October 14th "2024" Daily Prep

Welcome to day 288 of the “leap” year! Known as Be Bald and Free Day, National Dessert Day, National I Love You Day, World Standards Day. Your star sign is Libra and your birthstone is Pink Tourmaline.
The world’s largest airship, the R101 (an experimental British airship), made its maiden voyage. At the time of this achievement, it was the world’s largest flying vessel, clocking in at an astonishing length of 223 meters (731 feet).
1929 – The world’s largest airship, the R101 (an experimental British airship), made its maiden voyage. At the time of this achievement, it was the world’s largest flying vessel, clocking in at an astonishing length of 223 meters (731 feet).
Todays birthdays
1940 – Cliff Richard (84), English rock vocalist (“Move It”; “Living Doll”; “We Don’t Talk Anymore”), born in Lucknow, British India.
1946 – Justin Hayward (78), English musician and frontman of The Moody Blues (“Nights In White Satin”, “Forever Autumn”), born in Swindon, Wiltshire.
1948 – Marcia Barrett (76), Jamaican-British singer with Boney M (“Daddy Cool”, “Sunny”, “Rasputin”), born in St. Catherine Parish, Jamaica.
1965 – Steve Coogan (59), English comedian (Alan Partridge), actor (Tropic Thunder, Around the World in 80 Days) and screenwriter, born in Middleton, Greater Manchester.
1975 – Shaznay Lewis (49), English singer and songwriter with all girl group, All Saints (“Pure Shores”, “I Know Where It’s At”), born in Islington, London.
Famous deaths
2020 – Robbie Coltrane (b. 1950), Scottish actor, comedian and writer (Harry Potter film series, Nuns on the Run, GoldenEye).
The day today
1913 – Senghenydd (Glamorgan, S. Wales.) pit saw the worst pit disaster in British mining history in which 439 men and boys were killed, including eight 14 year olds.
1939 – The Royal Navy battleship, HMS Royal Oak, was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine while at harbour in Scapa Flow, off the northern coast of Scotland, a little more than a month after the start of World War II. 810 British seamen were killed.
1940 – The Blitz bombing of London’s Balham Tube Station was bombed, killing over 60 people. After the blast, the water mains were damaged, and a tunnel was filled with water. Around 300 escaped, but up to 68 people died, mostly from drowning.
1969 – Ahead of the complete changeover to decimalization, Britain scrapped the 10 shilling note and introduced the 50 pence coin.
1994 – NASA’s space probe Magellan burned in the Venus atmosphere. Magellan’s main job was to map out the planet, and it successfully carried out the mission before losing contact.
Today in music
1957 – Although it was banned by some US radio stations for its suggestive lyrics, The Everly Brothers had their first No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Wake Up Little Susie’, (a No.2 hit in the UK).
1967 – The second series of The Monkees TV show started on BBC TV in the UK. Plans for the shows to be screened in colour were dropped, so it was aired in black & white.
1969 – Police in New Jersey issued a warrant for the arrest of Frank Sinatra in relation to his connections with the Mafia.
1988 – Def Leppard became first act in chart history to sell seven million copies of two consecutive LPs, with Pyromania (their third studio album released in 1983) and Hysteria, (which became the band’s best-selling album to date, selling over 20 million copies worldwide, and spawning six hit singles).
2009 – Paul McCartney was named Songwriter of The Year at the 29th Annual ASCAP Awards in London, England. The awards presentation honored songwriters and publishers of the most performed works in the US during 2008.
Today in history
1066 – The Battle of Hastings was fought, on Senlac Hill, near Pevensey. An English army, commanded by King Harold, was defeated by the invasion force of William of Normandy. Harold was killed and Edgar the Ætheling was proclaimed king, but never crowned. William I ‘The Conqueror’ and the first Norman King of England, was subsequently crowned at Westminster Abbey on 25th December 1066.
1322 – Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeated King Edward II of England at the Battle of Old Byland in Yorkshire, forcing Edward to accept Scotland’s independence.
1586 – Mary, Queen of Scots, went on trial for conspiracy against Elizabeth I of England. She was convicted on 25th October and sentenced to death, but Elizabeth hesitated initially to order her execution concerned that the killing of a queen set a discreditable precedent.
1644 – The Birth of William Penn, the English Quaker leader who founded a Quaker colony named Pennsylvania in his honour.
1878 – The first football match played under floodlights took place at Bramhall Lane, Sheffield, in front of a crowd of just under 20,000. Two generators positioned behind each goal powered lights on 30 ft. high wooden towers situated at each corner of the field.