ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE April 12, 1946
THE Minister of Labour is to comb Europe for domestic servants to ease the shortage in Britain. Women from any country except Germany will come here to work in homes and hospitals. ‘Housewives have borne an excessive burden for years,’ he declared, ‘and an immediate measure of relief is due.’
April 12, 1960
TWO 6ft 8in beds have been ordered by the White House for President De Gaulle when he visits the U.S. this month. During the 6ft 4in general’s last visit, he had to make do with a 6ft 2in bed, but, said an official, ‘he is much more important now’.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
DAVID LETTERMAN, 70. The longest- serving latenight talk show host in Tv history (pictured) gave up his U.S. chat show after 33 years in 2015. He came clean on air about a string of affairs after a £1.2 million blackmail attempt in 2009. Letterman, who was married, quipped: ‘Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps, especially for the women.’ SIR ALAN AYCKBOURN, 78. When the playwright told his housemaster at Haileybury School in Hertfordshire that he wanted to be an actor, he said: ‘I remember him slamming the careers book shut and saying, “Well, my friend, if you want to make a howling ass of yourself, who am I to stop you?”’ The school now has a theatre named after Sir Alan.
BORN ON THIS DAY
OLIVER POSTGATE (19252008). The London-born animator and puppeteer created and voiced The Clangers and Bagpuss (voted best children’s series ever made in a 1998 poll, despite consisting of just 13 episodes). A cousin of actress Angela Lansbury, he also helped create Ivor The Engine and noggin The nog. LISA JARDINE (1944-2015). The mathematician, historian, biographer, BBC radio presenter and professor of renaissance studies dyed her hair pink in 1976 — when such sights were rare — for her inauguration as the first female fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. She gave female students badges saying ‘behave badly’ to inspire them.
ON APRIL 12...
IN 1606, the Union Flag — combining England’s St George’s cross and Scotland’s St Andrew’s cross — was introduced.
IN 1633, the trial of Galileo was ordered by the Pope over the astronomer’s claim that the Earth revolved around the Sun. The Catholic Church finally apologised for its error in 1992 — 359 years later.
WORD WIZARDRY NEW WORD OF THE DAY
Twerk — to dance in a sexually suggestive way with one’s knees bent and legs apart (made famous by pop star Miley Cyrus).
GUESS THE DEFINITION Parson’s collar (coined 1940s)
a) A halo around the moon. b) The froth on top of a glass of beer. c) A spade’s depth in digging. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Teddy bear pat: an Eighties City phrase suggesting a firm was about to make a takeover offer, which then gave the target company a chance for a friendly merger.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
WE ARE all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. Benjamin Franklin, U.S. founding father (1706-90)
JOKE OF THE DAY
Can February march? no, but April may. Guess The Definition answer: B.