Monday, November 28, 2005

100 years ago

Several "executions" had taken place within the past few days at Pentonville Prison on the scaffold, which had been the scene of the final exit of numerous notorious criminals. The executioner was Alex Taylor, the newly appointed common hangman, who came from Hull, and who until recently was employed by the North Eastern Railway, and the subjects "hanged" were figures of cloth and sand. It was, of course, essential that the official who had to carry out the last dread sentence of the law should first thoroughly learn the technique of his gruesome profession to ensure that when that time came all the operations would happen decently and in order. Therefore each new hangman immediately after his appointment went through a realistic course of training. Several sandbags shaped to represent men of different weights were supplied for Taylor's practice. He was instructed that men of varying builds should be given certain prescribed "drops" to effect instantaneous death. Mr Taylor was of a humorous disposition, and promised before receiving the appointment that he would hang one or two of the stationmasters on the Withernsea Branch Railway and charge no fees, as he had "a bit of respect" for them.

50 years ago

More records and record tokens would be given this Yuletide than ever before. Way up the list of records acceptable to any member of the family were the community sing-songs. What better way to warm-up a party than to invite Joe Mr Piano Henderson and his young friends. Their Sing it with Joe children's medley featured She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Wheezy Anna, Old McDonald had a Farm, The Chestnut Tree, In the Quartermaster's Store, and John Brown's Body. Also due to be spinning on many a turntable this Christmas was Winifred Atwell's new join-in-and-sing medley Let's Have a Ding-Dong. The exuberant Winnie romped through Happy Days are Here Again, Oh! Johnny, Yes! We Have No Bananas, Oh You Beautiful Doll, Ain't She Sweet? I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, I'll Be Your Sweetheart, If Those Lips Could Only Speak, and (very considerately) Who's Taking You Home Tonight?"

25 years ago

Lady Diana Spencer said that she could not confirm or deny whether Prince Charles had proposed to her. As speculation mounted that she would marry the Prince of Wales the following year she was asked whether he had proposed. She blushed and giggled nervously as she replied: "I can't say yes or no to that. I can't confirm - or deny it." The 19-year-old, blue-eyed blonde spoke frankly while at work at the New England Kindergarten in St George's Square, London. Children played as Lady Diana, wearing a paint-splattered blue smock, said: "I'd like to marry soon, what woman doesn't want to marry eventually?

Updated: 16:07 Friday, November 25, 2005