Random Ad - Ali vs Foreman on the Big Screen (1974)

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Before Sky got the idea of charging to watch big sporting events live, the Odeon Cinema chain was beaming the Rumble in the Jungle Live to a sreeen near you. This ad was published on 16th September 1974 in the London Evening News and shows the original date for the fight (24th September) but in fact it was posponed to the 30th October after Foreman cut his eye during training.

Random Cutting - War Declared in Chamberlain's Speech (1939)

4th September 1939

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This is the full text of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's speech broadcast by the BBC on Sunday the 3rd September 1939 announcing the start of World War II as published in the Manchester Guardian the following day.

Hurricane in UK and Reagan's Revenge in Lybia (1986)

Daily Express dated Tuesday March 25th 1986

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This hurricane on March 24th 1986 was not the hurricane of October 15th 1987, which weatherman Michael Fish failed to warn us about, but was till pretty drastic. If you try to Google this 1986 hurricane all you get is references to 1987.

In 1973, Lybian Leader Kadhafi (now normally spelt Gaddafi) claimed much of the Gulf of Sidra to be within Libyan waters with an exclusiion zone of  62 nautical miles. Gaddafi declared it 'The Line of Death', the crossing of which would invite a military response. The US claimed its rights to conduct naval operations in international waters using the standard of 12-mile territorial limit. On March 23rd 1986 several US warships tested Gaddafi's resolve by crossing the Line. The ensuing skirmishes resulted in 35 non-US dead, a Lybian corvette and a Lybian patrol boat sunk. Some SAM missile sites on the mainland were also damaged.

Random Ad - Minstrel Show (1963)

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This advert from 1963 is for one of those 'Fun-Packed' entertainments in which white singers and dancers 'black up' and pretend to be those oh so funny black people. The 'Black and White Minstrel Show' was a huge hit on BBC TV from 1958 until 1978. The fact that this show does not use the title of the TV show probably means it was an unofficial rip-off, but they made sure to use the tag line 'They're Black and White'.

Random Cutting - Death of Verdi (1901)

2nd February 1901

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Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was born in 1813 and between 1839 and 1893 produced 30 operas including 'Rigoletto', 'La Traviata' and 'Aida'. He died on the 27th January 1901, a week after suffering a stroke.

Complete Surrender (1945)

The Star dated Monday 7th May 1945

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Click to Read

Adolf Hitler had commited suicide in Berlin on April 30th 1945 and had been succeeded by Admiral Karl Donitz who negociated Germany's surrender to the Allies which was signed on May 7th in Reims by General Alfred Jodl and endorsed by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel in Berlin on the 9th.

The 8th May was indeed to be Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Victory over Japan (VJ) Day was to follow on August 15th.

Random Ads - Horlicks, Instant Postum and Knight's Soap (1930's)

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In the 1930's 'story' adverts were common. These 3 are typical of the genre. Someone has a problem, an authority figure (usually mother or wife) suggests a solution and everyone lives happily ever after. 

I've never heard of Instant Postum but the address to send for a free sample is the Grape-Nuts Company so maybe it was a by product of the manufacture of the then popular Grape-Nuts breakfast cereal. Or its packaging.