ON THIS DAY
May 26, 2017
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE MAY 26, 1961
PRINCESS MARGARET is expecting a baby. The child will be fifth in line to the throne — and sets a constitutional problem. In present circumstances, the child would take the status of Antony Armstrong-Jones and be born a commoner. But he or she would retain succession rights. It is likely that the Queen will confer an honour on the child, or a peerage on Mr Armstrong-Jones, before the baby is born.
MAY 26, 1965
CASSIUS CLAY kept his title with the fastest knockout in heavyweight title history. He knocked out Sonny Liston after 60 seconds with the first real punch of the night. His motto is: ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.’ This punch had the effect of a swing-hammer in a breaker’s yard.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MARY NIGHTINGALE, 54. The Scarborough-born ITV newsreader and presenter says the ‘bravest’ thing she’s ever done was to take a job in TV (her first job was for TV Tokyo). She says she almost left it too late to have children: ‘I screeched in at the last moment.’ Her daughter was born when she was almost 40, her son when she was nearly 41. FIONA SHACKLETON, 61. Ennobled in 2010, the divorce lawyer represented Princes Charles and Andrew during their break-ups before being hired by Sir Paul McCartney — whose ex-wife, Heather Mills, poured a jug of water over her in the High Court. Dubbed the Steel Magnolia, she is so charming that Princess Diana sent her a huge bouquet of flowers and a thank-you note at the end of the divorce proceedings, even though she had represented the Prince of Wales.
BORN ON THIS DAY
PEGGY LEE (1920-2002). The smoky-voiced U.S. jazz singer (right), born Norma Deloris Egstrom, was best known for her 1958 hit Fever. She got her big break when she joined the Benny Goodman Band. Strangely, she was the inspiration for Miss Piggy. Muppets designer Bonnie Erickson said: ‘When I first created Miss Piggy, I called her Miss Piggy Lee — as a joke and a homage.’
ON MAY 26 . . .
IN 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned king of Italy. IN 1897, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, was published. IN 1950, the government ended petrol rationing. The AA and RAC dubbed it ‘VP (Victory for Petrol) Day’.
WORD WIZARDRY NEW WORD OF THE DAY
Promession: A green way to dispose of dead bodies by freeze-drying the remains.
GUESS THE DEFINITION Scroop (coined 1892)
A) The part of an animal’s back that it cannot reach to scratch. B) The rustling sound and crisp feel associated with a material, especially silk. C) A small cavity in a rock. Answer below.
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Rank and riches: Rhyming slang for riding breeches, which were worn only by those with wealth or a title.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
HISTORY teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted other alternatives. Abba Eban, Israeli diplomat, politician and author (1915-2002)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHY don’t penguins talk to strangers? they find it hard to break the ice. Guess the Definition answer: B