Pre-War

Pre-War
Titanic
The sinking of an unsinkable ship: Titanic
RMS Titanic hit an iceberg off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland at 11:40pm on 14 April 1912. Just two hours and forty minutes after the collision with the iceberg, RMS Titanic broke into two and sank. She crashed onto the ocean floor, almost 2.5…
Read more
Pre-War
Suffragettes in London
The Death of Emily Davison
On 4 June 1913 suffragette Emily Davison stepped in front of King George V’s horse, Anmer, at the Epsom Derby. She was trampled and died in hospital four days later. She is recognised as a hero and martyr for women’s rights, although most of her…
Read more
Subscribe to Pre-War

Fact of the Day

When Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa laid siege to the Italian city of Crema, he allegedly let his troops play football with the severed heads of his captives.

Quote of the Day

"If you do not wish to dwell with evil-doers, do not live in London. "
~ Richard of Devizes (12th century)

On This Day

1579 Thomas Gresham, merchant, financier, and founder of the Royal Exchange, died suddenly, apparently of apoplexy. He bequeathed his estate, after the death of his wife, to the Corporation of London and the Mercers' Company to set up a college to provide free lectures to the public; Gresham College thus became London's first institution of higher education.
1916 The hospital ship Britannic, sister-ship of Titanic, hit a mine and sank, killing 30.
1918 Ten days after the Armistice, the German navy surrendered to the British in the Firth of Forth. 
1920 The assassinations of British intelligence officers ordered by Michael Collins in the Irish War of Independence led to thirty-one dead (from both sides) in what became known as 'Bloody Sunday'.
1974 21 people were killed and 182 injured when bombs exploded in two Birmingham pubs. The IRA was probably responsible, but the real culprits have never been found. The Birmingham Six, originally convicted of the bombings, were released because of dodgy police practices.
1981 The proceedings of the House of Commons were televised live for the first time.