This Day in History 9 - 15 December

* 9 December 1886 - Clarence Birdseye, king of frozen consumables born.

* 10 December 1868 - the world's first set of traffic lights are installed in Westminster near the House of Commons.

* 11 December 1894 - The world's first Motor Show held in Paris - with a total of 9 exhibitors. Or it may have been in Tunbridge Wells in the same year...

* 12 December 1988 - Train crash at Clapham Junction, just outside London, kills 35 people and injures another 100.

* 13 December 1913 - The Mona Lisa, having been stolen 2 years previously by an Italian employee of the Louvre, was returned.

* 14 December 1901 - The world's first open table tennis tournament is held at the London Royal Aquarium. The men’s event was won by R. Ayling and the women’s by Miss V Eames.

* 15 December 1906 - the formal opening of the Piccadily tube line on London's Underground. It ran from Finsbury Park to Hammersmith.


Brought to you by http://www.quirkytravel.com. Events/births etc for today in history (a whole week's worth) are generally London or Paris based, but only if I can find interesting ones to report!

This Day in History 2 - 8 December

Brought to you by www.quirkytravel.com. Events/ births etc for today in history (a whole week's worth) are generally London or Paris based, but only if I can find interesting ones to report!

• 2 December 1966 - The mini skirt is banned from the Houses of Parliament.


• 3 December 1930 - French Director Jean Luc Godard born.


• 4 December 1791 - The world's first Sunday newspaper, The Observer, is published.


• 5 December 1952 - The Great Smog (London) begins and lasts for 4 days - estimates of up to 12000 die as a result.


• 6 December 1963 - Christine Keeler is jailed for 9 months for perjury related to a trial involving a boyfriend Aloysius 'Lucky' Gordon


• 7 December 1783 - Theatre Royal opens in Covent Garden, London.


• 8 December 1967 - The Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" album is released in the UK.
  

Go to http://www.quirkytravel.com for more fascinating facts...


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