ON THIS DAY
March 27, 2018
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE March 27, 1937
IT IS announced in Fleet Orders that as an experiment the grog issue to ratings is to be ‘two-rum’ [a tot of rum with two parts of water] in place of the customary ‘three-rum’. Rum is issued neat to chief petty officers and petty officers, but since 1740 junior ratings have had half a gill of rum mixed with three-parts of water. The new drink will be shorter — but stiffer.
March 27, 1958
THE Queen appeared today in the shortest skirt she has ever worn. It was part of a navy and white suit. Her Majesty also wore an elegant, calf-length coat (right). There’s no doubt about it: the Queen has adopted the new vogue. But her skirt’s hemline ( 16 ½ in from the ground) in this Hardy Amies suit is not so high up as fashion decrees — and that is 18in.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
David Coulthard, 47. The Scots-born retired F1 driver won the first McLaren Autosport BRDC award for best young driver, before triumphing in 13 grands prix. He says the trait he most dislikes about himself is: ‘My lack of intelligence — I went straight from school into racing.’ In 2000, he narrowly escaped death in a plane crash that killed both pilots. MICHAEL York, 76. The actor from Oxfordshire has starred in Cabaret, Romeo And Juliet and the Austin Powers films. He said the worst insult he has ever received was when ‘someone once said that I look like a blond Nazi rat, which I was rather proud of because how do you work someone up to that kind of fury?’ He met his photographer wife, Patricia, when she was sent to take a portrait of him.
BORN ON THIS DAY
SYLVIA ANDERSON (19272016). The actress from London provided the voice and inspired the appearance of Lady Penelope (right) in Thunderbirds, the Tv show she co- created with her husband, Gerry. She took the lead on developing the characters and plots. They later divorced. She once said she was baffled by the interest of male fans in her character: ‘A lot of men have told me Lady Penelope was their first crush. I can’t understand that.’ JAMES CALLAGHAN (1912-2005). The Portsmouth-born Labour prime minister from 1976 to 1979 was the only person in the 20th century to hold all four major offices of state: chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary, foreign secretary and PM. However, ‘Big Jim’, as he was nicknamed, is best remembered for presiding over the strike-ridden ‘Winter of Discontent’ in 1978-79.
ON MARCH 27...
IN 1914, the first non-direct blood transfusion was performed by a Belgian doctor. In 2002, English actor and comedian Dudley Moore died, aged 66.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Ebberman (1715) A) A pole across a stream to stop cattle. B) One that fishes below a bridge. C) A scarecrow. answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Sure as eggs is eggs: used to describe something that is definitely going to happen; derives from ‘x is x’ in maths.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world. Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist
JOKE OF THE DAY
I HEARD a great joke about a boomerang and forgot it, but it will come back to me. Guess The definition answer: B.