Monday, September 1st "2025" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 244, known as Ginger Cat Appreciation Day, National Pet Rock Day, Little Black Dress Day. Your star sign is Virgo and your birthstone is Sapphire.
1939 – Germany’s invasion of Poland at dawn, marked by air attacks on Warsaw around 6:00 AM, initiated World War II in Europe. This event, which saw German forces using their new Blitzkrieg tactics, also triggered declarations of war against Germany by France and Great Britain.
Todays birthdays
1946 – Barry Gibb (79), British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer (The Bee Gees – “How Deep Is Your Love”), born in Douglas, Isle of Man.
1949 – Russ Field (76), English musician and lead guitarist in the revival group Showaddywaddy from 1973 to 1985 (“You Got What It Takes”), born in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
1957 – Gloria Estefan (68), Cuban-American singer, songwriter (“Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”), born in Havana, Cuba.
1962 – Ruud Gullit (63), Dutch footballer and subsequent manager who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s (Chelsea; A.C. Milan), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
1967 – Steve Pemberton (58), English actor (Benidorm) and comedian who wrote and starred in The League of Gentlemen as Tulip Tattsyrup, born in Blackburn, Lancashire.
1996 – Zendaya (29), American actress (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Dune part 1 and 2), singer and model, born in Oakland, California, United States.
Famous deaths
2012 – Max Bygraves (b. 1922), English singer (“You’re a Pink Toothbrush”, “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”) and variety performer.
2013 – David Frost
(b. 1939), English television host, journalist, comedian and writer (That Was the Week That Was, Through the Keyhole).
The day today
1939 – At dawn on 1st September, Germany made a massive invasion of Poland and bombed Warsaw at 6am, beginning World War II in Europe. The service to 2,000 televisions also ceased in Britain. There would be no more TV for seven years.
1951 – The Premier supermarket, credited as Britain’s first supermarket, opened in Streatham, London. Owned by Express Dairies and the brainchild of Patrick Galvini, the Premier Supermarket introduced the self-service concept to the UK, revolutionizing the weekly shop and setting a standard for future supermarkets.
1958 – Iceland expanded its fishing zone, putting it into conflict with the United Kingdom starting the beginning of the Cod Wars.
1971 – The British penny and the threepenny piece coins ceased to be legal tender as decimalization continued.
1973 – The rescue of former British Royal Navy officer Roger Mallinson and engineer Roger Chapman after their Vickers Oceanics small (6ft diameter) submersible Pisces III was trapped on the seabed at a depth of 1,575 ft (480 m), 150 miles off Ireland in the Celtic Sea. The rescue, by British, American and Canadian dive teams had taken 76 hours and resulted in the deepest sub rescue in history. It was later determined that there was just 12 minutes of oxygen left aboard.
1985 – After 73 years the wreck of the liner ‘Titanic’ was found, by Dr. Robert Ballard, American retired Navy officer and a professor of oceanography.
1989 – The Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher began the controversial privatisation of the public water authorities.
2001 – The death of Brian Moore, sports commentator and television presenter who covered nine World Cups, six European Championships and every FA Cup Final on ITV from 1969 to 1988 and again in 1998.
2001 – England beat bitter rivals Germany 5-1 in the World Cup qualifying tie, with Michael Owen scoring a hat-trick.
Today in music
1974 – The Osmonds were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Johnny Bristol song ‘Love Me For A Reason’, the group’s only UK No.1. Also a UK No.2 hit for Boyzone in 1994.
1977 – Blondie featuring former Playboy Bunny Debra Harry, signed their first major record company contract with Chrysalis Records. Formed in New York City in 1974 by singer Harry and guitarist Chris Stein, the band was a pioneer in the American new wave genre and scene of the mid-1970s.
1984 – After a 25-year career, Tina Turner had her first solo No.1 single in the US with ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’. This song was originally written for Cliff Richard, however the song was rejected. It was then offered to Donna Summer, who has stated she sat with it for a couple of years but never recorded it.
2000 – The Spice Girls had five places in a list of the UK Top 20 earning celebrity directors. Monsta Productions (Emma), Moody Productions, (Posh), Red Girl Productions, (Mel C), Moneyspider Productions, (Mel B) and Geri Productions with £6m each.
2002 – Coldplay scored their second UK No.1 album with “A Rush Of Blood To The Head”. The album won the 2003 Grammy for Best Alternative Album for the second time in a row.
2013 – Classic Beatles albums finally went platinum after the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) changed its sales award rules. Gold or platinum status has become synonymous with record success but the system has only been in place since 1973. This made Sgt. Pepper’s a triple-platinum album, having sold more than 900,000 copies since 1994. In total, the album is estimated to have sold 5.1 million units in the UK since its 1967 release. The albums Revolver, Help!, Rubber Soul, and The White Album also now had platinum status.
2016 – A Blue Plaque marking the first home Freddie Mercury lived in when he arrived in England was unveiled. The Queen frontman moved to the semi-detached home in Feltham, west London, after his family left Zanzibar in 1964 when Mercury was 17.
2024 – ABBA joined a growing number of musicians telling Donald Trump to stop using their music. ABBA hits ‘The Winner Takes It All’, ‘Money, Money, Money’ and ‘Dancing Queen’, were played at a Minnesota rally held by Trump and his running mate JD Vance in late July sparking a backlash from the Swedish band. Trump was also ordered by a judge to stop playing ‘Hold On I’m Coming’ a song by the late soul singer Isaac Hayes (a hit for soul duo Sam & Dave in 1966) at his rallies.
Today in history
1159 – The death of Pope Adrian IV, (Nicholas Breakspear), the only English pope.
1532 – Lady Anne Boleyn was made Marquess of Pembroke by her fiancé, King Henry VIII. Less than 4 years later Henry had her investigated for high treason. She was found guilty of adultery and incest and was executed on 19th May 1536.
1715 – Louis XV succeeded his great-grandfather and became King of France at the young age of five.
1865 – Joseph Lister performed the first antiseptic surgery.
1886 – The Severn Tunnel, (railway tunnel) between England and Wales, was opened for goods traffic.