December 16th "2024" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 351 of the “leap” year! Known as National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, Stupid Toy Day, Underdog Day. Your star sign is Sagittarius and your birthstone is Blue Topaz.
1995 – The name “Euro” was officially adopted for European Currency in Madrid. Belgian Esperantist Germain Pirlot, a former teacher of French and history, is credited with naming the new currency.
Todays birthdays
1945 – Bobby George (79), English former professional darts player known as “King of Darts” and one of the game’s biggest personalities, born in Manor Park, London.
1946 – Benny Andersson (78), Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA (“Money, Money, Money”), born in Stockholm, Sweden.
1948 – Christopher Biggins (76), English actor (Porridge, Rentaghost, Rocky Horror Picture Show) and television presenter, born in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
1966 – Dennis Wise (58), English former professional football player (Chelsea, Wimbledon) and manager (Millwall, Leeds UTD), born in Kensington, London.
1988 – Anna Popplewell (36), English actress (Mansfield park), best known for her role as Susan Pevensie in the The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy, born in London.
Famous deaths
2017 – Keith Chegwin (b. 1957), British TV presenter also known by the nickname Cheggers (Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, It’s a Knockout, Cheggers Plays Pop).
The day today
1914 – German warships attacked the seaside resort of Scarborough, believing it to be a major British port. Hartlepool and Whitby were also targeted. It was the first successful bombing on British shores for 250 years. Over five hundred shells of varying calibres were fired into Scarborough and on to the Grand Hotel. The attacks resulted in a total of 592 casualties, many of them civilians, of whom 137 died. There was public outrage towards the German navy for an attack against civilians and against the Royal Navy for its failure to prevent the raid.
1929 – Barnes Wallis saw his R100 airship carry out its first test flight. After departing from Howden in Yorkshire, she flew slowly to York then set course for the Government Airship Establishment at Cardington, Bedfordshire, cruising at around 50 mph on four engines.
1944 – The Battle of the Bulge began in the Ardennes. By 21st January, the Germans had been pushed back to their original line, having lost some 120,000 men in the offensive.
2001 – Thousands of campaigners took to the streets of Edinburgh to protest against a bill to end hunting with dogs, the uncertain future of rural schools and the handling of the foot and mouth crisis. It was the largest demonstration of its kind ever witnessed in Scotland.
2012 – British Tour de France and Olympic time trial champion Bradley Wiggins was voted the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. At the same event Sebastian Coe, the Olympics 2012 chief, was awarded the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Today in music
1965 – Released as a double A side The Beatles ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’, became their ninth UK No.1 and their third Christmas chart topper in a row. The single was a US No.1 in January 1966.
1972 – Billy Paul started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Me and Mrs Jones’, a No.12 hit in the UK. The song which describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, was later recorded by Michael Buble.
1974 – Guitarist Mick Taylor announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones saying he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new.
1997 – MTV aired Nirvana’s ‘Unplugged’ session for the first time. The album featured an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993. Unlike many artists who appeared on the show, Nirvana filmed its entire performance in a single take.
2001 – Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra 1967 No.1 hit ‘Somethin’ Stupid’. The Christmas No.1 for that year. From William’s album Swing When You’re Winning.
Today in history
1431 – Henry VI was crowned King of France, the only English monarch to wear both crowns. Henry was born in 1421and was only nine months old when he succeeded his father, Henry V, making him the youngest English monarch in history.
1485 – The birth of Catherine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII’s wives. At the age of three, Catherine was betrothed to Prince Arthur, heir to the English throne, and they married in 1501, but Arthur died five months later. Catherine subsequently married Arthur’s younger brother, the recently-succeeded Henry VIII, in 1509.She bore him six children but only one survived (Mary I), and Henry divorced her against the Pope’s wishes, in his pursuit for a male heir.
1653 – Following the execution of Charles I, Oliver Cromwell failed to get the Parliament he wanted and became Lord Protector, turning himself into an uncrowned king for the next four years. He was buried in Westminster Abbey but after the Royalists returned to power, they had his corpse dug up, hung in chains, and beheaded.
1773 – Taxes by Britain on tea and other commodities led Samuel Adams and 150 ‘Sons of Liberty’ disguised as Mohawk Indians to hold what became known as the Boston Tea Party. 342 tea chests worth £18,000 were tossed off Griffin’s Wharf into Boston Harbour. The War of Independence had begun.
1775 – The birth of Jane Austen, English novelist whose works of romantic fiction made her one of the most widely read writers in English literature. She was enthralled by Lyme Regis and collated material for her last novel Persuasion which was published posthumously and is said to be the most autobiographical of all her novels.