1845Captain Sir John Franklin and his ill-fated Arctic expedition departed from Greenhithe in Kent. The entire crew of 129 perished from starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, lead poisoning and scurvy whilst attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic.
On this day in 1935 T.E.Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was fatally injured in a motorbike crash in Dorset. Thomas Edward Lawrence, born in Tremadog, Caernarfonshire, gained fame as a leader of an Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War One. Lawrence embraced Arabic culture in an attempt to empathise with his Arab partners and it was this ability which made him such a successful military leader.
1939 A debate on an alliance between Britain, France and the Soviet Union took place in the House of Commons. Winston Churchill (First Lord of the Admiralty) made a passionate speech where he urged Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to accept Stalin's offer. Chamberlain did not like the idea. He wrote to a friend: "I must confess to the most profound distrust of Russia. I have no belief whatever in her ability to maintain an effective offensive, even if she wanted to and I distrust her motives."
On this day 2012, Monmouth became the World's first Wikipedia Town (Monmouthpedia). Monmouthpedia is Wikipedia's first venture based on a town. It allows the user to scan barcodes with their mobile phone at over 1,000 landmarks and points of interest within the town. Information about the landmark is then sent to their phone in the language of their choice.
1965 - ClassicBands.com
May 19 Kinks guitarist Dave Davies was knocked unconscious at the Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales, when drummer Mick Avory struck him with a cymbal stand. The altercation occurred after Davies kicked over Avory’s drums during the song "You Really Got Me" following a prior night of heavy drinking. While often cited in Rock history as May 25, official reports and eyewitness accounts confirm the fight happened on May 19.
1967 - ClassicBands.com
May 19 Two weeks before the scheduled release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", Brian Epstein hosts an album preview party for the press at his London townhouse. A dozen journalists, broadcasters and photographers, including Linda Eastman, were in attendance and heard the LP in its entirety while enjoying champagne, poached salmon and caviar.
Interesting, as always. I didn’t know where TE Lawrence was born, but know the church in Tremadog now houses Ffestiniog Travel. Next time I’m in Monmouth I’ll take advantage of that info about the barcodes. 😀
