January 16th "2025" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 16, known as Appreciate a Dragon Day, National Nothing Day, International Hot and Spicy Food Day. Your star sign is Capricorn and your birthstone is Garnet.
1979 – The natural history series “Life on Earth,” presented by David Attenborough, aired on BBC One in the UK for the first time.
Todays birthdays
1959 – Sade [Helen Folasade Adu] (66), Nigerian-born British singer (“Smooth Operator”, “The Sweetest Taboo”), born in Ibadan, Nigeria.
1963 – James May (62), English television presenter (Top Gear, The Grand Tour) and journalist, born in Bristol.
1974 – Kate Moss (51), English model who rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend, born in Croyden, South London.
1982 – Samuel Preston commonly known as just Preston (43), English singer-songwriter in the band the Ordinary Boys (“Talk Talk Talk”), born in Worthing, West Sussex.
1987 – Charlotte Henshaw (38), English Paralympic multiple discipline athlete (3x Olympic Gold Medals, 10x World Championship Gold Medals), born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Famous deaths
2014 – Roger Lloyd-Pack (b. 1944), English actor (Vicar of Dibley) best known for his role as Trigger in Only Fools and Horses.
2018 – Dolores O’Riordan (b. 1971), Irish pop singer with the Cranberries (“Zombie”).
The day today
1908 – The first issue of the magazine Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship; the first book on the Scout Movement. It was written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell, its founder. It is reputedly the fourth best selling book of the 20th century, estimated at 100 to 150 million copies, in 87 languages.
1930 – Frank Whittle submitted his first patent for a jet engine ( British Patent No. 347,206 – granted in 1932). He had his first engine running by April 1937.
1950 – Listen With Mother (offering a mix of nursery rhymes, stories and music for the under-fives and their mothers) began on radio with the words “Hello children. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin”. When the series ended in 1982 there was a national outcry.
1957 – The Cavern Club opened in Liverpool. It provided a showcase for many young rock ‘n’ roll musicians, among them the Beatles. Top of the bill on the opening night was the Merseysippi Jazz Band supported by the Wall City Jazzmen, Ralph Watmough Jazz Band and the Coney Island Skiffle Group.
2015 – Nursery and Son, who had been manufacturing sheepskin coats for 169 years, including sheepskin coats for David Jason (‘Del Boy’) in TV’s Only Fools and Horses, closed its doors for the last time.
Today in music
1977 – David Soul one half of TV cop show Starsky & Hutch went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’. The track was also a No.1 in the US.
1982 – Bucks Fizz were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their second No.1 ‘Land Of Make Believe’. The lyrics to the song were written by ex-King Crimson member Peter Sinfield.
1988 – 24 years after The Beatles first topped the chart, George Harrison went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Got My Mind Set On You’ an old favorite of George’s that was originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. In the UK, Harrison’s version spent four weeks at No.2.
2000 – It was reported that Mick Jagger had lost the chance of a knighthood because of his errant ways, British Prime Minister Tony Blair having doubts about the message it would give about family values. This decision was changed and on 12 December 2003, Mick Jagger was made a Knight Bachelor by The Prince of Wales for services to music, as Sir Michael Jagger.
2005 – The Killers started a two week run at No.1 on the UK charts with their debut album ‘Hot Fuss.’ The Las Vegas band also entered the UK singles chart at No.3 with ‘Somebody Told Me’. Green Day were at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘American Idiot.’
Today in history
1572 – Thomas Howard, the Fourth Duke of Norfolk and second cousin of Queen Elizabeth I was tried for treason for his part in the Ridolfi plot to assassinate the Queen, replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots and restore Catholicism in England. The plot was hatched and planned by Roberto di Ridolfi, an international banker who was able to travel and gather support without attracting too much suspicion. Norfolk was later executed at the Tower of London for his involvement but Ridolfi lived out his life in Florence until his death in 1612.
1581 – The English Parliament outlawed Roman Catholicism throughout the country during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. From that time on, Catholicism declined in England until the Catholic Emancipation of the late 18th century.
1604 – At the Hampton Court Conference, John Rainolds presented to King James I the motion ‘…that there might bee a newe translation of the Bible.’ Approved the next day, Rainolds’ motion led to the 1611 publication of the King James Bible.
1707 – The Act of Union was passed, merging the English and Scottish parliaments and paving the way for the new country of Great Britain.
1769 – One of the worst riots in theatre history occurred at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Crowds had packed out the venue to see a conjuror who claimed he would get himself into a quart tavern bottle. The conjuror never arrived, and the crowd erupted.