British History

On this day in history….7th November 1665

On this day in history : 7th November 1665 – The first edition of the London Gazette is printed…. The publication claims to be the oldest surviving English newspaper….

Reprint of The London Gazette September 3-10, 1666 reporting on the Fire of London – Public domain

Two other publications also make this claim; the Berrows Worcester Journal, established in 1690 and the Stamford Mercury, established in 1712, both like to point out that the Gazette is not a conventional newspaper…. The London Gazette, which was originally published as the Oxford Gazette, is a ‘journal of record’….in as it provides an official publication in the UK for statutory notices which legally have to be recorded and published….

The London Gazette 14-17 May 1705 – Public domain

King Charles II and his Royal Court had decamped to Oxford to escape plagued London…. They did not want papers sent from London for fear of contamination – and so the Gazette was published in Oxford by English journalist and publisher Henry Muddiman…. Charles and his entourage returned to London as the plague diminished and the Gazette moved to the capital with them…. The first London edition appeared on the 5th of February 1666; it did not go on general sale but was sent to those who subscribed…. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office took over its publication in 1889 and since the 1990s it has been produced by The Stationery Office….

Nowadays the Gazette is printed every week day, excluding public holidays…. It records:- Royal assent of Parliamentary Bills for the UK Government and Scottish Parliament, Writs of Election for House of Commons vacancies, promotions and commissions of officers in the Armed Forces, the appointment of public officials, bankruptcies and insolvencies, military honours and awards that have been granted, changes to coats of arms and change of name and Royal proclamations and declarations….

These days the London Gazette can be viewed online….

On this day in history….6th November 1942

On this day in history : 6th November 1942 – The Church of England relaxes the rule that women must wear a hat when in Church….

Image credit : Kaye on Flickr – Public domain

Britain used to be a nation of hat wearers – it was almost considered indecent to be seen out and about without one…. Head coverings in one form or another have had a place throughout human history…. Crowns, head-dresses, wigs, veils, fascinators, tiaras, hats….whether for ceremonial purposes, professional attire, etiquette or fashion…. Head coverings are essential in many religious practices – a hat may be a compulsory part of a uniform – or it might define a profession…. It could be worn for safety – or perhaps the wearer may simply wish to keep his or her head warm…. In days gone by the type of hat worn would define class….

Gone are the days when we would automatically don a hat to nip to the corner shop – unless its as fashion statement or freezing brass monkeys outside…. As hairstyles changed throughout the twentieth century so began the demise of the hat (but undoubtedly quickly pulled out of the closet many a time on a bad hair day)…. Sunglasses were launched in 1929 and by the 1940s nearly everyone was wearing them – eliminating the need of a hat brim to shade the eyes…. Lifestyles had altered, people worked indoors more with fewer toiling in the fields…. Less people used public transport as more and more families owned a car – hats had become a hinderance….

Millinery department of Bourne & Hollingsworth, Oxford Street, London, 1942

The decline in hat wearing became a real concern for milliners and hat makers…. In a 1947 survey, undertaken for the Hat Research Foundation, 19% of men said they chose not to wear a hat “because I had to in the army!”…. The Hat Research Foundation had attempted to halt the decline of the hat’s popularity with a promotional campaign…. In towns that had once thrived on the hat making industry workers were sometimes known to shout abuse at those who went bare-headed – as they were seeing their livelihoods threatened….

Sometimes it might still be necessary to wear a hat, whether for work, safety, part of a uniform or for etiquette…. And it’s nice to be able to dress up for a formal occasion, such as a wedding – and have the choice of adding a hat to complete an outfit…. Me, I’m just glad it’s not compulsory – as I look ridiculous in a hat!

British History

On this day in history….5th November 1967

On this day in history : 5th November 1967 – A passenger train derails at Hither Green in South East London…. 49 people are killed and a further 78 injured….

It was a Sunday evening, the packed 12 coach 7.43pm express train was travelling from Hastings to Charing Cross…. At just after 9.15pm disaster was to strike when moving at a speed of approximately 70mph the train derailed…. It happened just before the St. Mildred’s Road railway bridge, close to the Hither Green maintenance depot – a little over a mile from the scene of another rail-crash killing 90 people in Lewisham ten years before….

Hither Green maintenance depot – Image credit : Leaozinho – own work – Public domain

The Hastings to London derailment occurred when the leading pair of wheels of the third coach hit a broken rail and came off the tracks…. The train carried on for a quarter of a mile until it came to a set of points – causing eleven of the coaches to derail…. Four of them turned on to their sides, with two jack-knifing….

It was a busy train, many of the passengers were standing – most of the casualties were in the over-turned carriages…. The emergency services arrived within five minutes and rescuers worked through the night under floodlights to free survivors – among them Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees and his wife, Molly….

An investigation found a rail had fractured at its joint – a triangular piece of metal had fallen out of the bolt hole…. Consequently maintenance of the line was improved, along with inspection procedures – and future rail joints made to a different specification….

A plaque at Hither Green commemorates those who died and on each anniversary flowers and wreaths are laid….

Hither Green Station, 1992 – Image credit : Ben Brooksbank CC BY-SA 2.0

British History

On this day in history….4th November 1987

On this day in history : 4th November 1987 – Multi-millionaire English entrepreneur Peter de Savary buys Land’s End, Cornwall….

Image credit : Louis Segal – own work CC BY-SA 3.0

During the 1980s de Savary had been in the process of building up his property portfolio…. As well as purchasing Land’s End he also bought John O’Groats and Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands….

Land’s End, part of the village of Sennen and located eight miles west of Penzance, at the end of the A30, has attracted tourists for over 300 years…. It was owned by a Cornish family until 1982, who then sold it to David Goldstone…. He then sold it to de Savary for almost £7m, who bought it after outbidding the National Trust, who also wanted to buy it and who own the cliffs to the east and west of Land’s End….

Image credit : Jakemete – own work – CC BY 3.0

De Savary built two new buildings and began work on the theme park that is now there before selling it on, along with John O’Groats, to businessman Graham Ferguson in 1991…. A company named Heritage Attractions Ltd was formed….

Nowadays the Land’s End tourist complex includes a visitor centre and indoor attractions such as an air-sea rescue motion theatre, galleries, shops, restaurants and cafes…. It has an RSPB wildlife discovery club and a farm…. Its hotel is a hugely popular wedding venue….

Image credit : David Jones via Flickr CC BY 2.0

British History

On this day in history….3rd November 1839

On this day in history : 3rd November 1839 – The first Opium War between China and Britain begins – after British warships destroy several Chinese junks forming a blockade of the Pearl River….

Foreign traders – but predominantly British – had been illegally exporting opium, mainly from India, to China since the 18th century…. The 1820s saw a dramatic increase in this ‘trade’…. In exchange for fuelling widespread opium addiction in China these unscrupulous merchants would demand silver, with which they would then buy tea, silk and other Chinese goods…. With the rise in addiction came moral decay, causing social and economic problems…. Something had to be done….

Chinese opium smokers – Wellcome Images CC BY 4.0

In the Spring of 1839 the Chinese government enforced a shutdown and blockade of the trading companies; over 20,000 barrels of opium stored in one warehouse alone in Canton were destroyed….

European factories, Canton – by William Daniell – Public domain

Then in July 1939 matters were made even worse when drunken British sailors murdered a Chinese villager…. The British refused to hand the sailors over to the Chinese authorities, escalating tensions…. Hostilities broke out in the November when British frigates blew up Chinese vessels forming a blockade in the Kowloon Estuary….

In June 1840 a British fleet arrived in Hong Kong and then travelled up the Pearl River to Canton…. Months of negotiations followed but then in May 1841 the British attacked and occupied the city…. Over the next year more British campaigns followed – the inferior Chinese forces were no match for the British troops – although they did put up a strong counter attack in the Spring of 1842…. However, the British eventually captured Nanking in August 1842 and this brought an end to the fighting (for now)….

Battleships approaching Canton in May 1841 – by Edward H Cree – Public domain

Following peace negotiations the Treaty of Nanking was signed on the 29th of August 1842…. Hong Kong was ceded to the British and an agreement was made to increase the number of ports in which merchants could be based to trade from…. Previously it had only been Canton but now four others were added, including Shanghai….