ON THIS DAY
February 26, 2019
FEBRUARY 26, 1941
THE British Red Cross Society has relaxed a ban on make-up and smoking for nurses in uniform. They may now smoke indoors when not on duty, and will be permitted an after-lunch cigarette in restaurants, cafes and cinemas. They can also wear a certain amount of lipstick and powder.
FEBRUARY 26, 1969
PRINCE CHARLES took another step in his stage career last night, dressed as a dustman in denim overalls and a greasy cap and dragged along in a dustbin (right). The 20- year- old prince was rehearsing his part in the revue, Revolution, to be staged tonight by the Dryden Society of Trinity College, Cambridge.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MICHAEL BOLTON, 66. The U.S. singersongwriter, who has sold more than 65 million records, was born Michael Bolotin. He signed his first record deal at 15, but did not have a hit until he was 35, making his name with songs such as Missing You Now and writing for Cher and Barbra Streisand. In 1998, he cut off his infamous mullet and sold it for $6,000 for charity, but later lamented: ‘I have hair growing out of my ears. I don’t know if it’s revenge or something.’ OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER, 46. The Norwegian Manchester United football manager was nicknamed the ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ when he played as a striker for the club, but his fresh-faced image belied his steely nature. He scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the third minute of extra time at the 1999 Champions League final and once said: ‘There are no good saves, there are only weak shots.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
VICTOR HUGO (1802-1885). The French novelist, author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, was such a regular at the brothels of Paris that when he died, they closed for a day of mourning. To focus on his writing, he would take all his clothes off and give them to his servants, who were instructed not to return them until he had completed a chapter. FANNY CRADOCK (19091994). The TV chef, born Phyllis Primrose-Pechey, was known for cooking in her evening gowns and introducing prawn cocktails to the nation. It emerged after her death that she was addicted to amphetamines. When Cradock ( right) appeared on the Parkinson chat show and found out her fellow guest Danny La Rue — dressed as Shirley Bassey — was actually a man, she stormed out of the studio.
ON FEBRUARY 26…
IN 1952, Winston Churchill revealed Britain had developed its own atomic bomb. IN 1987, the Church of England voted to clear the way for the ordination of women priests.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Peng (2011) A) Having an unpleasant aroma or odour. B) Very unattractive. C) Very attractive. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Taking the mickey — to make fun of or to mock; from 1930s cockney rhyming slang ‘to take the mickey bliss’, ie, ‘to take the p***’.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Show business is a money making joke, and I’ve always liked telling jokes. Dolly Parton, U.S. singer-songwriter
JOKE OF THE DAY
MY HUSBAND asked me if he could have some peace while he tried to cook dinner. So I took the batteries out of the smoke alarm. Guess The Definition answer: C.