British History – Page 7

On this day in history….13th April 1880

On this day in history : 13th April 1880 – The death of Scottish botanist and plant hunter Robert Fortune – who brought to us some 250 new species of ornamental plants – and tea to India….

Fortune was born in Kelloe, Berwickshire on the 16th of September 1812…. Little is known of his early years and to those who knew him he volunteered little information…. However, we do know he was an apprentice in the gardens of Moredun House and showed promise from the start…. He managed to gain a place at Edinburgh’s Botanic Garden and trained under William McNab, a man who was not easy to impress…. But impress him Fortune did – and with McNab’s backing around 1840 he became Superintendent of the Hothouse Department at the Horticultural Society’s garden at Chiswick, London….

A few months later fortune was granted the position of the Society’s new species collector in China…. He was sent off to find, amongst other things:- double yellow roses, blue peonies, true mandarin oranges, tea plants and information on the peaches that grew in the Emperor’s garden – which were said to weight 2lb each!

Arriving in Hong Kong on the 6th of July 1843 Fortune wasted no time in starting his search…. Over the next three years he made excursions deep into the northern provinces of China…. As plants and seeds were seen as property of the Chinese Empire Fortune would not have been particularly welcome…. He was to encounter many hazards including being threatened at knifepoint by angry crowds, as he went about collecting species such as wisteria and weigela…. He also faced horrendous storms and even pirates on the Yangtze River…. To blend in and avert suspicion he disguised himself as a local Chinese merchant…. He learnt to speak Mandarin, shaved his head and even sported a pigtail…. With this disguise Fortune was able to collect his species to transport back home…. He did this by using Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward’s Wardian cases, an early type of terrarium….

He finally returned to London in May 1846 and the following year published his book ‘Three Years’ Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China’…. Using the journals he had kept he detailed Chinese gardening and agriculture and the history of China’s tea culture…. He had brought back with him a vast array of beautiful exotic ornamental plants and flowers, which were subsequently introduced to the gardens of Europe, the USA and Australia….

Fortune was to set off for China again…. This time for the East India Company, with the mission of securing the best possible tea plants with which to establish plantations in India…. Once more he disguised himself as a local merchant…. He hired an interpreter and ventured into the tea regions of China…. He managed to collect over 2,000 plants and some 17,000 germinating seeds, which were taken to the Himalayas to establish India’s tea industry….

Fortune was to make a further two trips to China and a trip to Japan…. He was to introduce hundreds of trees, shrubs and flowers to us…. From the Kumquat….to many varieties of azaleas, tree peonies and chrysanthemums…. Even the Dragon tree – and camellias, including the ‘Robert Fortune’ which was named for him….

Fortune died in London and was buried in Brompton Cemetery….

On this day in history….12th April 1925

On this day in history : 12th April 1925 – The birth of Oliver Postgate – animator, puppeteer, screenwriter and creator of many popular children’s TV programmes, including Bagpuss and the Clangers….

Richard Oliver Postgate was born in Hendon, Middlesex…. His father, Raymond Postgate, was a writer and journalist and founded the ‘Good Food Guide’…. His mother was Daisy Lansbury – and his first cousin was Angela Lansbury….

Postgate was privately educated in Finchley, North London and then boarding school in Devon…. Whilst studying at Kingston College of Art in 1942 he joined the Home Guard…. However, when he was called up to serve in World War 2 he declared himself a conscientious objector – (just as his father had done before him in World War 1) – which resulted in him serving 3 months in Feltham Prison…. He was eventually granted an exemption – but in return he had to work either on the land or in social service…. He worked as a farmhand for the remainder of the War – and then went to work for the Red Cross in occupied Germany….

1948 saw him back in England and enrolled in drama school – but following this he couldn’t quite settle into anything permanent…. In 1957 he began to work as a stage manager with Associated Rediffusion (later to become Rediffusion London) – the British ITV franchise holder…. Postgate became involved with children’s productions…. However, he thought children’s programmes of the time lacking…. Glove puppets and puppets on strings served a purpose – but he knew he could do better – and taught himself frame by frame animation…. Postgate had found his niche…. In 1958 he created ’Alexander the Mouse’ – about a mouse who sets out to find his royal roots and becomes king…. This was the beginning of his collaboration with puppeteer and animator Peter Firmin…. Together they formed their own production company – ‘Smallfilms’…. They set up at Firmin’s home , a farm in Blean, near to Canterbury – and later in a row of converted pigsties….

From this partnership came children’s programmes that many of us grew up with…. ‘The Journey of Master Ho’, 1958 – about a small boy and a water buffalo…. ITV’s ‘Ivor the Engine’, 1959-1964 (later revived in colour 1976-77) – the adventures of a little green steam locomotive, who lived in ‘the top left hand corner of Wales’ and longed to sing in a choir…. ‘The Saga of Noggin the Nog’, 1959-65 (once again revived in colour, 1982) – about the king of the Northmen and featuring flying machines, dragons and talking birds…. This was Smallfilms’ first production for the BBC….

Frame from the original 1959 series Ivor the Engine – Fair use

‘Pingwings’, 1961 and ‘The Pogles’ and ‘Pogles’ Wood’, 1965-68 followed and then came the now cult TV series ‘The Clangers’, 1969-74…. The little creatures living on a small planet ‘far-far-away’….eating Blue String Pudding and Green Soup – courtesy of their friend the Soup Dragon….

Clangers and Iron Chicken puppets at the V&A Museum of Childhood (2016) – Photo credit : BennyOnTheLoose – own work – CC BY-SA 4.0

‘Bagpuss’ made his debut in 1973… The saggy old cloth cat that everybody still loves…. A little girl called Emily (who was played by Peter Firmin’s own daughter Emily) – who owned a shop that didn’t actually sell anything…. Instead the shop window would display lost and broken things – waiting for their rightful owners to come along and collect them…. Surprisingly only 13 episodes were ever made – but they were often repeated, fond memories for all of us…. In 1999 ‘Bagpuss’ was voted the favourite British children’s TV character of all time….

The original Bagpuss in the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, Canterbury (June 2018) – Image credit : Jordy Schaap – own work CC BY-SA 4.0

During the 1970s and 80s Postgate was active in the anti-nuclear campaign – by addressing meetings and writing pamphlets…. He had married Prue Myers in 1957, becoming a stepfather to three children and then father to twins Stephen and Simon in 1959…. Another son, Daniel was born in 1964…. Prue died of cancer in 1982…. Postgate was to meet Naomi Linnell who was to become his partner until his death at a nursing home in Broadstairs on the 8th of December 2008…. His youngest son, Daniel, was to inherit Smallfilms….

British History

On this day in history….11th April 2001

On this day in history : 11th April 2001 – The death of much loved Welsh-English actor, comedian, writer and singer Sir Harry Secombe….

Harry Donald Secombe was born in St. Thomas, Swansea on the 8th of September 1921; he was the son of a shop manageress and a grocer…. He went to a state grammar school from the age of 11…. Being a religious family (his brother, Fred, was to become a clergyman) Harry attended Church regularly and sang in the church choir…. On leaving school he considered a career as an opera singer….however, in 1937 he became a pay clerk in a shop….

He was to join the Territorial Army – and then during world War 2 he served in the North African Campaign, Sicily and Italy, as a Lance Bombardier with No.132 Field Regiment…. It was whilst in North Africa that he was first to meet Spike Milligan….

Harry joined the concert party in Sicily, performing comedy routines to entertain the troops….and after the War he was to team up with Spike as a comedy duo…. In 1946 he became one of the comics at London’s Windmill Theatre…. His radio break came when he was made resident comedian on the BBC Welsh programme ‘Welsh Rarebit’ – and he went on to make regular contributions to the popular show ‘Educating Archie’….

He was to meet fellow comedian Michael Bentine and along with Spike they were introduced to Peter Sellers…. This was to lead to a collaboration for a radio comedy programme entitled ’Crazy People’….which changed its name after the first series to become ‘The Goon Show’…. A hugely successful series which ran for a total of 238 half hour episodes and 12 specials between 1951 to 1960….

Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe – Fair use

The Goon Show team made several films to accompany the radio show, including ‘Down Among the Z Men’ in 1952…. Harry, now enjoying success as a comedian, began a tandem career as a singer and had a number of best selling albums…. He appeared in various stage musicals, including ‘Pickwick’ (based on Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers) in 1963, from which came his single ‘If I Ruled the World’, which reached No.18 in the UK charts – and was later to become his signature tune…. His most successful chart topping song was ‘This is My Song’, which reached No.2….

Image credit : Jacob Whittaker via Flickr

His film work included numerous films, such as ‘Jet Storm’ and ‘Davy’ (about a music hall performer) in 1958, ‘Oliver’ (in which he played Mr. Bumble) in 1968, ‘The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins’ in 1971 and ‘Starstruck’ in 1972….

In 1968 he was given his own TV show – ‘The Harry Secombe Show’ – which was first aired on BBC1 on Christmas Day 1968 and ran until 1973….

In 1963 he was awarded a CBE and knighted in 1981….

His later career saw a more serious Harry Secombe…. His rotund appearance having disappeared, after losing 5 stone in weight following a severe attack of peritonitis in 1980…. In 1983 he became the host of the religious TV programme ‘Highway’….

Ill health began to mar his life…. He suffered a stroke in 1997 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 1998…. A second stroke in 1999 forced Harry to give up his TV career…. He also suffered from diabetes….

Harry died in hospital in Guildford of prostate cancer on the 11th of April 2001…. His ashes were interred in the churchyard of Shamley Green Parish Church… His tombstone reads “To know him was to love him”….

He left behind his wife Myra, whom he had married in 1948 and their four children….

British History

On this day in history….10th April 1929

On this day in history : 10th April 1929 – The birth of British racing driver Mike Hawthorn – who was to become the United Kingdom’s first Formula One World Champion in 1958….

Born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, the only child of Leslie and Winifred Hawthorn, Mike had a privileged upbringing…. He was educated at the prestigious public school, Ardingly College, in West Sussex and then went on to study at Chelsea Technical College – before going into apprenticeship with a commercial vehicle manufacturer…. All in preparation for taking over the business his father owned in Farnham, Surrey – The Tourist Trophy Garage, which supplied and serviced high-end cars such as Jaguar and Ferrari….

Mike Hawthorn began competitive racing in September 1950, at the Brighton Speed Trials, in a 1934 Riley Ulster Imp…. His father, who himself raced motorcycles, encouraged Hawthorn’s interest in motorsport – providing him with first motorcycles and then cars in which to compete….

Some may term Hawthorn as having been spoilt….his parents certainly doted on him…. With his flamboyant nature, boyish good looks and don’t care attitude he was perhaps a larger than life figure – reflected by his 6ft 2” height…. He liked to party hard, enjoyed a pint whilst holding court at his favourite local pub – the Barley Mow in Tilford – and would tear around the countryside in his car – often chasing girls…. Dapper in his attire, he was always recognisable by the bow tie he wore, even when racing….

By 1952 he had switched to single seater racing cars and won his first Formula Two race at Goodwood…. He came to the attention of Enzo Ferrari….and made his Formula One debut in the 1952 Grote Prijis van Belgie, finishing in fourth place…. By the end of the season he had gained his first podium place with a third at the RAC British Grand Prix….

In 1954 he was to be involved in a crash which left him with severe burns…. It was also the year his father was killed in a road accident…. Hawthorn inherited the business and left Ferrari to join Tony Vandervell’s Vanwall team, so he could spend more time at the garage…. However, after just two races he went back to Ferrari….

Hawthorn in his Ferrari in the Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina – Public domain

In January 1955 Hawthorn replaced Stirling Moss on the Jaguar team…. He won the 1955 les 24 Heures du Mans – a race which saw one of the worst ever disasters in the history of motor racing…. Hawthorn had overtaken Lance Macklin in his Healey and had braked suddenly as he saw he had been ordered into the pits…. Macklin swerved into the path of Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh; the Mercedes collided with the Healey and then mounted the embankment and entered the spectator area…. It hit a concrete stairwell and disintegrated, sending debris into the crowd…. Levegh and 84 spectators were killed….

Mercedes withdrew from the race; Jaguar were asked to do the same but opted to continue and went on to win…. There was much scorn from both the public and press – Hawthorn was cleared of all blame following an Inquiry – but the accident was to haunt him….

In 1958 he won the Formula One World Championship, just one point ahead of his rival Stirling Moss…. Immediately after his victory Hawthorn announced his retirement from Formula One….

Just three months into retirement, on the 22nd of January 1959, he was driving his Jaguar down the A3, near to Onslow Village, Guildford, when he lost control at about 80 mph…. It was around midday, the weather was foul with heavy rain and gusting winds…. For years there was speculation as to what actually happened – but it appears he may have been racing at the time….

It seems Hawthorn had been on the forecourt of his garage in Farnham, just before setting off for an appointment in London, when a grey Mercedes drove passed slowly…. The driver was Rob Walker, a rival of Hawthorn’s in the racing world and an associate of Stirling Moss…. Walker flipped a cheeky ‘V’ sign at Hawthorn and sped off in the direction of Guildford…. Hawthorn leapt into his Jaguar and gave chase along the Hog’s Back – the A31 between Farnham and Guildford…. Hawthorn caught the Mercedes up and the two cars joined the A3, with the Jaguar now ahead…. Walker was then to witness with horror as Hawthorn’s car spun out of control, colliding with a lorry heading in the opposite direction, before crossing the grass verge and hitting a tree – ironically, the only tree in the vicinity…. Hawthorn was killed instantly….

A 1959 Jaguar 3.4 Mk 1 – similar to the one Hawthorn was driving at the time of his death. Image credit : Allen Watkin CC BY-SA 2.0

Hawthorn was engaged at the time of his death, to fashion model Jean Howarth…. He had one son after a romantic interlude with a French girl following his win at the French Grand Prix in 1953…. It is also thought Hawthorn was suffering from a terminal kidney disease and had only been given another three years to live…. If this were true then perhaps his death was a more fitting way for him to go….

Hawthorn’s grave, West Street Cemetery, Farnham – Image credit : Jack1956 – own work – CC BY-SA 4.0

British History

On this day in history….9th April 1969

On this day in history : 9th April 1969 – The maiden flight from Filton Airfield near Bristol to RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, of the first British-built Concorde….

Concorde 002 maiden flight – Edward Boiling via Flickr

Concorde 002’s first flight took place five weeks after the maiden flight of the French prototype Concorde 001, which flew from Toulouse on the 2nd of March….

The main purpose of Concorde 002 was as test and development of the fleet of 16 Concordes of the Anglo-French collaboration…..

As Concorde took off from Filton huge crowds and news reporters gathered to watch…. On board there were no passenger seats – but 12 tons of test equipment….and chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw, co-pilot John Cochrane and engineer Brian Watts….

Concorde 002 cockpit – Hugh Llewelyn via Flickr

The aircraft flew the 50 miles north-east to RAF Fairford, as the runway at Filton, at less than 9,000 ft long, was too short for Concorde to land again…. The journey took 22 minutes – and Fairford was to become Britain’s main test centre for Concorde…. At the end of this first flight, when asked how the crew were feeling, chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw relied “I think we’re all pretty buck to be frank”….

Concorde 002 first flew supersonic on the 25th March 1970 – it hit its maximum speed of approximately 1,350 mph on the 7th of October 1971…. The first commercial flights of Concorde took place on the 21st of January 1976 – with British Airways flying from Heathrow to Bahrain and Air France from Paris to Rio….

After Concorde 002 had finished its test programme it arrived at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton to go on permanent display in the Fleet Air Arm Museum….