ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE DECEMBER 14, 1946
FOR the first time since the war, flowers are coming from abroad for our Christmas tables. With their embargo being lifted, the first consignment from France arrives on Monday and will consist of mimosa and narcissi, with some lilac and a few roses.
DECEMBER 14, 2001
OSAMA Bin Laden was shown yesterday laughing and joking with his supporters as he told how he planned the September 11 atrocities. In a video found by U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the terror warlord tells how he was pleasantly surprised by the complete collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre i n New York. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was ‘conclusive evidence’ of Bin Laden’s involvement.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
YOTAM OTTOLENGHI, 52. The Jerusalem-born British r estaurateur ( r i ght) is Theresa May’s favourite chef, yet didn’t work in a kitchen until he was over 30. He is credited with having ‘sexed up veg’, baffling cooks with recipes that include ingredients such as dried fennel pollen and pomegranate molasses. Brit-nominated rapper Loyle Carner named a record after him. SIR ANTONY BEEvOR, 74. Before becoming a bestselling historian, he served with the 11th Hussars. The multi-award-winning author of Stalingrad, who has sold more than eight million books, failed his A-levels (including history) at Winchester College, and says he has no excuse: ‘I was in a stage of puerile revolt.’ He describes himself as ‘Two A-levels failed Beevor’.
BORN ON THIS DAY
CHARLIE HODGE (1934-2006). The U.S. singer and guitarist was a member of Elvis Presley’s ‘Memphis Mafia’. He was only 5ft 3in and stood on an empty cola crate to reach the microphone. Hodge lived in an apartment at the back of Elvis’s home, Graceland, appeared in three of his films, wrote songs with him — and witnessed his will. PATTY DUKE (1946-2016). At 16, the girl from New York (right) became the youngest actress to win an Oscar, for her role as Helen Keller, the blind, deaf and mute child in The Miracle Worker. Her father left the family when Duke was six and, at eight, she went to live with an abusive couple who managed child actors. They made her wear a blindfold at home for a year to prepare for the role.
ON DECEMBER 14…
IN 1922, John Reith was appointed first general manager of the BBC. IN 2013, Lawrence Of Arabia star Peter O’Toole, died aged 81.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Fardel (c 14th century) A) A bundle or a burden. B) A deceitful proposition. C) An unprofitable venture
Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED: Clean round the bend — meaning eccentric, insane or crazy; from 1929, it refers to an old naval phrase for anyone who is mad. It was then used by the lavatory cleaner Harpic from the 1930s as an advertising slogan for its products.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
PoEtRy is not the most important thing in life… I’d much rather lie in a hot bath reading Agatha Christie and sucking sweets. Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet (1914-1953)
JOKE OF THE DAY
MY WIFE is furious at me because I have no sense of direction. So I packed up my stuff and right left away.
Guess the Definition answer: A.