The day - today

[Barry]

7 May 1915
RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, with the loss of 1,198 lives.

7 May 1928
Parliament lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21.

7 May 1945
Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally, ending the war in Europe.

Birthdays:
Michael Rosen, author, 78
Phil Cambell, musician (Motorhead), 63
Matt Helders, drummer (Arctic Monkeys), 38.

[Lawrence001]

7 May 1915
RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, with the loss of 1,198 lives.

7 May 1928
Parliament lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21.

7 May 1945
Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally, ending the war in Europe.

Birthdays:
Michael Rosen, author, 78
Phil Cambell, musician (Motorhead), 63
Matt Helders, drummer (Arctic Monkeys), 38.

Interesting connection between the two world war dates as it was the sinking of the Lusitania that partly led to the US joining the allies in WW1 - which led to the defeat of Germany - which in turn contributed to the rise of Hitler and ultimately their defeat in WW2.

[Barry]

8 May 1902
Mount Pelée erupted on the island of Martinique, destroying the town of St. Pierrepont and killing around 30,000 people in three minutes.

8 May 1970
The Beatles' final album 'Let It Be' was released.

8 May 1980
The World Health Organisation announced that smallpox had been eradicated.

8 May 1984
The Thames Barrier at Woolwich was officially opened.

8 May 2013
Sir Alex Ferguson announced he would retire as Manchester United manager at the end of the season.

Birthdays:

Sir David Attenborough, naturalist, 98
Alex Van Halen, rock musician, 71
Enrique inglesias, singer, 49
Matt Willis (formerly known as 'Matty Jay'), musician, 41

[Barry]

9 May 1671
Capt. Thomas Blood made an unsuccessful bid to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.

9 May 1860
J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was born in Kirriemuir, Angus.

9 May 1887
Buffalo Bill's Wild West show opened in London. Queen Victoria was at the premiere.

9 May 1955
West Germany joined Nato.

9 May 1960
The world's first birth control pill was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

9 May 2012
US president Barack Obama officially stated his support for same sex marriage.


Birthdays:
Alan Bennett, playwright/author, 90
Billy Joel, singer, 75
Dave Gahan, singer (Depeche Mode), 62
Martin Lewis, journalist, 52.

[Alex_UK]

9 May 1860
J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was born in Kirriemuir, Angus.

I only learned very recently that the name “Wendy” never existed before Peter Pan and was invented by the author in the book. That said, I don’t suppose it’s a very popular name for babies these days. My Great Niece has just been named Sierra. I asked my niece if her middle name was Cosworth but I don’t think she got it…. A young local radio presenter is called Corsa…. I would have gone for Capri, sounds exotic.

[Macca]

I only learned very recently that the name “Wendy” never existed before Peter Pan and was invented by the author in the book. That said, I don’t suppose it’s a very popular name for babies these days. My Great Niece has just been named Sierra. I asked my niece if her middle name was Cosworth but I don’t think she got it…. A young local radio presenter is called Corsa…. I would have gone for Capri, sounds exotic.

One of my brothers had a girlfriend named Mercedes. But that was in Liverpool.

Instead of calling your dog Rover you could call it Range Rover Evoke.

[Barry]

One of my brothers had a girlfriend named Mercedes. But that was in Liverpool.

Instead of calling your dog Rover you could call it Range Rover Evoke.

I knew someone who had a wife called Mercedes. They were Mexican.

I used to name my Rover cars "Rex", but the Audi I drive now doesn't have a name.

[Barry]

10 May 1850
Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton's grocery chain who went from errand boy to millionaire by the age of 30, was born in Glssgow.

10 May 1940
Neville Chamberlain quit as PM. Winston Churchill formed a coalition government wartime government saying "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat".

10 May 1941
Rudolph Hess, Hitler's deputy, parachuted into Scotland in an effort to negotiate a peace settlement but was arrested and imprisoned for the remainder of World War II.

10 May 1994
Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president.

Birthdays:
Graham Gouldman, songwriter (10cc), 78
Maureen Lipman, actress, 78
Bono, rock singer, 64.

[Pigmy Pony]

10 May 1850
Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton's grocery chain who went from errand boy to millionaire by the age of 30, was born in Glssgow.

10 May 1940
Neville Chamberlain quit as PM. Winston Churchill formed a coalition government wartime government saying "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat".

10 May 1941
Rudolph Hess, Hitler's deputy, parachuted into Scotland in an effort to negotiate a peace settlement but was arrested and imprisoned for the remainder of World War II.

10 May 1994
Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president.

Birthdays:
Graham Gouldman, songwriter (10cc), 78
Maureen Lipman, actress, 78
Bono, rock singer, 64.

Apparently his intention was to convince us that the real danger to Europe came from the Soviet Union, and that we should join forces with Germany. Well that didn't work out, and Hess spent the remainder of his life in prison, the last 21 years of it being the sole prisoner of Spandau prison until his death by suicide age 93.

[Pigmy Pony]

11 May 1969 - Monty Python is formed, made up of John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Jones.

11 May 1812 - British Prime Minister Spencer Percival was assasinated. Apparently he was mistaken for someone else.

Birthdays:

1941 - Animals vocalist Eric Burdon , 83 today
1963 - English actress Natasha Richardson.