Sunday, May 11th "2025" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 131, known as Eat What You Want Day, Brunch For Lunch Day, National Mini Golf Day, Somerset Day. Your star sign is Taurus and your birthstone is Emerald.
1969 – Monty Python was formed. A taping of “Do Not Adjust Your Set” brought together comedians Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.
Todays birthdays
1941 – Eric Burdon (84), English singer-songwriter and lead vocalist with the Animals (“House of nThe Rising Sun”), born in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear.
1950 – Jeremy Paxman (75), English retired television presenter (University Challenge, Have I Got News for You), born in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
1964 – John Parrott (61), English former professional snooker player, a familiar face on the circuit during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, born in Liverpool.
1970 – Jason Queally (55), English track cyclist who won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, born in Great Haywood, Staffordshire.
1983 – Holly Vallance (42), Australian actress (Neighbours) and singer (“Kiss Kiss”), born in Fitzroy, Australia.
1999 – Sabrina Carpenter (26), American singer (“Espresso”, Please Please Please”, “Taste”), born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, United States.
Famous deaths
2019 – Freddie Starr (b. 1943), English comedian, impressionist, singer and actor (Opportunity Knocks and the Royal Variety Performance).
2020 – Little Richard (b. 1932), American singer, songwriter, and pianist (“Tutti Frutti”, “The Girl Can’t Help It”).
The day today
1964 – Interior designer and businessman Terence Conran opened his first Habitat Shop in London’s Fulham Road.
1969 – Monty Python was formed. A taping of “Do Not Adjust Your Set” brought together comedians Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. It was the first time they had all been together simultaneously, and they went back to Cleese’s nearby apartment to discuss working together in the future.
1971 – The Daily Sketch newspaper, which was founded in 1909, was published for the last time. At the time, it was Britain’s oldest ‘tabloid’ newspaper.
1981 – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats,” based on poetry by T. S. Eliot, first premiered in the West End, London. In 1989, it became the West End’s longest-running musical.
1983 – Aberdeen F.C. defeated Real Madrid 2-1 to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden.
1985 – Fifty six spectators died and more than 200 were injured in a flash fire at Bradford City stadium (Valley Parade football ground) during a match against Lincoln City. The inquiry into the disaster led to the introduction of new legislation to improve safety at the UK’s football grounds.
2010 – David Cameron becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after forming a coalition government between the Liberal Democrats and his own Conservative Party.
2021 – A nine-year-old boy died after being struck by lightning during a football coaching session in Blackpool.
Today in music
1963 – The Beatles started a 30 week run at No.1 on the UK album charts with their debut album ‘Please Please Me’, making it (at the time), the longest running No.1 album by a group.
1964 – During a UK tour The Rolling Stones were refused lunch at The Grand Hotel, Bristol, where they were staying because they were not wearing jackets and ties. The following day the Daily Express ran the story with the headline, ‘The Rolling Stones gather no lunch.’
1967 – The Bee Gees made their Top Of The Pops debut performing ‘New York Mining Disaster’ on the UK TV show.
1981 – Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley died aged 36. In July 1977, Marley was found to have a type of malignant melanoma under the nail of a toe, Marley’s health deteriorated as the cancer had spread throughout his body. Marley had the 1981 single ‘No Woman No Cry’, plus over ten other UK Top 40 singles. In 1990, the 6th February was proclaimed a national holiday in Jamaica to commemorate his birth.
1985 – UK producer and keyboard player Paul Hardcastle was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ’19’. The title referred to the average age of American soldiers in the Vietnam War and features dialogue by television narrator Peter Thomas, and a strong anti-war message.
1991 – Roxette was No.4 in the UK charts with their single ‘Joyride.’ The song was inspired by an interview with Paul McCartney who said that writing songs with John Lennon had been ‘like a Joyride.’
2006 – George Michael was involved in his second minor car crash in a month after a tabloid photographer found Michael asleep in his parked car in central London. The singer crashed into a bollard after he woke up and was driving away.
Today in history
1086 – Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror, was crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey. She was the mother of ten children who survived to adulthood, including two kings, William II and Henry I.
1685 – The death of 18 year old Margaret Wilson, executed by drowning for refusing to swear an oath declaring James VII (James II of England) as head of the church. She died along with Margaret McLachlan. Known as the Wigtown Martyrs they are buried in Wigtown Churchyard, Dumfries and Galloway region in Scotland.
1778 – The death of William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham and British politician. He conducted most of the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) which secured Britain a huge new empire.
1812 – British Prime Minister Spencer Percival was assassinated in the House of Commons, apparently mistaken by his killer, bankrupt broker John Bellingham, for someone else. He is the only Prime Minister in Britain to have been assassinated.
1820 – The launch of HMS Beagle, the ship that took Charles Darwin on his scientific voyage to test his theories on evolution.