Today, Back Then

706 AD  Byzantine emperor Justinian II has his predecessors Leontios and Tiberios III publicly executed in the Hippodrome of Constantinople. Can we do this to the Tories...?

1676  Isaac Newton writes to Robert Hooke “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” 

1882 S.S. Dunedin leaves New Zealand for Britain with the first cargo of frozen meat.

1900 Boer War: Siege of Kimberley broken by British troops under Lieutenant-General John French after a 124 day siege. Kimberley defence led by Cecil Rhodes. French became Field Marshall French and led the British Expeditionary Force into France in August 1914.  He served in that position until late 1915.

1906 British Labour Party founded.  Where has it gone?

1942  World War II: The Fall of Singapore. Following an assault by Japanese forces, the British General Arthur Percival surrenders. About 80,000 Indian, United Kingdom and Australian soldiers become prisoners of war, the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history. The Sook Ching massacre begins. That’s the end of 50-100,000 civilians. Thousands of POWs die in Japanese prison and labour camps over the course of the war.

1944  891 British bombers attack Berlin in the largest raid by the RAF against the city

1946  ENIAC (for “Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer”), the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania. It weighs thirty tons. It cost over seven million dollars in today’s prices.  Your mobile phone has more computing power.

1952 King George VI is buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England

1971  The decimalisation of British coinage is completed on Decimal Day.  Before this date in the United Kingdom, the British pound was made up of 20 shillings, each of which was made up of 12 pence, a total of 240 pence.  A great weight in the pocket.  I still use shillings when shopping!

Born this day

1748  Jeremy Bentham, English philosopher, social reformer and founder of modern utilitarianism, born in London (d. 1832) His body on show, if you know the right people, in University College.

1834  William Henry Preece, Welsh electrical engineer/wireless pioneer, born in Caernarfon, Wales (d. 1913)

1861  Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) British mathematician and philosopher (Adventures of Ideas), born in Ramsgate, England

1866  Bannister Fletcher, English architect and architectural historian (A History of Architecture), born in London (d. 1953)

1874  Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922)  British-Irish polar explorer (Endurance, Antarctica), born in Kilkea, Ireland.  Famous for the rescue of his crew, after a small boat sail from Antarctica to South Georgia.

1874  The Heart of Midlothian are created by enthusiastic young men in Edinburgh's High Street.  Not actually this date, but I thought I would mention it anyway.

1883  Sax Rohmer [Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward], English author (Dr Fu Manchu novels), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1959)

1909  Harold Beeley, British diplomat to the Arab world, born in Manchester, England (d. 2001)

1930 C. F. Payne, British chief constable, born in Cleveland, Ohio

1932  Adrian Swire, British aircraft magnate (Cathay Pacific)

1938 Lord Justice Ward, British judge

1946 Clare Short, British MP

1946 John Greenway, British MP

1949 George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle, English hereditary peer

1953 Derek Conway, British MP

1955 Clive Aslet, British editor (Country Life)

Died on this Day

1757-1844  Henry Addington.  1st Viscount Sidmouth, British Prime Minister (Tory: 1801-04), dies at 86

1852-1928 H. H. Asquith.  UK Prime Minister (Liberal: 1908-16), dies at 75

Samuel Bough - Dysart on the Coast, Sunrise