ON THIS DAY
APRIL 5, 1973
MR EDWARD HEATH’S favourite dish is lobster thermidor in two wine sauces. Mr Harold Wilson prefers a Cornish pasty — with or without brown sauce. These culinary secrets are revealed in a cook book being sold in aid of police charities.
APRIL 5, 1974
If THE Government withdraws Britain from the Common Market it will be acting illegally, EEC lawyers stated in Brussels yesterday in a legal opinion prepared for the organisation. They say in some circumstances it would be legal, including if Britain ceased to exist or if the other members committed offences against the treaties.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
AGNETHA fäLTSKOG, 69. The former Abba singer is from southern Swedish province Småland — also birthplace to global store chain Ikea. The ex- wife of fellow band member Bjorn Ulvaeus (their split inspired song The Winner Takes It All) had a 1967 Swedish number one single before joining the pop supergroup. MARy COSTA, 89. The U.S. opera singer, who performed at John f. Kennedy’s 1963 memorial service, voiced Princess Aurora in 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, a role offered to her by Walt Disney himself. She says she still sings the songs — including Once Upon A Dream — around the house.
BORN ON THIS DAY
BETTE DAVIS (1908-1989). The double-Oscar-winning American screen legend was the first to gain ten Academy Award nominations. Davis had a long and bitter rivalry with Joan Crawford, and in one scene of What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? instead of simulating violence, kicked Crawford in the head, leaving her needing three stitches. She was also the first female Oscars’ president but resigned ‘in fury’ within weeks after finding she was only to be a figurehead. THOMAS HOBBES ( 1588- 1679). The Wiltshire-born philosopher and founder of modern political philosophy was a maths tutor to the future Charles II, who later protected him when parliament wanted to investigate Hobbes’ most famous book, Leviathan for atheism. Hobbes said he was born prematurely when his mother heard of the coming Spanish Armada, writing later: ‘My mother gave birth to twins: myself and fear.’
ON April 5...
IN 1895, playwright Oscar Wilde lost his libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry, who accused him of homosexual practices.
IN 1967, fans of pop group the Monkees marched from Marble Arch to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square to protest at the planned call-up to the U.S. military of English band-member Davy Jones.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Seitan (2017) A) Bright-coloured cushion. B) Substance made of wheat used instead of meat. C) Japanese cooking method. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Spick and span — meaning neat and clean; coming from an Old Norse phrase, it evolved in the 16th century into ‘spick and span new’; ‘spick’ was a nail or spike and ‘span’ a wooden spoon.