|
February 16th
0600 - Pope Gregory the Great decreed that God Bless You was the correct response to a sneeze. 1568 - The death sentence was passed on an entire country when Holland was condemned by the Spanish Inquisition. 1620 - Born this day, Frederick William, founder of Brandenburg-Prussia. 1659 - The first British cheque was written. (How much, who by, where about in the country?) 1741 - English revivalist George Whitefield advised in a letter: 'Use the world, but let it be as though you used it not.' 1760 - Cherokee Indians held hostage at Fort St. George were killed in revenge for Indian attacks on frontier settlements. 1801 - In Baltimore, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church officially separated from its parent, the Methodist Episcopal Church. The denomination later became part of the AME Church, reconstituted in 1816 under Richard Allen. It held its first national conference in 1821. 1804 - Lieutenant. Stephen Decatur attacked the Tripoli pirates who burned the USS Philadelphia. 1822 - Born this day, Francis Galton, English scientist and founder of Eugenics. 1838 - Born this day, Henry Adams, US historian, son and grandson of the presidents. 1845 - Born this day, Quinton Hogg, English philanthropist. 1852 - Born this day, Charles Taze Russell, founder of the International Bible Students Association which later became the Jehovah's Witnesses. 1862 - Fort Donelson, Tennessee, fell to Grant's Federal forces, but not before Nathan Bedford Forrest escaped. 1865 - Columbia, South Carolina, surrendered to Federal troops. 1865 - English clergyman Sabine Baring-Gould, aged 31, first published the hymn, Now the Day is Over. It was based on the text of Proverbs 3:24: When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid...and thy sleep shall be sweet. 1886 - Born this day, Van Wyck Brooks, biographer, critic and literary historian. 1903 - Born this day, Edgar Bergen, ventriloquist and radio comedian. 1904 - Born this day, George Kennan, US diplomat and historian. 1911 - William P. Merrill, aged 44, first published his hymn, Rise Up, O Men of God, in the Presbyterian periodical, The Continent. 1916 - Under the leadership of Henrietta Szold, aged 52, the Hadassah Study Circle at New York's Temple Emanuel reconstituted itself. Szold afterward made this sisterhood of US Jewish women a nationwide Zionist organisation. Szold herself headed the group until 1926. 1923 - Bessie Smith made her first recording Down Hearted Blues. 1926 - Born this day, John Schlesinger, US film director. 1933 - England's cricket team, using intimidatory 'bodyline' bowling tactics under captain Douglas Jardine, regained the Ashes from Australia. 1934 - Thousands of Socialists battle Communists at a rally in New York's Madison Square Garden. 1935 - Born this day, Sonny Bono [Salvatore Bono], singer, songwriter, in Detroit. Half of duo Sonny and Cher, 1965 UK and US No.1 single I Got You Babe with Cher, became a US Congressman. Died 5 January 1997, aged 62, after a skiing accident. 1937 - Dupont patented a new thread, nylon, which would replace silk in a number of products and reduce costs. Invented by Wallace Carruthers. 1940 - The British destroyer HMS Cossack rescued British seamen from a German prison ship, the Altmark, in a Norwegian fjord. 1942 - Tojo outlined Japan's war aims to the Diet, referring to 'new order of coexistence' in East Asia. 1943 - Born this day, Anthony Dowell, director Royal Ballet. 1944 - Born this day, Richard Ford, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist (The Sportswriter, Independence Day). 1945 - American paratroopers landed on Corregidor, in a campaign to liberate the Philippines. 1946 - Born this day, Ian Lavender, actor (Dad's Army). 1949 - Born this day, Lynn Paul, vocals, The New Seekers, 1972 UK No.1 single I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing. 1950 - Born this day, Peter Hain, Welsh Secretary. 1951 - Joseph Stalin contends the United Nations (UN) is becoming the weapon of aggressive war. 1952 - The FBI arrested 10 members of the Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina. 1954 - Born this day, Iain Banks, novelist. 1956 - Born this day, James Ingram, US singer, 1987 UK No.8 single with Linda Ronstadt, Somewhere Out There, 1990 US No.1 single I Don't Have The Heart. 1957 - A US flag flew over an outpost in Wilkes Land, Antarctica. 1958 - Born this day, Lisa Loring, actress. She went on to play Wednesday in The Addams Family. 1958 - Born this day, Ice T, rapper, actor. 1959 - Born this day, John McEnroe, tennis player. 1959 - Fidel Castro became President of Cuba after overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. He took the oath as Cuban premier in Havana. 1961 - Born this day, Andy Taylor, guitar, Duran Duran, 1983 UK No.1 single Is There Something I Should Know plus 25 other UK top 40 singles, 1984 US No.1 single The Reflex, with The Power Station, 1985 UK No.14 single Some Like It Hot. 1962 - Born this day, Tony Kylie, The Blow Monkeys, 1987 UK No.5 single It Doesn't Have To Be This Way. 1963 - The Beatles went to number 1 in the pop charts for the first time with Please Please Me. 1963 - Paul Anka married Marie Ann Alison Dezogheb. 1964 - The Beatles made their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show performing live from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Approximately 70 million people tune in (22,445,000 households). 1965 - Four persons were held in a plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Bell and the Washington Monument. 1965 - Born this day, Dave Lombardo, drums, Slayer, 1995 UK No.50 single Serenity In Murder. 1965 - A Government report, based on the research of Dr. Beeching, prosposed to cut Britain's railway network by half. 1966 - The World Council of Churches being held in Geneva, urged immediate peace in Vietnam. 1967 - Petula Clark had her second UK No.1 single with This Is My Song. 1967 - Born this day, Damon Reece, drums, Spiritualized, 1995 UK No.30 single Let It Flow. 1968 - Elvis Presley received a gold record for his gospel album, How Great Thou Art. 1970 - Joe Frazier knocked out Jimmy Ellis in the 5th round to win boxing's heavyweight championship. 1971 - Born this day, Amanda Holden, actress. 1972 - Total electricity blackouts lasting nine hours were imposed across Britain as the crisis caused by the miners' strike deepened. Twelve power stations were closed, the rest were working below capacity. Industry was on a three day week and households were heating only one room. Train drivers refused to move oil trains past miners' strike picket lines. 1972 - Charlie Watt's wife Shirley was arrested at Nice Airport for swearing and hitting custom's officials. 1974 - Bob Dylan started a four week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Planet Waves, his first US No.1. 1974 - During a tour of America the members of Emerson Lake and Palmer were arrested in Salt Lake City after swimming naked in the hotel pool, they were each fined $75. 1974 - In the Disc Readers Awards Poll, top UK group Slade, top musician Roy Wood, Bowie won UK and world male singer, top single with Jean Genie and album with Aladdin Sane, top female singer was Lynsey De Paul and brightest hope David Essex. 1974 - Born this day, Laura Greene, TV weather presenter. 1975 - Cher, started her own weekly hour of a music and comedy show on CBS-TV. 1978 - Appearing at Wythenshaw Forum, Manchester, were Slaughter & The Dogs. 1978 - China and Japan signed a $20 billion trade pact, which was the most important move since the 1972 resumption of diplomatic ties. 1980 - Appearing at the Apollo, Manchester, were The Tourists. 1985 - Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with Born In The USA, his first UK No.1 album. 1985 - Careless Whisper started a three week run at No.1 in the US charts, it was credited to Wham! featuring George Michael, and was the duos second US No.1. 1991 - Queen scored their 7th UK No.1 album with Innuendo. 1991 - The Simpsons were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Do The Bartman. 1999 - Winners at The Brit Awards included Robbie Williams, best British solo artist, best single, Angels, best video, Millennium, Manic Street Preachers won best British group and Natalie Imbruglia won best female artist and newcomer. 2000 - Unemloyment in the UK was reported to be at a 20 year low. 2002 - Thieves broke into George Michael's London home and stole over £100,000 worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes and drove off in his £80,000 Aston Martin DB7. They also caused £200,000 worth of damage to his Hampstead home. 2002 - Transport Secretary Stephen Byers faced demands to resign amid a public feud between his spin doctor Jo Moore and press chief Martin Sixsmith. |
Trivia
Trivia - petty details or considerations, matters or things that are very unimportant, inconsequential, or nonessential; trifles; trivialities.
Trivial - of very little importance or value; insignificant: "Don't bother me with trivial matters." Trivially - unimportant, nugatory, slight, immaterial, inconsequential, frivolous, trifling.