ON DAY THIS
1717: The Grand Lodge of English Freemasons was formed in London. 1825: William Henry Smith, English newsagent and bookseller, was born. He joined his father’s newsagent business and took full control in 1846, building Whsmith, the biggest chain of newsagents in Britain, before going into politics.
1840: The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway between Cheltenham and Bromsgrove was opened, a stretch that includes the Lickey incline, one of the severest gradients on a British main line. 1859: Henri Dunant, a Swiss businessman travelling through Italy, saw the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino and was inspired to found the International Red Cross. 1878: St John Ambulance was formed. 1895: Jack Dempsey, US world heavyweight boxing champion from 1919 to 1926, was born. Known as the Manassa Mauler, he was the most popular boxer of his time. 1947: The series of “flying saucer” stories started when a pilot, Kenneth Arnold, reported seeing nine discshaped objects over Mount Rainier, Washington.
1981: The bridge over the Humber Estuary opened to traffic, its official opening by the Queen took place on July 17.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: In a moving moment, an elderly couple shared a hug after 102 days apart during the pandemic – thanks to plastic sheeting.