Monday, January 30, 2006

100 years ago

The whole nation united in sincere condolence with Queen Alexandra on the death of her father, King Christian IX of Denmark. His reign had suddenly and quite unexpectedly come to a close. Although an old man, the oldest reigning sovereign in Europe - though not the monarch who had longest occupied a throne - he was much younger than his years, and there had been nothing to indicate that the end was near. The father of our own beloved Queen, King Christian had a special interest and a peculiar claim upon the respect and affection of Englishmen, and ties uniting him to this country were strengthened when in 1896 his grandson, Prince Carl married the Princess Maud of Wales, with whom he now ruled over the Norwegians. Through his descendants the aged King had connections with several reigning families, and his death would plunge into mourning quite a number of Courts on the Continent.

50 years ago

Well-known British composers, including Vaughan Williams and Arthur Benjamin, had written special works for that curly-haired American with the Eddie Cantor eyes - Larry Adler. But the "virtuoso of the harmonica," who was appearing in Off The Record, always called his instrument a mouth organ. "It's a great little instrument," he said, "but there's no point giving it a long name." Born in Baltimore, he won a talent contest playing a two dollar mouth organ when he was 14, then ran away from home to go on the stage. He gave his first solo recital in London in 1934.

25 years ago

The doorstep pinta was threatened -- because more housewives were buying their milk from supermarkets. The warning came from Mr John Pratt, chairman and managing director of York-based Redfearn National Glass, at a meeting of the Glass Manufacturers' Federation at Barnsley. "The milk bottle is facing a test of loyalty," he said. "If there is a continued swing towards shop purchase, it would inevitably affect the viability of the remaining doorstep service." The Federation was concerned that supermarket sales of milk had doubled, from three per cent in 1978 to six per cent in 1980. Mr Pratt added: "The dairy industry is an important customer to glass manufacturers. However, this is not just a case of one industry crying wolf for its own protection. Doorstep delivery is virtually unique to Britain. It is not only an economic service, but plays an important social role through the daily contact it makes with millions of people."

Updated: 08:44 Monday, January 30, 2006