Welcome to day 272 of the year! Known as Biscotti Day and World Heart Day. If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived the week of January 6th 2023 and your star sign is “Libra”.
2007 – Calder Hall, the world’s first commercial nuclear power station, was demolished in a controlled explosion. When it closed on 31st March 2003, the first reactor had been in use for nearly 47 years.
Todays birthdays
1956 – Sebastian Coe (67), British politician and former track and field athlete. As a middle-distance runner, Coe won four Olympic medals, including 1500 metres gold medals at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984, born in Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, London.
1968 – Matt and Luke Goss (55), best known for being the singer and drummer in the 80’s band, Bros (When Will I Be Famous?, I Owe You Nothing), born in Lewisham, London.
1972 – Robert Webb (51), British actor, comedian, and writer (Jeremy “Jez” Usborne- “Peep Show”), born in Boston, Lincolnshire.
1973 – Alfie Boe (50), English tenor and actor best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in the musical Les Misérables, born in Blackpool, Lancashire.
1981 – Suzanne Shaw (42), English actress, singer (Hear’Say – Pure and Simple) and television personality, born in Bury, Greater Manchester.
The day today
1938 – England, France, Germany and Italy signed the Munich Pact, under which the Sudetenland was given to Nazi Germany. In return, Hitler promised not to make any further territorial demands in Europe. World War II began the following year!
1952 – British and world water speed record holder John Cobb was killed on Loch Ness in Scotland when his craft ‘Crusader’ broke up after hitting waves at 240 mph close to Urquhart Castle.
1963 – The Rolling Stones started their first tour, as the opening act for Bo Diddley and the Everly Brothers.
2007 – Calder Hall, the world’s first commercial nuclear power station, was demolished in a controlled explosion. When it closed on 31st March 2003, the first reactor had been in use for nearly 47 years.
2011 – Britons basked in record-breaking temperatures of 29C (84F). The mercury peaked in the East Midlands, beating the previous 29th September high of 27.8C (82F), which was recorded in York in 1895.
Today in music
1960 – Ricky Valance was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’, making him the first Welsh singer to top the charts, and a One-hit Wonder.
1984 – Prince and the Revolution started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Let’s Go Crazy’, his second US No.1, and a No.7 hit in the UK. It was the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain.
1990 – Maria McKee was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Show Me Heaven’ the song featured in the Tom Cruise film ‘Days Of Thunder’.
1999 – The Manic Street Preachers were given a bill for £28.000 after smashing up equipment during their show at Scotland’s T In The Park festival.
2015 – The original contract signed by The Beatles and manager Brian Epstein sold at Sotheby’s for £365,000. The 1962 document was said to be one of the most important contracts in popular music, marking the beginning of the band’s journey to international fame.
Today in history
1399 – The first English monarch to abdicate, Richard II, was replaced by Bolingbroke, who ascended the throne as Henry IV.
1696 – After nearly 150 years of neglect, the roof of Howden Minster collapsed. The minster ruins were left where they fell until 1748 when the site was cleared, and the townsfolk took building stones for their own. St. John of Howden was one of the earliest Canons of Howden and he was treated as a saint by the local community after his death, although he has not been officially canonised. Pilgrims, including Kings Edward I, Edward II and Henry V visited the Minster to see his tomb.
1793 – Tennis was mentioned for the first time in an English sporting magazine.
1829 – The Metropolitan Police of London, later also known as the Met. was inaugurated and was London’s first regular police force, The officers became known as ‘bobbies’ after Robert Peel, the home secretary who founded the modern police force.
1885 – The first practical public electric tramway in the world is opened in Blackpool, England.