December 17, 2021 ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
DECEMBER 17, 1977
THE first train to arrive at Heathrow Central yesterday on London’s new £30 million Piccadilly Line extension was 4½ minutes late. Its very important passenger was the Queen who had travelled in the driving cab from Hatton Cross to open the TubeHeathrow Airport link envisaged in 1946.
DECEMBER 17, 1984
THE Labour MP who invited two convicted IRA terrorists into the House of Commons said yesterday: ‘I would do it again.’ Jeremy Corbyn spoke out as a political storm raged. Just 13 days after the Brighton bomb outrage, he spent half an hour with a convicted bomber and bomb-maker in a private committee room at Westminster.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
PAuLA RADCLIFFE, 48. The Cheshire-born retired long-distance runner held the world marathon record of 2hr 15min 25sec for 16 years until it was beaten by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. While first breaking the record in 2002, she tore her colon, and running took such a toll that she had titanium screws put into her foot. POPE FRANCIS, 85. The first Jesuit pontiff, the first from the Americas and the first from the Southern Hemisphere was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina. In September, he sent 15,000 ice creams to prisoners to help them during one of the hottest summers on record in Italy.
BORN ON THIS DAY
STELLA TENNANT (1970-2020). The British model once did 70 fashion shows in a month. She was described as looking ‘like a beautiful giraffe with Mitford eyes’. The former face of Chanel watches said: ‘I don’t wear diamonds at breakfast in general, however, there are exceptions.’ She took her own life days after her 50th birthday. RAy WILSON (1934-2018). At 31, the footballer from Derbyshire was the oldest player in the 1966 World Cup-winning side. He was posted to the Middle East for his national service and hated it so much he had ‘Egypt never again’ tattooed on his arm.
ON DECEMBER 17 . . .
IN 1892, the first issue of Vogue was published. IN 1968, 11-year-old Mary Bell was sentenced to life in detention after being found guilty of the manslaughter of two boys aged four and three.
WORD WIZARDRY GUESS THE DEFINITION: Attar (coined c1795)
A) A perfume or essential oil obtained from flowers or petals. B) Anything badly formed or out of shape. C) A steward’s assistant. answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED Time takes its toll:
means time exacts a price, causes suffering, damage or death; the metaphor is of a toll road down which one can travel down but only at a price; it is thought to come from the 18th century when many of England’s roads were built and maintained by turnpike trusts which levied tolls on their users.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Confucius, Ancient Chinese scholar (551-479 BC)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHy should you never shout into a colander? you’ll strain your voice. Guess The Definition answer: a Compiled by ETAN SMALLMAN
and ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD