Friday, 7 December 2012

Random Ad - Lambretta Scooter (1960's)

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To many who were teenagers in the 1960's it was the scooter rather than the Mini that epitomised the era. Decked out in a parka over a mohair suit and a pair of chisel-toed shoes from Raoul, the typical Mod just needed a Lambretta to complete the look.

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Random Cutting - Star's Mother-in-Law murdered (1954)

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An inquest held in August 1954 returned a verdict of ‘murder by a person or persons unknown’. I can’t find any reference to anyone having ever been arrested.
Michael Rennie was a popular film actor who became a household name after starring in ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ in 1951, but is now best remembered (by me) for the ‘Third Man’ TV series that first aired in 1959 in which he played a sanitized Harry Lime, originally played as a villain by Orson Welles in the ‘The Third Man’ film in 1949.


Sunday, 2 December 2012

Kaiser to Abdicate?

The Daily Mirror dated Friday October 11th 1918

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This was just a month before the end of the fighting in World War I and and the course of the War was turning against Germany.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, the King of Prussia and Emperor of the German Empire, had effectively lost control of the German military in 1916 and by 1918 was just a puppet being controlled by his Chiefs of Staff. He finally abdicated on November 9th 1918 just two days before the Armistice was signed. Germany became a Republic under President Friedrick Ebert. Wilhelm went into exile in Holland and died in 1941.

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This Allied action is part of the 4th Battle of Champagne and is regarded as the beginning of the end of World War I. French, US, Italian and British troops repulsed an attack by the Germans and turned it into an advance that only ended with the Armistice

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This was the Influenza pandemic that spread across the World between 1918 and 1920 and killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people globally. It reached Britain in May 1918 and killed 228,000 people many of whom were, unlike the usual victims of ‘flu, young fit adults.

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At this time Winston Churchill was the Minister for Munitions in Lloyd-George’s Coalition Government, hence the visit to a shell factory.


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RMS Leinster was heading for Holyhead with 77 crew -members and 694 passengers when U-boat 123 torpedoed it. At least 500 people died.
UB-123 disappeared (sunk) a week later on 19th October.

The Hirano Maru was a Japanese Passenger Steamer on route from Liverpool to Yokohama and was sunk by UB-91 with a loss of 292 lives.
UB-91 surrendered on 21st November 1918 and was broken up in 1921.

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Patrick MacGill (right in the picture) was an Irish poet, journalist and author who died in 1963. Stephen Rea portrayed him in a 2008 film based on MacGill’s autobiographical novel, ‘Child of the Dead End’.

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The 28th President of the USA, Thomas Woodrow Wilson is seen here holding his top hat while, far left, a most unlikely looking Secret Service agent scans the crowd for baddies.
The Marquis De Lafayette was a Frenchman who helped George Washington to overthrow the perfectly legal British colonial rule in the New World.

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“By Gad, Sir. Give women a say in designing houses – whatever next? All the memsahib needs to know is where the drinks cabinet is and what time I want me dinner. Another brandy, Old Girl, jaldi jaldi”

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I wonder when these fashions will come back in. I particularly like the Devil’s horns worn by the bridesmaids.





Friday, 30 November 2012

Random Ad - Persil Washing Powder (1940's)

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Never understood why adding Oxygen to a washing powder should make it more effective, and after consulting that font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, I still don't.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Random Cutting - TV Programmes (1937)

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1 channel, the BBC, and 2 hours a day broadcasting. No fighting over the remote control in that household. 15 minutes of ‘Masks through the Ages’ looks like a highlight not to be missed. As it was all ‘live’ and a bit hit and miss, I assume ‘app.’ stands for approximate start and end times.


Sunday, 25 November 2012

Steve McQueen dies

The Sun dated Saturday November 8th 1980
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Even if he had never made another film Steve McQueen would still be remembered as the eponymous start of ‘Bullitt’ (1968) one of the most enjoyable films of the 60’s. The car chase scene is a classic and can be watched here. As it was, from 1958 until 1980, he made film after film with hardly a dud among them.

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In this Labour Party Leadership contest Denis Healey won the first round ballot but on November 10th the Left-wing Michael Foot got 51.9 of the MP’s votes. He lasted as leader until Neil Kinnock took over in October 1983. As with Harold Wilson there were rumours of KGB involvement but nothing was ever proved one way or another.

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The Ford Cortina started with the Mark I in 1962 and by 1980 was up to the final version, the Mark 5. Production ended in 1982.

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Gabriella Brum won but resigned 18 hours later. Gaum’s Kimberley Santos took over. Miss UK came 17th and Jamaica came 18th despite being the bookies favourites.

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Who is this strange person? Answer at the end of the post.

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Only included because as a child I was taken by my father for a meal at Veeraswamy, a very posh Indian Restaurant in Regents Street, which opened in 1926 and was frequented by the likes of Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Gandhi, Nerhu and British and Foreign Royalty. And us.

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Kate O’Mara lasted for 1 season of ‘Triangle’ (and the first episode of season 2) but Larry Lamb was in all 78 episodes over 3 seasons. Kate went on to appear in ‘Dynasty’ and Larry in ‘Eastenders’.

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20 million for a sit-com! 12.7 million for ‘Strangers’ (cop show starring Don Henderson) at number 20!
These days even the hugely (and unaccountably) popular ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ only gets 10.5 million viewers, ‘Downton Abbey’ 10.1 million and ‘Eastenders’ average 8.1 million. (figures - week ending Oct 28th 2012).

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‘Hagar the Horrible’ was created by American cartoonist Dik Browne in 1973 and drawn by him until his death in 1988 when his son, Chris, took over.


Answer to the mystery picture -
‘Tis non other than Reg Dwight aka Elton John dressed as Minnie Mouse!







Friday, 23 November 2012

Random Ad - Shell petrol (1930's)

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"By Gad, Sir! The bounder has pinched me catch phrase! Pass the ethanol!"