British History

On this day in history….10th October 1928

On this day in history : 10th October 1928 – The Tyne Bridge, linking Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead in North East England, is opened by King George V….

Out of the seven bridges, that cross the River Tyne in the area that is known as the ‘NewcastleGateshead Quayside’, the Tyne Bridge is the most recognisable and iconic….

The bridge was designed by engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson and building contractors Dorman Long began work on it in August 1925…. Dorman Long included in its team the first female member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Dorothy Buchanan…. She was to go on to also be involved with the construction of Lambeth Bridge in London and the Sydney Harbour Bridge….

The bridge’s Cornish granite towers (also known as the pylons) were designed by Robert Burns Dick, a local architect – and were originally intended to be used as warehousing space over five storeys…. However, work inside them was not completed and so they have never been used for this purpose…. Lifts for passengers and goods were also installed but are no longer in use…. The towers are annually opened to the public as part of Heritage Open Days (which take place in September)….

At the time of its construction the Tyne Bridge was the World’s longest single span bridge with the largest steel arch…. The bridge’s length totals 1,276ft (389m), with an arch span of 531ft (161.8m) – it has a height of 194ft (59m) and a width of 56ft (17.8m)…. Some 777,124 rivets hold it all together….

The bridge was painted in a special green paint manufactured by J.Dampney, Tonbridge, Tingate Co. of Gateshead and work was finally completed on the 25th of February 1928…. During construction there was one fatality, that of a scaffolder from South Shields by the name of Nathaniel Collins….

The Tyne Bridge was officially opened on the 10th of October 1928 by King George V and Queen Mary – who travelled across it in their Ascot Landau carriage, making them the first ever to use the roadway…. 20,000 schoolchildren attended the ceremony and the speech given by the King was recorded by Movietone News….

The Tyne Bridge has become part of the region’s culture…. Each year 52,000 runners cross it as part of the Great North Run…. In 2012 giant Olympic Rings were erected on the bridge for Newcastle’s hosting of the Olympic football tournament – and also for the Olympic torch relay which saw Bear Grylls zip-wire his way down from the top of the arch to Gateshead quayside…. The bridge features as a prominent part of many celebrations and events held in Newcastle and the surrounding areas…. In August 2018 it was made Grade II listed by Historic England and in June 2022 it was announced the bridge would be refurbished involving improvements to the structure and a full repaint….

On this day in history….9th October 1799

On this day in history : 9th October 1799 – The sinking of HMS Lutine…. Later its bell is salvaged and presented to shipping insurers Lloyds of London – where it is rung to mark the loss of a ship – or indeed the safe return….

A frigate similar to HMS Lutine – Public domain

Lutine was a French frigate and was launched in 1779…. As one of the sixteen ships handed over to Britain on the 18th of December 1793, following the end of the Siege of Toulon, it was then to serve in the Royal Navy….

Carrying a cargo of gold Lutine sank in a violent storm at Vlieland, in the West Frisian Islands off the cost of the northern Netherlands…. All but one of the 240 onboard perished….

HMS Lutine in distress – Unknown author – Public domain

The shifting sandbanks of the region were always going to make it nigh on impossible to conduct a truly successful salvage operation – most of the cargo has never been recovered…. It is estimated around £1.2m (the equivalent in today’s terms being £119m) in bullion and coins went down with the ship – an exact figure cannot be determined as a later fire at Lloyd’s destroyed all records…. The gold had been destined to provide the banks in Hamburg with funds to try and prevent a stock market crash….

The gold was insured by Lloyds of London, who paid the claim out in full – which meant the lost cargo now belonged to them…. On the 29th of October 1799 instructions were issued to attempt to recover the gold and in December 1799 salvage operations began…. With the shifting sands the ship was rapidly filling with silt…. Over the years various salvage attempts have yielded small recoveries but only amounting to a fraction of what lies down there….

The ship’s bell was recovered on the 17th of July 1858 – it was found tangled in chains between the rudder and ship’s wheel…. It weighs 106lb and is 18in in diameter – engraved upon it is ‘ST. JEAN – 1779’ – nobody knows why this name does not correspond to the Lutine…. The bell was installed in The Royal Exchange in 1859, hanging from the rostrum in the underwriting room at Lloyds…. It was rung every time news of an overdue ship was received; one toll for a loss and two for a safe arrival into port…. The last time it was rung for a ship’s loss was in 1979 – and the return of an overdue ship in 1989…. The bell has developed a crack and so ‘ringing the news’ for shipping has now ceased…. Nowadays it only tolls for the passing of a member of the Royal family – as it was for when Princess Diana died and the death of the Queen Mother…. And of course, most recently on the 15th of September 2022 – when a single ring of the bell marked the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and then finished with two rings to acclaim the new King Charles III….

Lloyds of London Image Portfolio Feb2011

When Lloyds moved in 1929 the Lutine Bell was installed in the new premises in Leadenhall Street and then in 1958 it was relocated to Lloyds’ headquarters in Lime Street…. Since 1986 it has been situated in the most recent Lime Street headquarters….

British History

On this day in history….8th October 1929

On this day in history : 8th October 1929 – The birth of former Speaker of the House of Commons Betty Boothroyd – the only woman to have ever served as speaker….

Betty Boothroyd – UK Parliament official portraits 2017 – Image credit : Chris McAndrew CC BY 3.0

Born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Betty was the only child of textile workers Ben and Mary Boothroyd…. Both of her parents were trade unionists and her mother was a member of the women’s section of the Labour Party – giving Betty her first insight into the world of politics…. She herself joined the League of Youth, an organisation within the Labour Party – and she showed an early talent for public speaking, even winning a national contest….

Betty was to study at the Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art and then she was to embark on a career as a dancer – joining the dance troupe The Tiller Girls, even performing at the London Palladium…. However, a foot infection brought her dancing career to an early end – and so she decided to enter politics….

During the late 1950s she was to work for some senior Labour Members of Parliament, including Barbara Castle…. Then in 1960 she travelled to Washington to observe the campaign of John F Kennedy – and worked briefly for American Congressman Silvio Conte…. She returned to London in 1962 and resumed her career as a political assistant – and then in 1965 was elected herself to a seat on Hammersmith Borough Council….

In 1973 Betty became elected Member of Parliament for West Bromwich – and in 1974 she was appointed assistant government whip, then becoming a Member of European Parliament (MEP) from 1975-77….

She was to become Deputy Speaker under Speaker Bernard Weatherill in 1987…. Then in 1992 she was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, making her the first ever and so far only woman Speaker…. It was a position she was to hold until the 23rd of October 2000…. On announcing her intention to resign – after Prime Minister’s Questions on the 12th of July 2000 – then Prime Minister Tony Blair said in tribute to her that she was ‘something of a national institution’…. As Speaker Betty had sought to modernise the role – she chose not to wear the Speaker’s traditional wig – and developed her own catchphrase “Right – time’s up!” when bringing Prime Minister’s Questions to a close…. She was well-liked and respected – especially in her firm, authoritative handling of a sometimes unruly House of Commons….

A year after her retirement as Speaker Betty was made a life peer, with the title of Baroness Boothroyd, of Sandwell in the County of West Midlands…. She was awarded the Order of Merit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2005…. Baroness Boothroyd was then to sit as a cross bench peer in the House of Lords….

Betty Boothroyd died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on the 26th February 2023, aged 93…

Coat of Arms for Baroness Boothroyd – Image : Robin S Taylor – own work CC BY 3.0

British History

On this day in history….7th October 1914

On this day in history : 7th October 1914 – The birth of English actress, dancer and member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, Sarah Churchill – who was also the daughter of Winston Churchill….

Sarah Churchill in 1966 – Image : Dutch National Archives CCO

Sarah Millicent Hermoine Churchill was the third child and second daughter of Winston and Clementine Churchill…. Little is known about her childhood other than that she was born in London and was educated at Notting Hill High School before boarding at North Foreland Lodge, an independent school for girls in Kent…. It is thought that she was a bit of a loner but had a wild side to her character…. Unlike her brother and sisters she did not want to follow in her father’s footsteps….

After leaving school Sarah studied ballet and began performing professionally at the age of 21…. It was at this time that she met popular Austrian comedian Vic Oliver, who was to become her first husband – but not with the blessing of her parents….

During World War 2 Sarah joined the Women’s Air Force and worked in photo intelligence, a job she was good at…. She accompanied her father on trips to Teheran and Yalta….and was to have an affair with American ambassador John Winart…. By the end of the War her marriage was over….

Sarah Churchill with her father Winston Churchill – From the collections of the Imperial War Museums – Public domain

Following the War Sarah relocated to the United States and became an actress…. Her best known role was as Anne Ashmond in the 1951 film Royal Wedding, in which she played opposite Fred Astaire as the love interest of his character Tom Bowen…. She also appeared in He Found A Star (1941), All Over the Town (1949), Fabian of the Yard (1954) and Serious Change (1959)….

Sarah Churchill in ‘Royal Wedding’ – Public domain

She was to marry again, this time to photographer Anthony Beauchamp – but once again with the disapproval of her parents…. They did not even meet their new son-in-law until after the marriage had taken place…. Although Clementine tried to be civil to him, as she had with her daughter’s first husband, Sarah’s father remained frosty with both….

Sarah continued to work as an actress appearing on Broadway and television – and then after eight years of marriage Anthony was to die after taking an overdose of sleeping pills….

In 1962 Sarah was to marry yet again – this time very much with the approval of her parents…. Her new husband was Thomas Percy Henry Touchet-Jesson, the 23rd Baron Audley – making her The Right Honourable Lady Audley…. A year later Sarah was to become a widow again….

She continued with her acting career until 1971…. By now the effects of her alcoholism were beginning to show…. She had been drinking heavily since the 1950s and had been arrested on a number of occasions for causing a scene in the street – even spending a short spell in Holloway Prison….

On the 24th of September 1982 Sarah died at the age of 67 after having an undisclosed illness…. She is said to have died in her sleep…. She is buried with her parents and three of her siblings at St. Martin’s Church, Bladon, near Woodstock in Oxfordshire….

British History

On this day in history….6th October 1992

On this day in history : 6th October 1992 – The death of much loved actor Denholm Elliott, who had over 125 film and television credits to his name….

Denholm Elliott – by Clare Park, 1985 – Fair use

Denholm was born in Kensington, London on the 31st of May 1922…. He was the son of Nina and Myles Layman Farr Elliott…. His father, a barrister, was appointed solicitor-general to the Mandatory Government of Palestine…. In 1930 he was assassinated….

Denholm attended Malvern College – he did not care much for public school life…. After finishing his schooling he began training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London…. However, after only a couple of terms his mother was asked to remove him – as in their opinion she was wasting her money….

During World War 2 he joined the Royal Air Force, serving in No.76 Squadron as a wireless operator and an aircraft gunner…. On the 24th of September 1942 the Halifax bomber he was flying in was hit by flak and came down in the North Sea…. Only Denholm and two others survived….he spent the rest of the War in a prisoner of war camp – and here he became involved in amateur dramatics….

After the War he pursued his acting career and made his film debut in 1949 with a part in the film Dear Mr Prohack…. The roles he tended to play were generally likeable, dignified characters but sometimes could err on being seedy – such as the drunken journalist Bayliss in Defence of the Realm and the illegal abortionist in Alfie….

During the 1980s Denholm won three BAFTA awards, for his roles in Trading Places, A Private Function and Defence of the Realm…. He received an Academy Award nomination for A Room with a View…. What many of us will remember him for though, is his role as Dr Marcus Brady in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade….

Denholm Elliott as Marcus Brody – Fair use

Denholm made many television appearances, including in Dennis Potter plays – he also appeared on the stage…. In 1988 he was awarded with a CBE for his services to acting….

In 1954 he was briefly married to Virginia McKenna and then in 1962 he married actress Susan Robinson and they had two children…. Theirs was an open marriage – Denholm was bi-sexual and had many relationships…. In 1987 he was diagnosed as HIV positive…. He died of AIDS related TB at his home on Ibiza, aged 70….