April 15th "2024" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 106, known as National Laundry Day, Titanic Remembrance Day, World Art Day. If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of July 23rd in the previous year. Your star sign is Aries and your birthstone is Diamond.
2019 – The historic Notre-Dame de Paris caught fire during a restoration campaign. The blaze destroyed most of the cathedral’s roof and the 19th-century spire.
Todays birthdays
1959 – Dame Emma Thompson (65), English actress (Nanny McPhee, Cruella, Love Actually), born in Paddington, London.
1966 – Samantha Fox (58), English pop singer (“Touch Me”) and former glamour model, born in Mile End, London.
1971 – Katy Hill (53), English television presenter (Blue Peter, Live & Kicking, Top of the Pops), born in Poole, Dorset.
1990 – Emma Watson (34), English actress (Little Women, Harry Potter franchise), born in Paris, France.
1997 – Maisie Williams (27), English actress who made her acting debut in 2011 as Arya Stark (Game of Thrones), born in Bristol.
Famous deaths
2004 – Caron Keating (b. 1962), Northern Irish television host (Blue Peter, This Morning) and daughter of Gloria Hunniford.
The day today
1943 – The island of Malta was awarded the George Cross by King George VI of England.
At the height of World War II, Malta held off Axis forces time and time again until all but the last scraps of fuel and food were left. Malta was awarded the George Cross, the highest non-military honor, for the heroism and devotion of its people during this siege.
1952 – The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber successfully completed its first flight.
1989 – The Hillsborough disaster occurred. 97 children, women and men lost their lives as a result of the disaster at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium.
2013 – Two bombs explode near the finish line at the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, killing three people and injuring 264 others.
2019 – The historic Notre-Dame de Paris caught fire during a restoration campaign. The blaze destroyed most of the cathedral’s roof and the 19th-century spire.
Today in music
1957 – Jerry Lee Lewis released ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On’ on Sun Records. Written by Dave “Curlee” Williams the song was first recorded by American R&B singer Big Maybelle. The record reached No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart, No. 1 on the country charts, and No. 8 in the UK.
1964 – The Beatles filmed outside shots at the Scala Theatre in Tottenham Street London for their forthcoming movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.
1965 – The birth of Linda Perry, songwriter, producer, singer with 4 Non Blondes, (1993 UK No.2 single ‘What’s Up’, 1993 UK No. 4 album ‘Bigger Better Faster More!). Wrote ‘Beautiful’ for Christina Aguilera. She also wrote for Courtney Love, Gwen Stefani, Sugababes, Robbie Williams, Melissa Etheridge and Gavin Rossdale.
1972 – Roberta Flack started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart (No.14 in the UK) with ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’.
1989 – American all girl group The Bangles started a four week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Eternal Flame.’ Also a No.1 in Australia (biggest selling single of 1989) and the United States.
Today in history
1534 – Thomas Cromwell is appointed Chief Secretary to King Henry VIII of England.
1746 – Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) was defeated at the Battle of Culloden Moor by British government forces under the command of William, Duke of Cumberland. Cumberland’s army comprised 16 infantry battalions, including four Scottish units and one Irish. The bloody battle earned the Duke the name ‘Butcher Cumberland’. The Young Pretender Charles Stuart escaped and was later helped by Flora Macdonald to flee the country.
1755 – Samuel Johnson’s “A Dictionary of the English Language” published in London.
1802 – William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy see a “long belt” of daffodils, inspiring the poet to pen “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”.
1912 – American Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly an airplane across the English Channel. She took off from Dover, en route to Calais, France and made the flight in 59 minutes, landing about 25 miles from Calais, on a beach. Although Quimby died at the age of thirty-seven (in an aeroplane accident), she had a major influence upon the role of women in aviation.