Random Ad - Marilyn Monroe and Hiltone (1953)

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A 1953 advert for hair lightener New Hiltone featuring film star Marilyn Monroe. Does she look to you like she's wondering if she's left a tap running somewhere?

Random Cutting - Christmas Truce in the Trenches (1914)

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A few examples of reports of the 1914 unofficial Christmas truce that happened spontaneously along the front line between British and German troops during World War I. It was frowned upon by the military hierarchy on both sides, but happened again, but to a lesser degree, in 1915. By 1916, though, there had been too much bloodshed for any coming together of the opposing sides. 

Thorpe on Conspiracy to Murder Charge

Daily Mirror dated Tuesday November 21st 1978

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Jeremy Thorpe was the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 until 1976 who had met Norman Scott in the early 1960’s whilst Scott was working as a stable lad. Scott later claimed that he and Thorpe had had a homosexual relationship. This was  at illegal in Britain at the time.

In 1975 a former airline pilot, Andrew Newton, drove Scott to Exmoor where Newton shot Scott's dog and then turned the gun on Scott but either didn’t fire or, if he did, the gun jammed. At Newton’s trial in 1976 he was convicted of the illegal possession of a firearm and intent to endanger life.

Jeremy Thorpe’s name came up in court and the story caused a scandal that forced Thorpe to resign as Leader. 

When Newton was released in 1977 he claimed that he had been hired to kill Norman Scott. In 1978, Thorpe was accused along with 3 other men, including the Deputy Treasurer of the Liberal Party, of conspiracy to murder Norman Scott.

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This Daily Mirror was published at the time of the initial hearing to decide if the case was to go to a full court and a jury. They decided that there was a case to answer and the trial was set for May 1979.

One of the chief prosecution witnesses was a former Liberal MP, Peter Bessell, who claimed to have been present when the murder plot was discussed. He had agreed to appear as a witness in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

At the 1979 trail the jury finally decided that Thorpe and co. had not conspired to murder Scott but just to frighten him and the 4 men were acquitted.

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In the 1950’s Jim Jones had joined the Communist Party in his home state of Indiana but was also drawn to religion and formed his own church – the Peoples Temple. During the early 1960’s he was active in trying to integrate blacks and whites and became a target for white supremacists. As the 60’s wore on he moved away from Christianity and preached what he called Apostolic Socialism, which basically meant rejecting religion in favour of socialism. He also started claiming that he was Ghandi, Jesus and Lenin reincarnated.

In 1970 he moved his followers to a site in Guyana he called Jonestown. Back in the US parents of Peoples Temple members formed a concerned group and approached Congressman Leo Ryan. In 1978 he led a fact-finding mission to Jonestown but on the second day, November 18^th, a member attacked Ryan with a knife and the delegation left for the airport. Other members of the Cult followed them and, as they were boarding a light aircraft, the group were shot at. Ryan and 4 others were killed.  

Later that day 909 members of the Peoples Temple died of cyanide poisoning by committing suicide or, in the case of those who were reluctant or unable, like children and babies, murdered. 

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From 1967 to 1969 Simon Dee was one of the most popular talk-show hosts on TV with his show ‘Dee Time’ which boasted a peek audience of 18 million people. But then he fell out with the BBC over pay and deserted to ITV to launch another chat show. After just a few months he fell out with them too and they cancelled his contract. Despite a few short lived radio jobs his career never recovered and he died in 2009. 

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Alan Scott Newman, the only son of film star Paul Newman, had a long history of alcoholism and mental problems due to, he believed, not being able to live up to his famous father. After a motorcycle accident he was on prescription valium and it was an overdose of these, couple with alcohol, that killed him at the age of 28. 

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I can’t help thinking that they wouldn’t have got away with 6 years a piece these days.

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Those were the days when the big decision was whether to buy C60 or C90 tapes. C90’s held more music but tended to get mangled in the cheaper players.

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They don’t write romantic ballads like ‘Germ Free Adolescence’ anymore. Not to mention ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’.

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I pick these sporting pieces out on the basis that if I recognize a name then they must be famous. Tommy Docherty was a football player and later a manager whose career lasted from 1947 to 1988.

Random Ad - Southend-on-Sea (1920's)

This 1920's advert for the Essex coastal resort of Southend-on-Sea could well fall foul of the Merchandise Marks Act (replaced by the Trades Description Act in 1968).

Random Cutting - Munitions Factory Explosion 1917

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I was a little surprised to read these reports from 1917 – I thought that such bad news would have been censored. The death toll rose from the 69 mentioned in the 3^rd cutting to 73. It has become known as the Silvertown Explosion because it happened in that part of East London, which is now part of Newham.

The chief Chemist Dr Angel was posthumously awarded the Edward Medal (equivalent to the later George Cross).

Petain calls for French Ceasefire

Evening Standard dated Monday June 17th 1940

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The German Army had marched into Paris on June 14^th 1940 and on the 22^nd an armistice was signed and France was divided into the Occupied Zone and the so-called Free Zone under the control of Marshal Philippe Pétain. The occupied zone covered most of Northern and Western France, which brought the German Army to within 22 miles of the English coast.

Marshall Pétain had been a National hero for his military leadership during World War I, but by 1945 he was on trial as a traitor to France. He was sentenced to death but Charles de Gaulle commuted this to life imprisonment. He died in 1951 at the age of 95.

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During the 1930’s America’s most famous aviator Charles Lindbergh made no secret of his admiration for Adolf Hitler’s new Germany and in particular Hermann Göring’s Luftwaffe. He had visited Germany and had even been awarded the Service Cross of the German Eagle by Göring. He lectured widely in America in support of the non-involvement of the US in the European War even going so far as to blame a conspiracy of ‘Britain, Roosevelt and the Jews’ for trying to get America to join in the conflict.

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Look out! Spies are everywhere – some clever than others.

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I wonder if any of these volunteers flew in that summer’s big event – the Battle of Britain? Or possibly even one of the 544 Allied airmen killed? 

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I don't mind telling you, Mate, you just can’t trust them aristocrats.

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Times change along with attitudes. Some for the better and some not.

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The Soviet Union and Germany had signed a mutual non-aggression pact in 1939. This article by Left Wing journalist and politician Michael Foot calling for an alliance between Stalin’s neutral Soviet Union and Britain against Nazi Germany was published just 5 days before Hitler’s army invaded Russia. The non-aggression pact was torn up and Russia joined the Allies.

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Seems a lot of trouble to con a few pence each time. 

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An advert for ‘Gaslight’, the classic melodrama with jewel theft, murder and a husband trying to send his wife mad. Just the thing to take your mind off the War. Not to be confused with the 1944 US version.

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Edith decided that today of all days was the wrong one to have gone ‘commando’.

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The first casualty of War may be truth, but the second is free speech. The B.E.F. was the British Expeditionary Force most of whom were evacuated at Dunkirk.

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With the Blitz less than 3 months away I’d sign up asap if I were you.

Random Ad - Avenger car (1970's)

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An early 1970's advert for the Hillman Avenger range of cars. Why the emphasis on 'good living'? Maybe they expected you to live in it when keeping it running made you bankrupt and it broke down for the final time.