ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE APRIL 16, 1912
THE Titanic, the largest ship in the world, on her maiden voyage with 2,358 passengers and crew, collided with an iceberg in the Atlantic at 10.25pm on Sunday (about 2am yesterday British time). She sank at 2.20 in the afternoon (7.20 British time). No lives were lost. [It later emerged more than 1,500 passengers had lost their lives.]
APRIL 16, 1945
BRITAIN has begun to ‘unearth’ her art treasures from their wartime hiding places. Sir Kenneth Clark, director of the National Gallery, spent most of yesterday in mountain caves in North Wales, where 300ft below ground, works by Rembrandt, Velazquez, Titian, Turner and Van Gogh have lain undisturbed for more than five years.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MAX BEESLEY, 48. The former Manchester Cathedral choirboy found acting fame in the 1997 TV adaptation of bawdy 18thcentury novel The History Of Tom Jones, A Foundling. He later starred alongside Meghan Markle in U.S. series Suits. A pianist and drummer, he played with Take That, James Brown and George Michael. JIMMY OSMOND, 56. The American singer and actor was the youngest member of The Osmonds, and describes himself as ‘the cheesy mascot kid of the family’. He holds the record for the youngest performer to have a UK No. 1 — he was just nine in 1972 when he released Long Haired Lover From Liverpool (of which he said: ‘Some people hated it — heck, I even hated it myself for a while.’)
BORN ON THIS DAY
SIR Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). The London-born actor and director was best known for films including The Kid and The Great Dictator. He fathered 11 children and had to pay child support for a 12th, even though blood tests proved he was not the dad. Three months after his death, Chaplin’s grave was robbed and the thieves demanded a $600,000 ransom to return the body, which was eventually recovered. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (1939-99). The singer from London, who had hits with I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself and You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, was born Mary O’Brien. The convent-educated daughter of a tax inspector became famous for her blonde beehive and heavy ‘panda’ eye-liner. Springfield had three wigs — all named after her musical rivals, Cilla Black, Lulu and Sandie Shaw.
ON APRIL 16…
IN 1947, U.S. statesman and millionaire Bernard Baruch coined the phrase ‘Cold War’. IN 1964, the Rolling Stones released their eponymous debut album.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: pabebe (2016) A) A style of waving with the fingers closed B) Someone who modifies software C) A beggar ( Answer below)
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Pleased as Punch — meaning utterly delighted; from the 19th-century ‘Punch and Judy’ puppet shows in which Mr Punch takes great pleasure in murdering everyone.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness Bertrand Russell, British philosopher (1872-1970)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT makes the sun so clever? Several million degrees. Guess the Definition answer: A