1141: Empress Matilda becomes the first female ruler of England, adopting the title "Lady of the English."
On April 7th 1230 William de Braose, Lord of Abergavenny and Buellt, was found in the bedchamber of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth's (Llywelyn the Great) wife Joan. In fury, Llywelyn had de Braose hanged and placed Joan under house arrest.
1827Chemist John Walker of Stockton on Tees sold the world's first box of 'friction matches' that he had invented the previous year. He charged one shilling for a box of 50 matches. Each box was supplied a piece of sandpaper, folded double, through which the match had to be drawn to ignite it. He named the matches 'Congreves' in honour of the inventor and rocket pioneer, Sir William Congreve.
1832Joseph Thompson, a farmer, went to Carlisle to sell his wife, both having agreed to part. A large crowd gathered as he offered her for 50 shillings. After an hour, the price was knocked down to 20 shillings, together with a Newfoundland dog as an incentive.
1890 The opening of the Lynton and Lynmouth funicular Cliff Railway - .It is the the UK's only fully water powered railway and is also the highest and the steepest totally water powered railway in the world. The cliff railway connects the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth in north Devon.
1958 Capitol Records officially abandons the sale of 78 RPM singles in the UK, choosing to issue all new releases as 45 RPM only.
1964: Panama withdraws registration for Radio Caroline's ship MV Caroline.
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I didn't know anything about those first friction matches. Most interesting. I still remember learning about Matilda in schooldays. She was a force not to be messed with. As for Llywelyn ap Iorwerth...what can you say? Just 'don't mess'. 😂
