View todays celebrity birthdays and find out what happened in history today.
1946 – Labour politician Aneurin Bevan announced the Government’s proposals for a free National Health Service, paid for by the taxpayer.
1963 – Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay closed its gates for good.The choice came after 20 years of concerns about the costs to keep the prison running and how prisoners were treated.
1983 – The government announced that the first automatic trains on London’s underground could be in operation by early April.
1984 – Central Park designated a section of its grounds as “Strawberry Fields” to commemorate John Lennon, who was shot dead in his nearby residence.
1984 – Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher came under attack for the breakdown of negotiations at the common market summit in Brussels. It is understood that Mrs. Thatcher asked for an annual rebate for Britain of £730m but was offered £580m, which she refused.
1990 – A demonstration in London against the poll tax became a riot. More than 400 people were arrested.
1991 – The government announced plans for a new property tax in place of the controversial poll tax.
1997 – The death of Wilbert Vere Awdry, Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast, and children’s author. Better known as the Reverend W. Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the central figure in his Railway Series. Awdry was born at Ampfield vicarage in Hampshire and his father was vicar of Ampfield Church.
1999 – Ernie Wise, comedian, died aged 73. ‘Morecambe and Wise’ were a comedy legend for generations of people in Britain. They were honoured with posthumous fellowships at the British Academy Television Awards.
2006 – The first-ever Tweet was published on Twitter.
Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, wrote the first tweet. His first message was posted at 09:50 on this day and said, “just setting up my twttr.”
2017 – The death (aged 86) of Colin Dexter, the English crime writer known for his Inspector Morse series of novels. His characters have spawned a TV series, a sequel series, Lewis, and a prequel series, Endeavour.
2018 – TV presenter Ant McPartlin is charged with drink driving following an accident in London.
2020 – Day one of the closure of all the UK’s cafes, pubs and restaurants (except for take-away food) in an effort to combat coronavirus. All nightclubs, betting shops, casinos, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres were also told to close as soon as they reasonably could. The government said the situation would be reviewed each month and that it would pay 80% of wages (up to £2,500 a month) for employees who were not able to work.
“When I’m around you, I kind of feel like I’m on drugs. Not that I do drugs. Unless you do drugs, in which case I do them all the time. All of them.” – Scott Pilgrim.
The Capital of Tuvalu is Vaiaku village, Funafuti province
A group of Midwives is an Expectation.
If a zombie apocalypse becomes a reality, most people would get infected quickly due to the fact that nobody would really believe that a zombie apocalypse was really happening. #notme #beprepared
Machetes in English-Speaking Caribbean countries are referred to as a “Cutlass”.
Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.
Darth Vader would be the worst at hide and seek.
“You are like a hurricane, there’s calm in your eye” #songlyrics
A group of Oarsmen is called a Row.
Snow White in ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ was inspired by actress Marge Champion.
“No one is normal. Everyone is just pretending to be normal.” – Alessandra Torre
People used to think sparrows hibernate at the bottom of lakes during the winter.
I don’t know about being crazy, but my pile of clay eyebrows is getting larger every day.
You can hold a note forever inside your head. Try it.
Michael Caine – Real Name: Maurice Micklewhite
2018 – Xi’an, China, introduced a pedestrian lane for people who walk while looking at their phones.
1993 – The Holbeck Hall Hotel in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, fell into the sea following a landslide, making news around the world.
1805 – The first Trooping of the Colour took place on Horse Guards Parade. It was Edward VII who moved Trooping the Colour to its June date, because of the vagaries of British weather.