ON THIS DAY
May 24,2017
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE MAY 24, 1940
LIES and malicious rumours, spread chiefly by radio, have become one of Germany’s major weapons against the Allies. Every trick of deceit is being practised to shake civilian morale. Germany is aiming at YOU.
Lies include that Dover has been bombed and that England is so frightened of German parachute troops that two British airmen landing with parachutes were beaten to death by villagers.
MAY 24, 1967
THE Queen starts selling tea towels today. She is charging 6s for each cloth made of Irish linen and carrying a picture of the 365-room Sandringham House. In the past, visitors to the royal grounds have complained they could buy nothing more permanent than a plant by way of a souvenir. Now, the Queen has put things right.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
BOB DYLAN, 76. The American musician ( pictured) behind hits such as Blowin’ In The Wind became the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize for Literature last year though he didn’t accept it until last month. He was described by the chair of the Nobel literature committee as ‘probably the greatest living poet’. JACOB REES-MOGG, 48. The Conservative MP for North East Somerset is dubbed ‘a backbench Bertie Wooster’ and known for perking up Commons sessions with his lively speeches. His upper class ways sparked rumours he wore wing-collared pyjamas in bed — though he did also claim to be a fan of TV show Dallas.
BORN ON THIS DAY
QUEEN VICTORIA ( 1819- 1901). The monarch, who came to the throne at 18, spoke English, German, French, Italian and Latin. Her mother was German and the young Victoria reportedly had a German accent, which had to be expunged by teachers. As Queen, she had to propose to her husband-to-be Albert. She said: ‘It was the happiest, brightest moment in my life.’
ON MAY 24...
IN 1930, Amy Johnson (pictured) became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia in her Gipsy Moth aircraft.
IN 1989, Private Eye editor Ian Hislop declared: ‘ If that’s justice, then I’m a banana’, after Sonia Sutcliffe, the wife of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, won £600,000 damages against the magazine that claimed she’d profited from her notoriety by selling her story (the figure was later reduced to £60,000 on appeal).
WORD WIZARDRY
NEW WORD OF THE DAY Textonym: An unintended word that is produced by predictive texting. GUESS THE DEFINITION Gowl (coined c.1300) A) To weep bitterly or threateningly. B) A pathway up to a steep hill. C) The surface of a wet, ploughed field. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
In limbo: Comes from the belief that unbaptised infants were deemed unable to go to heaven or hell (as they have not committed a sin).
QUOTE FOR TODAY
It is a good rule in life never to apologise. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them. P.G. Wodehouse (1881-1975)
JOKE OF THE DAY
MY LOCAL candle shop burned down yesterday . . . Everyone just stood outside singing ‘Happy Birthday’. Guess The Definition answer: A.