December 31st "2024" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 366 of the “leap” year! Known as Make Up Your Mind Day, National Champagne Day, New Year’s Eve, Hogmanay. Your star sign is Capricorn and your birthstone is Blue Topaz.
2017 – More than 1,300 cars were destroyed when the multi-storey car park at the Liverpool Echo Arena burst into flames during the final event of the Liverpool International Horse Show.
Todays birthdays
1937 – Anthony Hopkins (87), Welsh actor (The Silence of the Lambs, Meet Joe Black), born in Port Talbot, Wales.
1941 – Alex Ferguson (83), Scottish former football manager (Manchester United from 1986 to 2013), born in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland.
1943 – Ben Kingsley (81), English actor (Gandhi, Schindler’s List, Lucky Number Slevin, Shutter Island), born in Snainton, North Yorkshire.
1959 – Val Kilmer (65), American actor (Top Gun, Tombstone, Batman Forever, Heat), born in Los Angeles, California, United States.
1964 – Lowri Turner (60), English former fashion journalist and television presenter (DIY SOS, Celebrity Fit Club), born in London.
Famous deaths
2023 – Tom Wilkinson (b. 1948), English actor (The Full Monty, Valkyrie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel).
The day today
1948 – Malcolm Campbell, British racing driver, died, after a series of strokes. He was one of the few land speed record holders of his era to die of natural causes. Campbell broke nine land speed records between 1924 and 1935. He set his final land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on 3rd September 1935, becoming the first person to drive an automobile at more than 300mph.
1960 – The British coin, the farthing, in use in Britain since the 13th Century, ceased to be legal tender at midnight.
1987 – A total of 31 people received New Year’s Honours for helping to save an estimated 350 passengers when the Herald of Free Enterprise capsized, near Bruges, on 6th March, claiming 193 lives. The George Medal, one of the highest civilian awards for gallantry, was awarded to head waiter Michael Skippen who died trying to get passengers to safety.
2014 – Neil Brittlebank (from Redditch) and Kevin Beresford (from East Ardsley in Yorkshire) won the dubious honour of being two of the dullest men of the year, as awarded by the Dull Men’s Club. Mr Beresford produces books and calendars about roundabouts, while Mr Brittlebank, collects bricks.
2017 – More than 1,300 cars were destroyed when the multi-storey car park at the Liverpool Echo Arena burst into flames during the final event of the Liverpool International Horse Show. Fire investigations revealed that a 16-year-old Land Rover that had been converted to a ‘different fuel arrangement’ had caught fire on the third floor. Claims of more than £20m were paid out to insurance customers.
Today in music
1966 – The Monkees started a 7-week run at No.1 on the US singles charts with the Neil Diamond song ‘I’m A Believer’. Also No.1 in the UK in 1967.
1984 – Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen crashed his Corvette Stingray, on the A57 outside Sheffield, Allen lost his left arm in the accident. Allen was on his way to a New Year’s Eve party at his family’s home when a Jaguar passed him. The driver had been egging Allen on and would not allow him to pass. In his rage to pass this driver, he did not see a turn up ahead and lost control of his car. He was thrown from the car, with his left arm severed due to the seatbelt not being properly fastened.
2005 – The John Lennon song Imagine was voted the nations favourite song a quarter of a century after his death. A UK radio station conducted the poll of 7,000 listeners. The Beatles were voted into second and third place with ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Let It Be.’
2006 – George Michael was paid a reported £1.5m for an hour’s concert at a Russian billionaire’s New Year party. The unnamed businessman paid for Michael to entertain his 300 guests on his private estate 20 miles outside Moscow. Michael had just finished the British leg of his Twentyfive tour which included a free concert for nurses in London.
2009 – Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi from Status Quo were both appointed OBEs for services to music and charity.
Today in history
1384 – The death of John Wycliffe, the first translator of the Bible into the English language. He was rector of St. Mary’s Church, Lutterworth for the 10 years prior to his death.
1600 – The British East India Trading Company was given a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I. The company’s name to which the charter was awarded was the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies. The initial charter essentially gave the company a monopoly on all trade west of the Americas and east of Africa.
1720 – The birth, in Rome, of Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart), also known as the ‘Young Pretender’. He landed in Scotland, with his followers, in 1745, capturing Edinburgh and setting up court at the Palace of Holyrood. His decision to march on London brought him head on with an army led by the Duke of Cumberland, and defeat at Culloden.
1759 – Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 per annum and started brewing Guinness at the St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin. Ten years later Guinness exported his ale for the first time, when six and a half barrels were shipped to Britain.
1892 – The first hostel for homeless men, Rowton House, opened in Bond Street, Vauxhall. There was strict discipline, with rules against cooking, card playing, etc.