Random Cutting - Huw Wheldon dies (1986)

15th March 1986

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Huw Wheldon was a familiar face on TV first in Children's programming and then Arts especially 'Monitor' which started in 1958. He then switched to Management and became Head of Documentaries followed by Controller of BBC1. He returned to presenting after retiring. 

Maggie at Number 10 (1979)

Daily Express dated Friday May 4th 1979 

and Daily Mail dated Saturday May 5th 1979

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The 1979 General Election was called by Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan after he lost the last of his small majority in the House of Commons when the Scottish Nationalists withdrew their support. It was a 2 horse race with the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher gaining an extra 62 seats (339) and Labour losing 54 (269). The Liberals lost 2 ending up with 11. As usual with General Elections more people voted against the winning Party than for it - in this case 3.8 million people.

Thatcher went on to rule Britain for 10.5 years and was either a saviour or the Devil incarnate depending on your point of view.

I can't work out what the numbers in the grid on the front of the Daily Express are meant to be. They don't seem to bare any resemblance to the results.

Random Ad - Lyons Teashops (1930's)

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Long before Ronald McDonald invaded Britain, from 1894 in fact, Lyons Tea Shops were serving decent affordable food to the Nation. This 1930's advert shows a typical 'Nippy' waitress.After WWII they did away with waitress service and in 1981 closed down.

Random Cutting - Nelson Mandela (1962)

23rd October 1962

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Although Mandela was initially committed to non-violent protest, he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party in 1961, in association with the SACP, to carry out a sabotage campaign against the white apartheid government. In 1962 he was serving a five-year sentence for inciting workers to strike and leaving the country illegally, when he was charged with - recruiting persons for training in the preparation and use of explosives and in guerrilla warfare for the purpose of violent revolution and committing acts of sabotage; conspiring to commit the aforementioned acts and to aid foreign military units when they invaded the Republic; acting in these ways to further the objects of communism; and soliciting and receiving money for these purposes from foreign sympathizers. He was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He served 27 years.

Britain replies to Hitler's Peace Proposals (1939)

Daily Sketch dated Saturday October 7th 1939

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At this early stage of World War II, between invading Poland and while planning to invade France, Adolf Hitler made a speech in the Reichstag in which he condemned the War with Britain and France as a waste of life and that if those countries were willing to a mutual cease fire and if they would allow Hitler to continue with his policies in Poland, then the War could be over there and then. 

Prime Minister Chamberlain's speech in the House of Commons on the 12th October said, in part, “We must take it, then, that the proposals which the German Chancellor puts forward for the establishment of what he calls ‘the certainty of European security’ are to be based on recognition of his conquests and his right to do what he pleases with the conquered. It would be impossible for Great Britain to accept any such basis without forfeiting her honour and abandoning her claim that international disputes should be settled by discussion and not by force." And so the War continued.

Random Ad - Jobs in Iran (1974)

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Come and teach young Iranians 'the maintenance and repair of current British Armoured Fighting Vehicles' in 1974 Iran so that in 1979 they can overthrow the Shah and setup an Islamic Republic and keep those same vehicles in fighting order.

Random Cutting - Carpentier Wins in 8 Rounds (1919)

July 1919

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Georges Carpentier was half was through a winning streak of 12 matches when he won by a knock-out against Dick Smith who had only won 3 of his previous 10 bouts. Carpentier finally fought Jack Dempsey in New Jersey in 1921 and his winning streak ended.