ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE APRIL 26, 1949
COMMUNISTS are barred from membership of the John Lewis Partnership, which has about 12,000 employee members in its chain of stores, by a decision made yesterday at the Central Council meeting in London. The motion passed by 60 votes to 34.
APRIL 26, 1968
A 20-YeAr-OLD man jumped 30ft into the chamber of the House of Commons last night. roger Stenning clambered over the backs of seats, and vaulted the public gallery rail, shouting: ‘You bastards.’ MPs had been debating the rent Bill. He fractured his wrist and two or three vertebrae.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MeLANIA TrUMP, 48. The U.S. First Lady, Donald Trump’s third wife, is only the second to have been born outside the U.S. (she grew up as Melania Knavs in Slovenia). The ex-model has graced the covers of British GQ, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. At 5ft 11in, Melania, who speaks five languages, is the joint tallest first lady (with Michelle Obama and eleanor roosevelt). According to his 2012 driving licence, Mr Trump is 6ft 2in. MArIANNe Jean-Baptiste, 51, right. The Peckham-born actress was the first black British woman to be nominated for an Oscar (for Secrets & Lies) and also starred in ITV’s Broadchurch and the U.S. crime show Without A Trace. After playing Doreen Lawrence in a 1999 TV film about the murder of her son Stephen, Marianne says Mrs Lawrence told her: ‘ “I thought you lot did a really good job.” When you get something from Doreen, it’s like a gem.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
JACK DOUGLAS ( 1927- 2008). The Newcastle-born actor started as a music hall star and was a presenter on children’s TV show Crackerjack in the Fifties. But he made his name in eight Carry On films from 1971 to 1992 (his favourite role being Sergeant Jock Strapp in Carry On Dick). The films’ actors were poorly paid — for Carry On Matron, his fee was 12 bottles of champagne. MICHeLe FerrerO (19252015). The Italian confectioner was the richest person in his country at his death, worth more than £17 billion. He made his fortune by adding vegetable oil to gianduja paste, a combination of hazelnuts and cocoa, creating Nutella, which sold 365 million kilograms a year by the time he died. He also created Tic Tac mints, Kinder Surprise eggs and Ferrero rocher.
ON APRIL 26…
IN 1564, William Shakespeare was baptised. His exact date of birth is not known.
IN 1923, the Duke of York (the future George VI) married Lady elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the future Queen Mother) at Westminster Abbey.
WORD WIZARDRY GUESS THE DEFINITION: Psittacosis (1890s)
A) A contagious disease of birds. B) A disease in which the sufferer mimics everything said or done by another. C) A coughing fit. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Climb on the bandwagon: To become involved with or support a popular cause, typically for personal advantage. It derives from the U.S. custom of musicians playing on a wagon as it moved through the streets.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
A GIRL with brains ought to do something with them besides think. Anita Loos, U.S. writer (1893-1981)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHY can’t you get a refund at a record store? All sales are vinyl. Guess The Definition answer: A.