Anniversaries 13th to 19th March 2017

Monday 13^th March

90 years ago, the British Army ceased using the lance as an official battle weapon – presumably, they didn’t like it up ‘em anymore!

In 1947, the musical Brigadoon, by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, opened on Broadway.

Tuesday 14^th March

75 years ago, the first successful use of penicillin to treat a patient took place when Anne Miller, who was dying of streptococcal septicaemia, was given an injection of penicillin atYale–New Haven Hospital, Connecticut, USA.

It is 10 years since the death of UK actor Gareth Hunt, remembered for playing footman Frederick Norton in the TV series Upstairs, Downstairs and Mike Gambit in The New Avengers.

Wednesday 15^th March

Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States was born on this day in 1767.

80 years ago, H. P. Lovecraft, American horror/fantasy/science fiction writer died in poverty at the age of 46. Virtually unknown in his lifetime, he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors in his genre.

Thursday 16^th March

In 1976, Harold Wilson, Labour leader for 13 years and Prime Minister for almost eight, announced his resignation to a shocked nation.

2 years later in 1978, Former Italian premier Aldo Moro was kidnapped at gunpoint in Rome by a gang believed to be from the Red Brigade.

Friday 17^th March

In 1992, in a referendum, the people of South Africa voted to back political reform and put an end to apartheid.

On that very same day, American actress Grace Stafford, best known for providing the voice of the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker died. She was also the wife of animator and producer Walter Lantz, who created the character.

Saturday 18^th March

In 1967, the supertanker SS Torrey Canyon hit a rock on a reef between the Cornish mainland and the Isles of Scilly while attempting to take a shortcut to South Wales. 32 million gallons of crude oil were spilt – the worst spill in UK history.

15 years ago, Burger King became the first fast-food restaurant chain to sell veggie burgers on a nationwide basis in the USA.

Sunday 19^th March

40 years ago, the acclaimed American television sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show ended after 7 seasons. She passed away as recently as January 2017, at the age of 80.

In 1992, Buckingham Palace announced the separation of the Duke and Duchess of York – Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. (Married July 1986, divorced May 1996.)