Thursday 27 February 2020

Voting in Egypt

All men in Egypt were given the right to vote in 1923. Women in Egypt were allowed to vote in 1956. 

19th Century Food

My video about food in the 19th century is 3 years old https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q97BiiNzwNU 

Wednesday 26 February 2020

Christopher Marlowe

The great Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe was baptised on 26 February 1564. We don't know the exact date of his birth because in those days they recorded the date of rhe baptism not the birth. www.localhistories.org/marlowe.html 

Tuesday 25 February 2020

Pancake Day

Pancake Day was first recorded in 1439. People were supposed to fast certain foods during Lent. They made pancakes to use up eggs and butter before Lent. Pancake Day is also called Shrove Tuesday. To shrive meant to confess your sins. So people 'shrove' their sins before Lent. The word Lent was an old English word meaning lengthen because the days are getting longer. Find out more in my history of cakes.

Salem Witch Trials

In 1702 the General Court (legislature) of Massachusetts overturned the convictions for witchcraft in Salem and in 1711 they granted compensation to the relatives of the victims bringing the whole sorry episode to an end. In the early 18th century belief in witches died out. Finally, in 1992 a memorial was erected to those who were wrongly executed at Salem. 

Monday 24 February 2020

Nancy Astor

On 24 February Nancy Astor the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons made her first speech. www.localhistories.org/vote.html 

Estonia

Saturday 22 February 2020

The slave trade

The first country to abolish the slave trade was Denmark in 1792 (although the ban did not take effect until 1803). Britain followed in 1807. The USA abolished the slave trade in 1808. Other European countries followed. Sweden abolished the slave trade in 1813, The Netherlands in 1814, France in 1815, and Spain in 1820. Brazil ended the slave trade in 1851. localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-slavery

George Washington

George Washington was born on 22 February 1732 www.localhistories.org/washingtonpres.html

Thursday 20 February 2020

John Glenn

On 20 February 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth  

Wednesday 19 February 2020

Darwin, Australia

On 19 February 1942 the Japanese bombed Darwin Australia www.localhistories.org/darwinaus.html 

Copernicus

The great astronomer Nicklaus Copernicus was born on 19 February 1473 www.localhistories.org/copernicus.html 

Tuesday 18 February 2020

Mary Tudor

Queen Mary Tudor was born on 18 February 1516. www.localhistories.org/mary.html 

Pluto

On 18 February 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto

Monday 17 February 2020

St Olga of Kyiv

Olga of Kyiv was a formidable woman in the early Middle Ages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc25HATMSjI

Jigsaw Puzzles

John Spilsbury made the first jigsaw puzzle in 1767. He intended to teach geography by cutting maps into pieces but soon people began making jigsaws for entertainment. localhistories.org/a-history-of-toys

The Assyrians

The Assyrians were a warlike people from the north of what is now Iraq. From about 880 BC to 612 BC they ruled a great empire in the Middle East. www.localhistories.org/assyrians.html

Saturday 15 February 2020

Galileo

The great scientist Galileo was born on 15 February 1564 www.localhistories.org/galileo.html 

Friday 14 February 2020

Arizona

On 14 February 1912, Arizona was admitted to the union as the 48th state 

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Happy birthday Great Ormond Hospital. It opened in London on 14 February 1852. 

St Valentine

Happy St Valentines Day www.localhistories.org/stvalentine.html 

Wednesday 12 February 2020

Chile

On 12 February 1818, Chile declared its independence from Spain 

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born on 12 February 1809 www.localhistories.org/lincolnpres.html

Charles Darwin

The great scientist Charles Darwin was born on 12 February 1809 www.localhistories.org/darwin.html

Tuesday 11 February 2020

Friday 7 February 2020

Thursday 6 February 2020

Voting in Britain 1918

On 6 February 1918, a new law giving all men in Britain the vote received royal assent. (Until then about 40% of men in Britain could not vote). The new law also gave the vote to women over 30. localhistories.org/a-history-of-suffrage

Wednesday 5 February 2020

Fleas

People used to believe that fleas appeared on 1 March. They used to keep their windows closed on that day to stop the fleas coming in their houses. There was a saying 'The Devil shakes a bag of fleas at every house on 1 March'.

Robert Peel

Robert Peel was born on 5 February 1788. He formed the first modern police force in Britain, in 1829. They were called bobbies or peelers after him.  

Tuesday 4 February 2020

Toronto

In 1793 the first governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe founded a new town. He called the new town York in honor of the Duke of York and he made it the capital of Upper Canada. Its name was later changed to Toronto

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka became independent on 4 February 1948  

Monday 3 February 2020

Public lavatories

There were public lavatories in London in the Middle Ages but the first modern public lavatory in the city opened on 2 February 1852. It was for men. One for women opened on 11 February. localhistories.org/a-history-of-toilets

Saturday 1 February 2020

Herbs

Bay leaves are native to the Mediterranean area. Bay was well known to the Greeks and the Romans, who held it in high regard. Bay was also a popular herb in the Middle Ages and for centuries bay was medicine as well as food. Find out more in my history of herbs