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Ninety years ago, on 4th March 1936, the German airship Hindenburg made its first flight. It was the largest airship ever constructed, and when it was destroyed in a fire in May 1937, it ended the era of airship travel. Airships had been developed from balloons – the first attempt at lighter-than-air travel pioneered in 1783 by the...

Thirty years ago, on 13th March 1996, the Dunblane Massacre took place in Scotland.  Thomas Hamilton, a former Scout leader, entered Dunblane Primary School, shot dead 16 children and a teacher, wounded 15 more, and then committed suicide.  As a result, the private ownership of handguns was banned in the UK. There was no obvious...

Throughout the month of March, the end-of-life charity Marie Curie will be holding its annual flagship fundraiser, the Great Daffodil Appeal. There’s only one chance to give someone the best possible end of life. And one chance for you to help give care that makes all that possible. Care that protects someone’s dignity – instead...

The Earth Hour 2026 takes place on Saturday 28th March, when at 8.30pm in their local time millions of people worldwide will turn off their non-essential lights for one hour. Organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the 20th anniversary of this global initiative will aim to raise awareness of the earth’s climate crisis, and...

The nation’s favourite dog show returns to the NEC this month, from 5th to 8th March. Organised by The Kennel Club, Crufts attracts more than 20,000 dogs from 49 different countries. They will be watched by 150,000 people, and over eight million TV viewers via Channel 4, More4 and All4 broadcasts. This year Crufts is...

Everybody seems to be in debt these days, from households across the UK, right up to the public sector. Our household debt is a burden to us. As of April 2024, the total debt per household (including mortgages) averaged £65,143. Many households struggle with ‘problem debt’, ominously relying more and more on credit cards and...

It was 150 years ago this month, on 10th March 1876, that the world’s first telephone call was made.  Alexander Graham Bell called his assistant and said: “Mr Watson, come here. I want you.” That phone call was the beginning of a worldwide addiction to phones. Phones spread quickly, constantly improved, and after more than...

All in the month of February 4th anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war Mary Shelley and Frankenstein The funeral of Queen Victoria Remembering the work of L S Lowry The Winter Olympics returns to Europe Three in four car thefts unsolved ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the month (this...

It was: 300 years ago, on 20th Feb 1726 that William Prescott, an American colonel in American Revolutionary War was born. Famous for giving the order: “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” 200 years ago, on 4th Feb 1826 that James Fenimore Cooper’s historical romance novel The Last of the Mohicans...

As 24th February approaches, the statistics are grim for the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Massive displacement: 6.9 million refugees have fled Ukraine, with a further 3.7 million internally displaced. Significant casualties: Russia has hit one million casualties in all, including 250,000 soldiers killed. Ukraine has had about 53,000 casualties, including about...

It was 175 years ago, on 1st February 1851, that the novelist Mary Shelley died. She is best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein. Her parents were the influential philosophers William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, a strong advocate of women’s rights who died 11 days after Mary’s birth from complications. The future Mary Shelley was...

Exactly 125 years ago, on 2nd February 1901, the funeral of Queen Victoria took place. She had died at the age of 81 on 22 January, having ruled for nearly 64 years, and her death took her family, courtiers and subjects by surprise in difficult times. The Boer war was still in progress, and the...