ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
DECEMBER 18, 1940 THE first woman spy to be condemned to death in Britain in this war was sentenced on seven charges — of making plans and cutting a military telephone — at Hampshire Assizes yesterday. She was 42-year-old Mrs Dorothy Pamela O’Grady, of Sandown, Isle of Wight. While she was aiding the enemy her husband was risking his life in the fire brigade, fighting fires caused by the enemies his wife was helping. [On appeal, her sentence was cut to 14 years in prison.] DECEMBER 18, 1946 BrITAIN’S electric power supplies are running down. The crisis is due to a tremendous ‘electric rush’ by domestic users since the end of the war. Faced by a coal famine, householders bought more than 500,000 electric fires in the first half of this year.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
LUCY WOrSLEY, 44. The TV historian and chief curator of Historic royal Palaces is known for presenting documentaries while dressed as historical characters. Worsley (right) signed a pre- nuptial agreement before marrying in 2011. It had one clause: that she will never take part in Strictly Come Dancing. Worsley admits she divides audiences, saying: ‘What really seems to enrage people is my slight lisp. I apologise for being irritating . . . there’s not much I can do about it.’ STEVEN SPIELBErG, 71. The American director of Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List has made two of the top-ten highest grossing films of all time, Jaws and ET, and is reputedly worth more than £2.5 billion. Apparently, the triple Oscar winner has been thanked in more Academy Awards speeches since 1966 (43 and counting) than God or any other filmmaker.
BORN ON THIS DAY
BETTY GrABLE (1916-1973). The U.S. actress, dubbed ‘the girl with the golden legs’, was America’s most famous ‘pin-up’ during World War II. Her legs were said to be insured for $1million with Lloyd’s of London. Three million copies of a 1943 photo of Grable ( right) in a bathing suit were distributed in the Forties, mainly to GIs. The pose came about because the photographer was trying to hide her pregnancy bump.
ON DECEMBER 18…
IN 1849, the first photograph of the Moon through a telescope was taken by American astronomer William Bond. IN 1892, Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker premiered in St Petersburg, russia. GUESS THE DEFINITION Flickering (coined 1811) A) The sound made by a steel weapon when drawn from a sheath. B) A badly manufactured tiddlywink. C) Grinning or laughing in a man’s face. Answer below.
PHRASE EXPLAINED
To be stuck up: Meaning to stay aloof from others because one thinks one is superior, it comes from the manner of peacocks as they ‘stick up’ their tail feathers to show their superiority over fellow peacocks.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
WhAt I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day. U.S. comedian Phyllis Diller (1917-2012)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHY did I buy my wife a fridge for
Christmas? Because I can’t wait to see her face light up when she opens it. Guess the Definition answer: C.