December 20th "2023" daily prep
Welcome to day 354 of the year! Known as Go Caroling Day, National Sangria Day and Sacagawea Day. If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of March 28th. Your star sign is “Sagittarius” and your birthstone is Blue Topaz.
1928 – Harry Ramsden started his fish and chip restaurant in a hut at White Cross – Guiseley, near Bradford in West Yorkshire. It soon became the most famous fish and chip restaurant in the world.
Todays birthdays
1946 – Uri Geller (77), Israeli-British illusionist, magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic, born in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
1952 – Jenny Agutter (71), English actress (Spooks, Call The Midwife, The Railway Children), born in Taunton, Somerset.
1957 – Billy Bragg (66), English singer, songwriter and musician (Beats International – “Dub Be Good to Me”), born in Barking, East London.
1966 – Matt Neal (57), British motor racing driver (British Touring Car Championship winner in 2005, 2006 and 2011), born in Stourbridge, West Midlands.
1980 – Ashley Cole (43), English football coach and former player (Chelsea, Arsenal, England), born in Stepney, London.
The day today
1924 – Adolf Hitler was freed from jail early. After an unsuccessful attempt to seize Munich, Adolf Hitler was arrested and charged with high treason. He was sentenced to five years; however, he only served nine months after being released early for good behaviour.
1928 – Harry Ramsden started his fish and chip restaurant in a hut at White Cross – Guiseley, near Bradford in West Yorkshire. It soon became the most famous fish and chip restaurant in the world. In 2012 the restaurant was acquired by the fish and chip chain ‘Wetherby Whaler’ and they gave this name to the new restaurant.
1955 – Cardiff was officially recognised as the capital of Wales. Cardiff is the most important administrative, shopping, and cultural centre in the country, as well as the headquarters for many national organizations and government departments.
1979 – The introduction of Britain’s Housing Bill – forcing local councils to sell their houses to any tenants who wished to buy them.
2004 – A gang of thieves stole £26.5 million worth of currency from the Donegall Square West headquarters of the Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of the largest bank robberies in UK history.
Today in music
1959 – Emile Ford and the Checkmates were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For.’
1969 – The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their 10th release Let It Bleed featuring ‘Midnight Rambler’, and ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want.’ It was the last studio album by the band to feature Brian Jones (who had died on July 3rd of that year after drowning in his swimming pool), as well as the first to feature guitarist Mick Taylor.
1980 – Twelve days after John Lennon was shot dead in New York City, ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’, which was taken from his Double Fantasy album gave the former Beatle his first ever UK solo No.1 single.
1986 – The Housemartins were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of The Isley Brothers ‘Caravan Of Love.’ It was only the second a cappella song to be a No.1 hit after ‘Only You’ by the Flying Pickets.
1999 – Readers of UK Guitar magazine voted Noel Gallagher the most overrated guitarist of the millennium. Jimi Hendrix was voted guitarist of the millennium with Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ winning best album.
Today in history
860 AD – The death, at Sherborne, Dorset, of King Ethelbald (Æthelbald) former King of Wessex.
1192 – Richard the Lion-Heart was captured and imprisoned by Leopold V of Austria on his way home to England after signing a treaty that ended the Third crusade.
1327 – King Edward II was buried in Gloucester Cathedral. It is the only monarch’s tomb in the South West of England and one of only a few outside of London.
1832 – HMS Clio under the command of Captain Onslow arrives at Port Egmont under orders to take possession of the Falkland Islands.
1910 – The British General Election produced a tied vote, with the Liberal Party and the Tory Party each winning 272 seats.
Fact of the day
It’s a tradition in Sweden to watch Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve. Every year since 1959, Sweden’s main TV station, TV1, has broadcast an hour-long Christmas-themed Disney special, which includes short clips from various Disney Cartoons released between the ‘30s to the ‘60s.