12th December

'I called the New World into existence to redress the balance of the Old' said George Canning, the British foreign minister today in 1826. He was referring to the fact that Britain had given cash, recognition and above all the guns of the Royal Navy to the new South American republics trying to break away from Portugal and Spain.

And how did they repay us? They hid escaping Nazis after 1945 and invaded the Falklands in 1982.

Thanks, guys.

In other news ...
In New York today in 1907, a statute was passed insisting that girls about to be married should sign affidavits declaring their age and good conduct. This is clearly a good idea. My good lady wife has just read this blog over my shoulder and 

26th November

New York had its first streetcar (horsedrawn of course) today in 1832. It ran between 14th and Spring Street and was called Desire.

Of course.

In other news ...

One of the most spectacular finds in archaeology took place today in 1922 when Howard Carter and his backer, the Earl of Caernarvon, broke through to the uninvaded tomb chambers of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings.

Just think - without that we would never have had the Indiana Jones series ...

26th August

I tell the story to my GCSE classes and AS aspirants every year. At Crecy on this day in 1346, Edward III and his son the Black Prince took on a French force twice their size and destroyed it. At one point when the Prince's flank was under heavy attack, he sent a messenger to his father asking for reinforcements. The king said, 'Let the boy win his spurs' and sent him nothing. Why do I tell this story to my GCSE and AS candidates? Because the Black Prince was their age - 16 - at the time.

They don't make them like him any more.

In other news ...
I shouldn't tell half my readers about this in case they create a copy cat situation. Today in 1970 women went on strike in New York and the city stopped. Don't have nightmares, chaps, but can you imagine? No tea in bed? No full English? No cleaned house, ironed shirts, washed car, walked dog, gourmet dinner ... I can't go on because this is a family blog!

6th August

The Holy Roman Emperor Francis II abdicated today in 1806. That was because Napoleon told him that he wasn't Holy, nor Roman, nor much of an Emperor. So he threw his toys out of his pram and went home.

In other news ...
'Old Sparky' came to life today in 1890, the first time the contraption was used for an execution. The 'sitter' was the murderer William Kemmler and the place was New York. Under certain conditions, the new 'humane' method could take up to eleven minutes to bring about the death of the convicted felon.