March 12th "2024" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 72, known as Alfred Hitchcock Day and Plant A Flower Day. If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of June 19th in the previous year. Your star sign is Pisces and your birthstone is Aquamarine.
1941 – Islanders on the Hebrides hid thousands of bottles of shipwrecked whisky from government officials. The episode was celebrated in the film “Whisky Galore.”
Todays birthdays
1946 – Liza Minnelli (78), American actress (Cabaret), singer, dancer, and choreographer known for her commanding stage presence, born in Los Angeles, California, United States.
1948 – Virginia Bottomley (76), British politician (MP) in the House of Commons from 1984 to 2005 and member of the House of Lords since 2005, born in Dunoon, Scotland.
1956 – Steve Harris (68), English musician, best known as the bassist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, primary songwriter and founder/leader of heavy metal band Iron Maiden (“Run to the Hills”, “The Number of the Beast”), born in Leytonstone, London.
1965 – Coleen Nolan (59), English-Irish singer (“I’m in the Mood for Dancing”) and television personality (Loose Women), born in Blackpool, Lancashire.
1969 – Graham Coxon (55), English musician, singer-songwriter and founding member of Blur (“Parklife”, “Song 2”, “Charmless Man”), born in Rinteln, Germany.
Famous deaths
2013 – Clive Burr (b. 1957), English drummer and member of Iron Maiden from 1979 to 1982.
2015 – Terry Pratchett (b. 1948), English journalist, author best known for his 41 comic fantasy novels set on the Discworld.
The day today
1930 – Mahatma Gandhi began his 300-mile march to the sea in protest against the British tax law securing a monopoly for salt. Joined by thousands of protesters, Gandhi and his followers eventually reached the Arabian Sea, where they made their own salt by evaporating sea water. The march, which resulted in the arrest of Gandhi and 60,000 others, earned new international respect and support for the leader and his movement.
1941 – Islanders on the Hebrides hid thousands of bottles of shipwrecked whisky from government officials. The episode was celebrated in the film “Whisky Galore.”
1944 – Britain banned all travel to and from Ireland and Ulster in an effort to prevent German spies operating in neutral Eire from learning of the Allied invasion preparations taking place in Britain.
1994 – The Church of England ordained the first women priests (32 in total) at Bristol Cathedral. It was a further 21 years before the first female Church of England bishop was appointed, the Rt. Rev. Libby Lane.
2015 – Two of Blackpool’s historic piers (Blackpool Central and Blackpool South), together with Llandudno pier, the longest pier in Wales at almost 2,300 feet long, were put up for sale by Cuerden Leisure. Guide prices were £4.8M, £3.3M and £4.5M respectively.
Today in music
1983 – Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler had her only UK No.1 single with a song written by Meat Loaf’s producer, Jim Steinman, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’. Also No.1 in the US, (the only Welsh artist to score a US No.1), Canada and Australia, the single sold over 5 million copies world wide.
1994 – Swedish group Ace Of Base started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with “The Sign”, a No.2 hit in the UK.
2007 – Amy Winehouse made her US television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman performing ‘Rehab’. The song went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and also won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song.
2012 – Taylor Swift beat Adele and Lady Gaga to be named the highest-earning pop artist of 2011. The 22-year-old earned $35,719,902 (£22.7m) in 2011 from a combination of music sales, royalties and touring. U2 took second place with $32m (£20m) thanks to their 360 tour, seen by more than seven million people while Adele came 10th.
2022 – Stereophonics scored their eighth UK No.1 with their 25th anniversary album Oochya! The achievement made them one of the most successful chart acts of all time, tying with Taylor Swift, Oasis, Kylie Minogue and R.E.M. – who also have had eight chart toppers. The Beatles have the most, with 15, followed by Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams, both of whom have 13.
Today in history
1470 – War of the Roses – The Battle of Losecoat Field (also known as the Battle of Empingham). The outcome was a victory for Yorkists Forces over Lancastrian Forces.
1689 – The start of the Williamite War in Ireland; a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland. The War was to have a lasting effect on Ireland, confirming British and Protestant rule over the country for over a century. The iconic Williamite victories of the Siege of Derry and the Battle of the Boyne are still celebrated by the Unionist community in Northern Ireland today.
1710 – Thomas Arne, English composer of Rule Britannia, was born. He also wrote a version of God Save the King, which was to become the British national anthem.
1868 – Henry O’Farrell from Dublin, attempted to assassinate Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria whilst he was on a tour of Australia. The attack caused great embarrassment in the colony, and led to a wave of anti-Irish sentiment, directed at all Irish people, including Protestant Loyalists.
1881 – Andrew Watson made his Scotland debut as the world’s first black, international football player and captain.