On this day in history

[Brian S]

My Nephew was involved with the Ariane program, he was asked to give a talk on the countdown and lift off procedure
Me being me said "wot, 5 4 3 2 1 , and push the button, "

24 Dec 1979
Europe Launches it's first Rocket
The first European-built rocket, Ariane 1, successfully blasts off into space.

 

[Brian S]

To cure what, I wonder ?

24 Dec 1936
1st radioactive isotope medicine administered in Berkeley, California

 

[Mike001]

The Age of the World, 5194. The second year of Crimhthann.

OF THE AGE OF CHRIST.

The first year of the age of Christ, and the eighth year of the reign of
Crimhthann Niadhnair 8 .

The Age of Christ, 9. The sixteenth year of Crimhthann in the sove-
reignty of Ireland* when he died at Dun-Crimhthainn h , at Edair, after returning
from the famous expedition upon which he had gone. It was from this expe-
dition he brought with him the wonderful jewels', among which were a golden
chariot, and a golden chess-board, [inlaid] 'with a hundred transparent gems,
and the Cedach-Crimhthainn k , which was a beautiful cloak, embroidered with
gold. He brought a conquering sword, with many serpents of refined massy
gold inlaid in it ; a shield, with bosses of bright silver ; a spear, from the wound
inflicted by which no .one recovered ; a sling, from which no erring shot was.....


Annals of the Four (Irish) Masters

 

[Brian S]

ET, Phone Home, Phone Home

24 Dec 1980
Witnesses the first of several sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge in England, an incident called " Britain's Roswell"

 

[Brian S]

Not very "Silent " they're all singing

24 Dec 1818
The Christmas Carol " Silent Night " composed by Franz Gruber, is first sung at St Nicholas Parish Church in Oberndorf Austria

 

[Brian S]

24 Dec 1914
World War 1 - Not a shot was fired, as German & British soldiers played football & handed out drinks, cigars & souvenirs. It was possibly the most poignant moment of the 'Great War' & for several days afterwards the two sides appeared reluctant to fire on the men they had met face to face.
Will we ever learn from history of the futility of war?

Doubt it very much!!

 

[Brian S]

24 Dec 1914
1914 A German monoplane dropped a single bomb on Dover, the first ever to be dropped on British soil. It landed on a rectory garden lawn and blew out the house windows

 

[Brian S]

No Sssshhh.........ugar Sherlock

25 Dec 1.............. yes 1

1st Christmas, according to calendar-maker Dionysus Exiguus


Merry Christmas
All borrowed from the Pagan festival for the Coming of Light (I'm told)

 

[Brian S]

25 Dec 1066
Duke William of Normandy ('William the Conqueror) crowned King of England

 

[Brian S]

I thought it was a more recent introduction ie 19th century

25 Dec 1741
Astronomer Anders Celsius introduces Centigrade temperature scale

 

[Brian S]

25 Dec 1914

Legendary "Christmas Truce" takes place on the battlefields of WWI between British and German troops. Instead of fighting, soldiers exchange gifts and play football

 

[Brian S]

Errr 'scuse me thought the date was set in stone with someone's birth, not an arbitrarily agreed date !!!!

25 Dec 440
Church leaders agreed to fix the date of the birth of Christ. (

nativity window at Brecon Cathedral) Previously some people had celebrated it in May, others in January.

 

[Brian S]

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

25 Dec 1800
The first Christmas tree in Britain was erected at Queen’s Lodge, Windsor by the German-born Queen Charlotte, wife of George III. She brought the idea over from Germany where the first reports of Christmas trees go back to 1521. (

Christmas tree festival at Thornton Church - near Bradford )

 

[uHu]

Errr 'scuse me thought the date was set in stone with someone's birth, not an arbitrarily agreed date !!!!

25 Dec 440
Church leaders agreed to fix the date of the birth of Christ. ( View attachment 138582 nativity window at Brecon Cathedral) Previously some people had celebrated it in May, others in January.

Not all churches agree to that date. Some celebrate 1 week later, and some 2 weeks later.

 

[Brian S]

26 Dec 1791
The birth of Charles Babbage, English mathematician, philosopher, and mechanical engineer who originated the idea of a programmable computer

 

[Brian S]

26 Dec 1874
Boxing Day was officially recognized in Britain as a Bank Holiday. The name originates from the custom of Christmas boxes being given to a lord's serfs and dates back to the middle ages.

 

[Brian S]

The Force is strong Luke

27 Dec 1977
Star Wars fever hits Britian
Thousands of people flock to UK cinemas to watch the long-awaited blockbuster, Star Wars.

 

[Brian S]

27 Dec 1773
The birth of Sir George Cayley, English pioneer of the study of aerodynamics. In 1853 he built the first successful glider to be flown by a man, his reluctant coachman! One of his later inventions was the caterpillar tractor.

 

[Chas]

Ian Fraser Kilmister, or more commonly known as Lemmy, died on this day in 2015.

The story goes that during his younger years, he loved to play slot machines and would borrow money from friends and family to feed his addiction. He was known to utter things like “lemmy a fiver until Friday,” which is how he earned his nickname.

 

[Chas]

Westminster Abbey was consecrated on this day in 1065