Thursday, 9 May 2024

History of Hereford

 I wrote a brief history of the English Cathedral City of Hereford 

Wednesday, 8 May 2024

Piss Poor

 It's a myth that the phrase piss poor came from the days when people used to sell their urine for use in tanning. If you had to sell your urine you were piss-poor. It's true that urine was once sold but that is not where the phrase came from. It was first recorded in the 1940s long after they stopped using urine for tanning. The word 'piss' was added to words to strengthen or emphasise them e.g. people might say piss weak. The phrase piss poor has nothing to do with selling urine.

Saturday, 4 May 2024

Bra Advert

 In the USA on 4 May 1987, for the first time, an advert for bras on TV showed a live woman wearing a bra instead of a mannequin wearing one. At one time it was unacceptable for ads to show women wearing bras.

Monday, 29 April 2024

Mary Timney

On 29 April 1862, Mary Timney became the last woman to be hanged in public in Scotland. She was hanged in Dumfries.

Saturday, 27 April 2024

Last woman to be guillotined

 Today’s useless info: In 1949 Germaine Leloy-Godefroy became the last French woman to be guillotined. (She was having an affair and she killed her husband with an axe while he was asleep).