ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE MAY 16, 1938
QuESTIONS to be asked in the House of Commons today by Mr A M Lyons (Cons., E. Leicester) draw attention to the large number of cases of mild mental disorder kept under restraint in lunatic asylums. One in every 35 people is certified insane, and one in 14 at some period of life suffers mild disorder — the Daily Mail is investigating the system of mental treatment.
MAY 16, 1939
LONDONERS who saw Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret riding excitedly in Tube trains, crossing busy roads, and moving freely among the crowds, were witnessing an important departure in the Princesses’ education. Queen Mary believes they should see life from beyond the viewpoint of a palace or through the eyes of a single class.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
PIERCE BROSNAN, 66. The Irish-born actor (pictured), star of Mamma Mia! and The Thomas Crown Affair, played James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002. Brosnan says the first film he ever saw was Goldfinger but he has never watched his own 007 movies because ‘it’s just never good enough’. JANET JACkSON, 53. The American singer and actress is performing at Glastonbury for the first time next month. The youngest of the Jackson family is the only artist to boast three albums each containing at least five u.S. top 100 hits. Her family nickname is still ‘Dunk’, because her late brother Michael thought she looked like a donkey.
BORN ON THIS DAY
LIBERACE (1919-1987). The American pianist and entertainer, born Wladziu Valentino Liberace, was as well known for his costumes as for his music. One of his outfits had an 8ft train of pink feathers while another was a sequined military uniform with hot pants. At his Las Vegas home, he had a mural painted on his bedroom ceiling inspired by the Sistine Chapel with Liberace’s face surrounded by cherubs. YVONNE CRAIG (19372015). The American actress played Batgirl alongside Adam West’s Batman on TV in the Sixties. She also appeared in Gidget, The Man From u.N.C.L.E. and High Time, opposite Bing Crosby. She played Marta, a green- skinned slave girl with Captain kirk in a memorable 1969 episode of Star Trek, Whom Gods Destroy.
ON MAY 16...
IN 1943, in Operation Chastise, the Dam Busters dropped bouncing bombs on three dams in the Ruhr valley, Germany. IN 1991, the Queen became the first British monarch to address the u.S. Congress.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Ping (early 19c) A) a tuft of hair on top of one’s head B) crackling sound of a wood fire C) speak in a high singing voice. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Bark up the wrong tree — misunderstand something and take the wrong action; it alludes to the mistake made by dogs who chase prey up a tree only for the game to escape by leaping to another tree
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul. And sings the tune without the words, and never stops atall. U.S. poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT training do you need to become a rubbish collector? None. Apparently, you just pick it up as you go along. Guess The Definition answer: C