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.

Sadat of Egypt Murdered (1981)

Daily Mirror dated Wednesday October 7th 1981

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The young Anwar Sadat was an anti-British and anti-colonial revolutionary and was instrumental, along with Gamal Nasser, in overthrowing King Farouk in 1952. When Nasser died in 1970 Sadat became President, but compared to Nasser, Sadat was a moderate and when he expelled Soviet advisers he gained limited support of the USA.

Sadat's attempts to reconcile Egypt's and Israel's differences led to him and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sharing the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize, but the subsequent 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was not received well among the other Arab nations and Egypt's membership in the Arab League was suspended. Islamic discontent within Egypt festered and finally on October 6th 1981, during a military parade, 4 Egyptian Army soldiers attacked and shot Sadat.

Random Ad - Ever-Hot Tea Set (1950's)

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I'm sure we had one of these Ever-Hot Tea sets at home in the 1950's. I'm still not sure why the sugar bowl had to be kept hot.

Random Cutting - Death of Stan Laurel (1965)

23rd February 1965

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Stan Laurel (Arthur Stanley Jefferson) was born in 1890 in Ulverston when it was in Lancashire, England and became the internationally recognisable thin half  of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Stan and Oliver 'Babe' Hardy appeared in 106 films together. Stan also wrote, produced and directed. 

Duke and Duchess of Windsor Wedding (1937)

Daily Mirror dated Friday June 4th 1937

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He had been Edward VIII, King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India from January 20th 1936 until his abdication on December 11th 1936 when he chose a life with American divorcee Wallis Simpson over the Throne. He left England to live in Austria until Mrs Simpson's divorce was made absolute, then on June 3rd 1937 they married at the Château de Candé, near Tours in France. They remained married until his death in 1972.

On the back page there is mention of a telegram from 'veteran trade union leader Ben Tillett', which seems a little odd until you remember Edward's outspoken support for the workers and poor during the early 1930's.

Random Ad - Horlicks (1940's)

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Another story advert for Horlicks but this time its World War 2 that's keeping him awake at nights.

Random Cuttings - Football (1926)

17th October 1926

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Some football pictures from two games played on the 16th October 1926 to please those that like that sort of thing. More exciting info - South Shields FC went out of business in 1930 - Fulham ended the 1926/7 season in 18th place in the 2nd Division; South Shields 19th; Spurs 13th place in the 1st and Sheffield United 8th in the 1st.