Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 July 2008 13:15:29
History Today :
622 : This is the day of Mohammed's flight (Hegira) from Mecca and the Islamic lunar calender starts from here. There is no evidence that Ryanair or Easyjet were involved.
1661 : The first bank notes in Europe are issued by the Bank of Stockholm. This consigned vodka to being a beverage and not a form of currency. Swedes seemed to smile a lot more after this but were more morose the following morning.
1867 : Reinforced concrete is patented by Parisian Joseph Monier. The other day I find a more modern alternative in the form of my wife's toasted, stale, crusty bread. I have the missing tooth to prove it but forgot to retain it for the tooth fairy.
Quiz:
All these were born or died today but what were they famous for? Clue: there are religious links.
1821 : Mary Baker Eddy was born.
1865 : James Owen Hannay was born.
1546 : Anne Askewe died.
1918 : Csar Nicholas II and his family are murdered by a Bolshevik firing squad in Ekaterinburg. There was a mystery as to whether or not their daughter miraculously survived - Yul Brynner even starred in a film about her but it wasn't the Maginificent Seven - which was much better. Altogether now - Daaaah Daaaah, Dah Dah Dah Daaah! Daaaah Daaaah, Dah Dah Dah Daaah!
1945 : Alamgordo Air Base in Los Alamos, New Mexico is the scene of the first Atomic Bomb Test.