ON THIS DAY
JUNE 11, 1940
THERE is not likely to be any general issue of the dark-coloured loaves of the last war. Every effort will be made to keep the quality of bread at a high standard, since it is regarded as a staple diet for both the Forces and the workers. You are asked, however, to cut down your five daily cups of tea to four.
JUNE 11, 1993
HILLARY CLINTON, right, denied last night she was a Lady Macbeth pulling backstage strings in the White House. ‘That’s nonsense,’ she declared, commenting on reports that she has to approve all nominees for top-level posts in Washington. ‘You know, I pick up the papers and read that I am backing somebody I have never met, don’t have any interest in, don’t even know is looking for a job.’
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SIR JACKIE STEWART, 81. The three-time Formula One world champion was nicknamed the ‘Flying Scot’ and described as the sport’s ‘first superstar’. He had planned to retire after his 100th grand prix, but he walked away from the race after his team-mate, Francois Cevert, was killed in practice. A leading campaigner for safety in racing, Sir Jackie explained: ‘It was said I removed the romance from the sport . . . They said I had no guts. But not many of these critics had ever crashed at 150mph.’ JANE GOLDMAN, 50. The screenwriter from London married chat show host Jonathan Ross when she was barely 18, having met him at Stringfellow’s nightclub. They wed in Las Vegas and Ross has a tattoo of her name in Scrabble tiles. She co-wrote the screenplays to two X-Men blockbusters, two Kingsman movies, as well as Stardust. Goldman dropped out of school at 15 to follow Boy George on tour around the U.S.
BORN ON THIS DAY
RICHARD TODD ( 19192009), right. The actor from Dublin starred in The Longest Day, a film that echoed his real life — Todd was one of the first members of the Parachute Regiment to jump on D-Day. He was Ian Fleming’s top choice to play 007 but could not take on the role because of a scheduling clash. LYNSEY DE PAUL (1948-2014). The 4ft 11in London-born singer-songwriter came second with Mike Moran in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977 with their hit Rock Bottom. She was the first woman to receive an Ivor Novello award and dated George Best, Ringo Starr and Sean Connery. She fell out with road manager Sharon Osbourne, who called de Paul ‘a miserable old cow’ and reportedly relieved herself in the singer’s suitcase.
ON JUNE 11…
IN 1727, George I died while on a trip to his native Hanover. IN 1963, President Kennedy declared it was ‘time to act’ to end segregation in the U.S.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Theurgy (c1560)
A) Working of a divine agency in human affairs. B) Heat. C) A fiery sermon.
Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Sick as a parrot — used to describe utter disappointment at a setback or an unexpected result; it was popularised in the 1970s and 1980s by football managers.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Each moment of the happy lover’s hour is worth an age of dull and common life.
Aphra Behn, playwright (1640-1689)
JOKE OF THE DAY
BE CAREFUL about reading while sunbathing… it makes you well red.
Guess The Definition answer: A.