May 2

There was a proprietor in a shop in the city, a man of most excitable temperament, who was for ever scolding his assistants for their indifference in the matter of possible sales.

One day, hearing an assistant say to a customer, “No, we have not had any for a long time,” the proprietor, unable to countenance such an admission, began to work himself into the usual rage. Fixing a glossy eye on the assistant, he said to the customer. “We have plenty in reserve, ma’am; plenty downstairs.”

Whereupon the customer looked dazed, and then burst into laughter and left the shop. “What did she say to you?” Demanded the proprietor of the assistant. “We haven’t had any rain lately!”

50 years ago

Nancy, Lady Astor, had died at the age of 84. She had been seriously ill for some time. As the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, Lady Astor was assured of a place in England’s history.

An American girl, one of five beautiful daughters of a Virginia aristocrat, she had become famous throughout the world for her unconventional enthusiasm and vigour. A marriage at 18 to Robert Gould Shaw in America was unhappy, and in 1903 she obtained a divorce.

Three years later she married Lord Astor (then heir to the Viscountcy) in England, and entered on all the activities of English social life. She won the Parliamentary seat of Sutton, Plymouth, in 1919, following her husband in the constituency on his succession to his father’s title.

The House of Commons at once recognised that a vital and tempestuous figure had come to enliven the debates, and sometimes to embarrass the debaters. The House was not enthusiastic about the entry of lady members, and for some time was apt to be shocked by the robust impetuosity of her debating methods.

They paid tribute, however, to her honesty and courage in her support for many good causes, notably child-welfare, and in the course of a long political career Nancy came to be regarded as an institution. Sir Winston Churchill’s first words to her were: “I felt when you entered Parliament a woman had entered my bathroom and I had nothing to protect myself but a sponge.”

25 years ago

Half of Britain’s television viewers said there was often nothing they wanted to watch on the four national channels, according to a new poll.

Many said they were dissatisfied with repeats and boring films in the survey commissioned by the Independent Broadcasting Authority, which regulated commercial television. Only a third thought new cable and satellite stations would bring better viewing, and 75 per cent said they would not want extra channels if programmes were of poor quality.