ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
MAY 25, 1955 DOCTORSdangers of allowingwere warneda husband yesterdayto be presentof the when Press: his ‘An wife idle gives spectator birth. who Said standsthe Medical where he can get a good view can be an annoying foreign body causing obstruction.’ MAY 25, 1966 A WOMEN’S college has banned mini skirts during next week’s Oxford finals. Mrs Mary Proudfoot, Dean of Somerville, explained: ‘The girls would look incongruous in academic dress with skirts half-way up their thighs, and might also take the men’s minds off their exams.’ HAPPY BIRTHDAY JuLIAN CLARY, 58. The comedian (right) lives in Noel Coward’s former home in Kent. Clary said: ‘I know my writing is seen as trivial, but so was Noel’s in a way.’ Clary’s make-up in early cabarets was inspired by his eldest sister, a Tiller Girl. OCTAVIA SPENCER, 47. The actress was just the sixth African-American woman to win an Oscar in a competitive category — for 2011’s The Help, about Southern maids in the Civil Rights era. Despite this, she has struggled to get meatier roles and has played a nurse 16 times. BORN ON THIS DAY PRINCESS HELENA (1846-1923). Queen Victoria despaired of finding a husband for her fifth child, nicknamed Lenchen. She wrote: ‘Poor dear Lenchen . . . does not improve in looks and has great difficulty with her figure.’ But the Princess married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein and was the only one of Victoria’s nine children to celebrate a golden wedding anniversary. HAL DAVID (1921-2012). The Oscar-winning American lyricist teamed up with Burt Bacharach to write hits including Magic Moments, Walk On By and Alfie. When Dionne Warwick (pictured) heard they had given a song for which she had recorded the demo to another singer, she said: ‘Don’t make me over, man . . . take me for what I am.’ David responded by writing Don’t Make Me Over — her first hit. ON MAY 25 . . .
IN 1895, playwright Oscar Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years’ hard labour.
IN 1961, President John F. Kennedy called for the u.S. to put a man on the Moon ‘before this decade is out’. WORD WIZARDRY NEW TERM OF THE DAY
Glass cliff: Where women are more likely to be given leadership roles in times of crisis, when the prospect of failure is greatest. GUESS THE DEFINITION Grizzle (coined 1842) A) Of children, to scramble for coins. B) To burn the down off sea-birds after plucking the feathers. C) Cry in a whining fashion. Answer below. PHRASE EXPLAINED
Great Scott: Expression of amazement or annoyance refers to General Winfield Scott (1786-1866), a popular figure who was commanding general of the u.S. army and a presidential candidate.