PHOTO OF THE DAY. The Beatles during the Revolver recording sessions (1966).📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 5 August 2000. One of Britain’s most esteemed and versatile actors, Alec Guinness, died (aged 86). His many films include: The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Bridge on the River Kwai and as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy.

FACT OF THE DAY. 5 August 1966. Revolver by The Beatles was released in the UK. It marked the group’s most innovative use of studio technology. It’s since become regarded as one of the greatest albums in the history of popular music and probably the group’s best album.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Marilyn Monroe’s last photo shoot (1962). 📷 George Barris

PERSON OF THE DAY. 4 August 1962. Marilyn Monroe died (aged 36) in a bedroom of her Los Angeles home due to a suspected overdose of barbiturates. Forensic tests put the time of death between 8:30PM and 10:30PM. Her housekeeper said she found Marilyn dead at 3:00AM on 5 August 1962.

FACT OF THE DAY. 4 August 1914. British government declared war on Germany to begin its involvement in the “Great War of 1914-18”. It was this decision that tipped the balance in favour of the Allies in the conflict and ensured Germany’s defeat.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Frying Pan Alley, Spitalfields, London (1902) 📷 Jack London

PERSON OF THE DAY. 3 August 1926. Tony Bennett (Anthony Dominick Benedetto) was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He won 20 Grammy awards and had 23 US Top 100 hits. He’s regarded as one of the greatest popular singers of all time. His best known song was I Left My Heart in San Francisco. #Tony100

FACT OF THE DAY. 3 August 1936. American sprinter Jesse Owens won the 100 metres at the Berlin Olympics. It was the first of 4 Gold Medals Owens won at the Berlin Games. He was credited with “single-handedly crushing Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy”.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: German President Paul von Hindenburg (died #OTD in 1934) lies in state on his death bed (1934).📷 Bridgeman Images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 2 August 1932. Peter O’Toole was born. His birthplace is disputed. He claimed he was born in Connemara, Ireland, but a recently discovered birth certificate clearly states he was born in Leeds. His most celebrated role was his stunning performance as Lawrence of Arabia.

FACT OF THE DAY. 2 August 1343. French woman Jeanne de Clisson decided to become a pirate to seek revenge for the execution of her husband for treason in Paris. Her crew targeted French ships in the English Channel. All crew were killed, except one, who carried her message to the King.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. A worker drinking tea on a plank high above the Strand, London (1915). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 1 August 1944. Anne Frank wrote the final entry in her famous diary, writing, “I get cross, then sad, and ... keep trying to find a way to become what I’d like to be and what I could be … if only there were no other people in the world.”

FACT OF THE DAY. 1 August 1834. Slavery Abolition Act (1833) became law. It freed slaves, but gave compensation to slave owners. It was not applied to all of the British Empire until the 1843 Indian Slavery Act when slavery finally ended in India.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Charlie Chaplin meets Albert Einstein (1931). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 31 July 1956. England cricketer Jim Laker became 1st man to take all 10 wickets in a Test match innings, against Australia at Old Trafford in what became known as “Laker’s Match”. He took 19 wickets in the match in all, having taken 9 wickets for 37 runs in the 1st innings.

FACT OF THE DAY. 31 July 2022. England Women beat Germany 2-1 (after extra time) to clinch their 1st major tournament victory in the Euro 2022 Women’s Final at Wembley with goals from Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly. It was 1st win by a men’s or women’s football team in a major tournament since 1966.

This is an excellent podcast series:

James Crossland@jamescrossland.bsky.social · last wk.

The line between opportunistic grifting and delusional belief is very thin (ask Alex Jones) The Mormon cult leader and self proclaimed "King" James Jesse Strang exemplifies this. Check out the story of his life of crime and con artisty here ⬇️ 🇺🇲 🎧 🗃 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a...

PHOTO OF THE DAY, Manchester United and Northern Ireland superstar George Best spotted at the 1966 World Cup Final, sitting next to Mike Summerbee of Man City. 📷Mirrorpix

PERSON OF THE DAY. 30 July 1958. Singer-songwriter Kate Bush was born in Bexleyheath, Kent. She was 1st woman to have a self-composed UK No 1 hit with Wuthering Heights. Bush was born on the 140th anniversary of the birth of the author who inspired her song, Emily Brontë.

FACT OF THE DAY. 30 July 1966. England beat West Germany 4-2 (after extra time) to win the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final at Wembley for the 1st and only time. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick was the 1st scored in a Men’s World Cup Final, but was equalled by Kylian Mbappé for France in the 2022 Final.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Cunard ocean liner, RMS Mauretania (1906). Colourised by Marina Amaral.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 29 July 1983. British film star David Niven died (aged 73). He often played charming Englishmen in his movie roles. Films include Around The World In 80 Days, Casino Royale, The Pink Panther series and A Matter of Life and Death.

FACT OF THE DAY. 29 July 1981. Charles, then Prince of Wales, married Lady Diana Spencer in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral. It was described by the press as a "fairytale wedding" and the "wedding of the century". It attracted an estimated global TV audience of 750 million people.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. The Beatles photographed during their “Mad Day Out”(1968). 📷 Don McCullin

PERSON OF THE DAY. 28 July 1936. Garfield (Garry) Sobers, was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. He’s seen as one of cricket’s greatest all rounders. In 1968 he became 1st batsman to score 6 ‘sixes’ in one over for Nottinghamshire. In 2000 he was named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Century.

FACT OF THE DAY. 28 July 1945. US B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed in fog into the 79th floor of Empire State Building in New York: 14 died. The accident did not compromise the building’s structural integrity, but did cause damage estimated at US$1 million (equivalent to $14M today).

PHOTO OF THE DAY: John Lennon & Mick Jagger (1968). 📷 Ethan Russel

PERSON OF THE DAY. 27 July 1921. Frederick Banting of the University of Toronto announced that his medical research team had proved the hormone Insulin could regulate blood sugar. It allowed Diabetes, up until then a terminal illness, to be effectively controlled.