21st February 1910

21st February 1910

On This Day… 21st February 1910 Sir Douglas Barder Born 1910 The birth of Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader who lost both his legs while attempting aerobatics in 1931. As an RAF fighter ace during the Second World War he was credited with 20 aerial victories, many...
20th February 1951

20th February 1951

Gordon Brown Born Politician. Born James Gordon Brown in Giffnock, Renfrewshire. Following the death of Labour Party leader, John Smith in 1994, the so-called and much denied ‘Granita Pact’ took place between Brown and Tony Blair in a restaurant in...
19th February 1917

19th February 1917

Dick Emery Born Actor and comedian. Born University College Hospital, Bloomsbury. ‘The Dick Emery Show’ ran for twenty years, 1963 – 83, with his catch-phrase, ‘Oh, you are awful!’ Died Denmark Hill, London
18th February 1516

18th February 1516

Born at Greenwich Palace. Daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. When her sickly brother, the Protestant King Edward VI died in 1553, Mary was, by normal accession rules, next in line to the throne but she was Catholic. Edward and his councillors (he was...
16th February 1957

16th February 1957

The British TV broadcasters BBC and ITV ended a postwar policy in which there was no programming between 6:00 and 7:00 at night; known as the “toddler’s truce,” the break was designed to help parents put children to bed.