ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
JANUARY 25, 1947 THE Conservative Central Office delivered its verdict last night on a month’s monitoring of BBC programmes, made in response to complaints of Left- wing bias, and the report contains these complaints: 1. A ‘disturbing’ preponderance of Left-wing speakers. 2. Entirely adverse references to the Conservative Party. 3. Steady and subtle doses of the Left viewpoint. JANUARY 25, 1957 PRInCESS Grace of Monaco, who gave birth to her first child two days ago, has been put on a diet of beer. Dr Emile Hervet said: ‘Beer is good for mothers who have just had their baby. I have ordered Princess Grace to drink a pint every day.’ Today, Princess Grace was allowed out of bed for an hour. ‘She took a look at herself in the mirror and was astonished to see how quickly she is regaining her old figure,’ said Dr Hervet.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
EMMA FREuD, 56. The broadcaster is the daughter of Sir Clement Freud, greatgranddaughter of Sigmund Freud and partner of film-maker Richard Curtis, for whom she has script-edited or co-produced almost all of his films or TV shows, including Four Weddings And A Funeral and The Vicar Of Dibley. She lists her recreations in Who’s Who as ‘cooking with alcohol’ and ‘patting small furry animals’. DAVID GInOLA, 51. The former newcastle, Spurs, Aston Villa and Everton footballer hosts Match Of Ze Day on French TV, showing English football highlights. Also a model and actor, the Frenchman had a quadruple heart bypass in 2016 after he collapsed at a charity match and ‘died for eight minutes’.
BORN ON THIS DAY
ETTA JAMES (1938-2012). The u.S. soul singer was best known for her hit At Last. But she was unimpressed when Beyonce sung it at President Obama’s inauguration ball in 2009, saying: ‘She’s going to get her a** whupped . . . I can’t stand Beyonce. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol’ president day, gonna be singing my song that I’ve been singing forever.’ RAyMOnD BAxTER (1922-2006). Having made his name as a commentator for the funeral of George VI and the Queen’s coronation, the former Spitfire pilot became the face of the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World, introducing viewers to the microwave, barcode and pocket calculator.
ON JANUARY 25…
IN 1858, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March became a must-have at weddings when it was used at the nuptials of Victoria, Princess Royal, the oldest child of Queen Victoria.
IN 1971, Idi Amin seized power in uganda in a military coup.
GUESS THE DEFINITION
Swabble (first used 1848) A) To walk with shoes nearly off your feet. B) To make a noise like sloshing water. C) A brush for cobwebs. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
To spruce up: Meaning to smarten oneself up. Comes from Prussia with its reputation for military smartness — the spruce tree is neat and elegant and its name comes from an early spelling of Prussia.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. U.S. President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
JOKE OF THE DAY
Why did balloon prices soar? Inflation. Guess The Definition answer: B