On this day in history – Page 2

On this day in history….8th May 1913

On this day in history : 8th May 1913 – The birth, in South Africa, of British character and comic actor Sid James – best known for his roles in the Carry On films and Hancock’s Half Hour….

Sid was born Solomon Joel Cohen in Johannesburg…. As a young man he had a variety of jobs, including as a diamond polisher, a coal heaver, dance instructor and hairdresser…. It was whilst working in a hairdressing salon in the Orange Free State that he met his first wife, Berthe Sadie Delmont – known as ‘Toots’ – and they were married on the 12th of August 1936…. Her father bought them a hair salon of their own – but a year later Sid decided he wanted to be an actor…. The couple had one daughter, Elizabeth, in 1937 – but they divorced in 1940….

During World War 2 Sid was a Lieutenant in the entertainment division of the South African Army…. In 1943 he married dancer Meg Sergei – and they had a daughter, Reina, in 1948….

In the December of 1946 Sid and Meg emigrated to the UK and Sid made his first credited film appearances in 1947, in the crime dramas ‘Night Beat’ and ‘Black Memory’…. His first comedy role was in ‘The Lavender Mob’ in 1951…. He and Meg divorced on the 17th of August 1952 and four days later he married Valerie Elizabeth Patsy Assan, an actress using the stage name of Ashton…. They were to have a son, Steve, in 1954, followed later by a daughter, Sue….

Sid began working with Tony Hancock in 1954, first on the radio and later TV…. He played the part of his own namesake ‘Sid’ in Hancock’s Half Hour, which ran for six series, ending in 1960….

Sid James and Tony Hancock in Hancock’s Half Hour – Fair use

He was to take a lead role in ‘Carry On Constable’ in 1960 and a further 18 Carry On films were to follow…. In the 1970s he was to become a familiar face on the small screen with his sitcoms ‘Two In Clover’ (1969-70) and ‘Bless This House’ (1971-76)….

Sid was highly regarded by almost everyone who worked with him, despite his uncouth demeanour he was a gentleman…. However, it was reputed that he did not get on with his Carry On co-star Kenneth Williams…. But he did get on very well with another co-star, Barbara Windsor – the pair had a well-publicised ten year affair….

He was a hard drinking workaholic – perhaps in necessity to service his gambling addiction….and this lifestyle was to take its toll, when in 1967 he suffered a heart attack…. He was soon back at work, on the set of ‘Carry on Doctor’, in which he played a patient and spent most of the film in bed – which was appropriate for his health situation…. He gave up the heavy smoking, lost weight and cut down on the alcohol…. However, on the 26th April 1976, whilst appearing on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre, in the farce ‘The Mating Season’ by Northern Irish playwright Sam Cree, he suffered a further heart attack…. Sid died on his way to hospital….

On this day in history….7th May 1915

On this day in history : 7th May 1915 – A German U-boat sinks RMS Lusitania killing 1,198 people – 128 of which are US citizens and turns the American public against the German Empire….

The Lusitania had been launched on the 7th of June 1906 and was designed to carry passengers transatlantic…. At the time she was the largest ship in the world, measuring 787 feet (240m) and weighing approximately 31,550 tons…. She was especially noted for her speed…. A month after her maiden voyage, which began on the 7th of September 1907, she was awarded the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, averaging at 24 knots….

Lusitania was coming to the end of her 202nd Atlantic crossing and was headed to Liverpool from New York…. On board the British ocean liner, which was part of the Cunard Shipping Line, were 1,959 passengers and crew….

The ship was running parallel to Ireland’s south coast when at 2.10pm she crossed in front of a German U-boat…. Lusitania’s captain, William Thomas Turner, had been warned by the British Admiralty to avoid the south coast of Ireland because of submarine activity – but he chose to ignore the warnings…. Commanding Officer of the U-boat, Walter Schweitzer, gave the order to fire a torpedo – which at 2.12pm struck the Lusitania on the starboard bow…. The initial impact explosion was quickly followed by a second much larger explosion, quite possibly the ship’s boilers….

English drawing of Lusitania being torpedoed – Public domain

The crew rushed to launch the lifeboats but because of the ship’s list it was all but impossible – only 6 out of the 48 lifeboats were successfully launched…. Within 20 minutes the Lusitania had sunk….

Illustration of the sinking by Norman Wilkinson – Public domain

News of the Lusitania’s sinking soon reached around the world, causing an international outcry – especially in Britain and across the British Empire…. Most of the casualties onboard were British or Canadian but included were 128 Americans…. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson had declared US neutrality – it took another two years before the States entered the War but the sinking of the Lusitania played a significant part in turning American public opinion against Germany….

U-20 (second from left) – the submarine responsible for the sinking of Lusitania – Public domain

The Germans justified the attack as necessary as the Lusitania had been carrying 173 tons of rifle ammunition and shells…. Nevertheless Germany apologised to the US and said there would be no more unrestricted submarine warfare…. However, just a few months later, in November 1915, an Italian liner was sunk by a U-boat, killing over 270 people, including more than 25 Americans….

British History

On this day in history….6th May 1910

On this day in history : 6th May 1910 – King Edward VII, known as ‘Bertie’ to his family and close friends, dies from a heart attack at Buckingham Palace….

Photograph of Edward VII 1900s W & D Downey – Public domain

Edward, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, had been born at Buckingham Palace on the 9th of November 1841…. He was to become Prince of Wales a month later, on the 8th of December….

On the 10th of March 1863 he married Danish Princess Alexandra, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor…. They were to have six children five of whom lived to adulthood – Prince Albert Victor, Prince George (later to become George V), Princess Louise, Princess Victoria and Princess Maud….

Edward and Alexandra on their wedding day 1863 – Public domain

Edward was to have many affairs during his marriage, including with actresses Sarah Bernhardt and Lillie Langtry…. He also had relationships with Lady Randolph Churchill (the mother of Winston Churchill) and Alice Keppell (the great grandmother of Camilla, wife of Prince Charles)…. He had one particularly scandalous affair with an actress before his marriage…. Prince Albert was distraught over the disgrace it brought upon the royal family…. The affair ended – but two weeks later Albert died…. Queen Victoria blamed Edward for the death of her beloved husband – she never forgave him….

Edward (right) with his mother Queen Victoria, Tsar Nicholas II (left), Empress Alexandra and baby Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, 1896 – Public domain

Following the death of Victoria, on the 22nd of January 1901 Edward became King…. The Coronation was set for the 26th of June 1902 but Edward suffered appendicitis two days before – and it had to be postponed until the 9th of August 1902….

Edward was a heavy smoker, regularly smoking over 20 cigarettes a day and a dozen cigars…. In March 1910, whilst in Biarritz, France, he collapsed with a severe case of bronchitis…. He stayed in France to convalesce – his condition went unreported to the British public…. Edward faced much criticism for staying away at a time when political tensions were running high over the unresolved constitutional crisis of the ‘People’s Budget’….

On the 27th of April he arrived back at Buckingham Palace…. Queen Alexandra returned shortly after, having just visited her brother, King George of Greece, in Corfu…. On discovering the condition of her husband she called their children to inform them their father was seriously ill….

On the 6th of May Edward suffered a series of heart attacks – but refused to go to bed…. “No, I shall not give in; I shall go on; I shall work to the end”…. At 11.30pm he lost consciousness and was carried to bed…. He died fifteen minutes later….

drawing of Edward on his deathbed by Sir Luke Fildes 1910 – Image : Wellcome Images CC BY 4.0

British History

On this day in history….5th May 1985

On this day in history : 5th May 1985 – The death of engineer Donald Bailey, who invented the Bailey Bridge – without which, according to Field Marshal Montgomery, we would not have won the War….

Bailey with model of section of his bridge – Ministry of Information Photo Division – Public domain

Bailey was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire on the 15th of September 1901…. He attended Rotherham Grammar School and the Leys School, Cambridge, before graduating from Sheffield University in 1923….

As a hobby Bailey liked to construct model bridges…. He submitted a prototype for the Bailey Bridge in 1936 – but his idea was not taken up…. It was as a civil servant, working in the War Office, that he roughly drew the plans on the back of an envelope…. On the 14th of February 1941 the Ministry of Supply asked for a full-size prototype – to be ready by the 1st of May! The design was then tested in Christchurch, Hampshire at the Experimental Bridging Establishment…. Early tests involved the bridge being constructed two feet above ground in a field – several tanks packed with pig iron were then stacked upon it….

Bailey Bridge trials Christchurch – Photo credit J.B.Herbert CC BY-SA 3.0

The success of the bridge was its simplicity….the basic bridge being made up of three main parts…. Its modular components meaning no heavy equipment being needed to construct it…. Previous designs for military bridges required cranes to lift pre-assembled bridges into place…. Bailey Bridge components could easily be carried by a small group of men – a portable pre-fabricated truss bridge, its modular design meaning bridges could be built as long or short and as strong as required…. The design violated the patent of another bridge, the Callender-Hamilton – but the Bailey was deemed as being easier to construct, even if not quite so portable….

The first operational Bailey Bridge during World War 2 was built by 237 Field Company over the Medjerda River, near to Medjez el Bab, Tunisia, on the night of the 26th of November 1942…. The Americans were quick to realise its usefulness, calling it the ‘Portable Panel Bridge’….

The Bailey came into its own when replacing bridges that had been destroyed by retreating German and Italian troops…. By the end of the War the British and Americans had built some 3,000 Bailey Bridges in Italy alone…. One spanned a length of 1,126ft (343m), whilst another in Burma spanned 1,154ft (352m)…. But the longest Bailey ever constructed was over the Rhine at Rees, Germany in 1945 by Royal Canadian engineers…. At 1,814ft (558m) long it was nicknamed the ‘Blackfriars Bridge’….

Allied military traffic crossing Bailey Bridge spanning damaged arch bridge in Italy, 1944 – War Office – Public domain

“Bailey Bridge made an immense contribution towards ending World War II. As far as my own operations were concerned, with the eighth Army in Italy and with the 21 Army Group in North West Europe, I could never have maintained the speed and tempo of forward movement without large supplies of Bailey Bridging”.… – Field Marshal Montgomery

In 1943 Donald Bailey was awarded an OBE and in 1946 he received a Knighthood for his bridge design….

Bailey Bridge over the Meurthe River, France CC BY-2.5

British History

On this day in history….4th May 1852

On this day in history : 4th May 1852 – The birth of Alice Liddell – thought by some to be the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’….

Alice dressed in her best outfit, 1858 – Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – Public domain

Alice Pleasance Liddell was the fourth child and second daughter of George Henry Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford and Lorina Liddell….

On the 25th of February 1856, as newly appointed Dean of Christ Church, Henry moved his family into the Deanery…. At the time the sub-librarian of the college was one Charles Dodgson – who was to use the pen name of Lewis Carroll…. The window of his room overlooked the garden of the Deanery and he would watch the Liddell children play….

By early summer Dodgson had made the acquaintance of the family and as a keen photographer on the 3rd of June 1856 he photographed Alice, her elder sister, Lorina and younger sister, Edith…. After that the three girls would often go to visit him and a strong friendship was formed…. However, this was not something the girls’ parents were particularly comfortable with – eventually their mother was to ask Dodgson not to take any more photographs…. Which he understood, acknowledging that perhaps he had been intruding too much….

Alice (right) with her sisters c.1859 – Lewis Carroll – Public domain

Henry and Lorina Liddell were to go away for a while and left the children in the care of their governess, Miss Prickett…. Some believe she and Dodgson were romantically involved – she certainly let him see the children and he would entertain them with some wonderful tales….

It was on the 4th of July 1862, whilst on a summer picnic and in a boat being rowed by the Reverend Robinson Duckworth, that Alice asked Dodgson to tell them a story…. He told them the fantastic tale of a little girl called Alice and of her adventures after falling down a rabbit hole…. Alice loved it so much that she begged him to write it down for her…. He eventually got around to doing so a couple of years later and gave her the manuscript ’Alice’s Adventures Under Ground’ in November 1864….

Alice Liddell – published on last page of original manuscript of ‘Alice’s Adventures Underground’ – Lewis Carroll – Public domain

Dodgson was to rewrite the story under the name of Lewis Carroll and in 1865 it was published as ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ – with illustrations by John Tenniel…. ‘Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There’ followed in 1871….

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – John Tenniel – Public domain

For some reason Dodgson and the family completely broke all ties in June 1863 – there is no record as to why and it remains controversial…. Some think it was because he was becoming too close to Lorina, Alice’s older sister, or even Alice herself…. It is widely assumed Alice was the inspiration behind his writing but literary experts disagree to what extent the character is based on her…. Indeed Dodgson himself later said Alice was purely a fictional character….

Photograph of Alice Liddell by Dodgson, 1858 – Public domain

As for Alice Liddell herself…. When she was around 20-years-old Prince Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria arrived at Christ Church as an undergraduate…. It is rumoured that he and Alice were involved in a romance – but as she was a commoner marriage would never have been allowed…. Instead, in 1880, she married Reginald Hargreaves…. Dodgson did not attend the wedding but he did send a gift…. She was to go on to have three sons, two of whom were to die during World War One…. She maintained a friendship with Prince Leopold – naming her first born Leopold and indeed the Prince was godfather to him…. In turn Prince Leopold named his daughter Alice….

Alice Liddell, aged 20 – photo by Julia Margaret Cameron – Public domain

In 1928 Alice sold her manuscript as she needed to raise money in order to pay death duties…. A reserve of £4K was put on it by Sotheby’s but it actually fetched over £15K – an awful lot of money in the day….

Alice lived most of her adult life in and around Lyndhurst in the New Forest…. She died on the 16th of November 1934 and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium…. Her ashes were buried at St. Michael and All Angels, Lyndhurst….