The Irish poet W B Years died today in 1939. As he himself nearly wrote in one of his best known poems, 'A terrible beauty is dead.'
This Saturday the Maxwell family is taking itself off up to London for the day. Mrs Maxwell - or Detective Inspector Carpenter-Maxwell to give her her full title - occasionally gets a hankering for the bright lights and so we head northish and a tiny bit eastish and hit the Great Wen. Nolan is becoming quite the city slicker these days and thinks nothing of hailing a taxi. The trick now is to stop him hailing a taxi without asking first; it is quite a heart stopping experience to see one's only son disappearing down Regent Street in the back of a black cab. The cabbies like him though - he's a heavy tipper.
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