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OTD in 793 Vikings raid Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast. ‘Alcuin, a Northumbrian scholar, [wrote] “It was not thought possible they could have made such a voyage.”’ Words: Brenda Ralph Lewis Artist: Ronald Jackson (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #8June #Viking #Lindisfarne

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OTD in 1329 Robert the Bruce dies. ‘Bruce was a great man … he never gave up, even when everything was against him … he re-created the Scottish nation by his gift of leadership and great personal courage.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #7June #RoberttheBruce

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OTD in 2003 Mars made its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. ‘Viewed through a telescope, Mars is a disappointing sight.’ Words: Mary T Bruck PhD Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #6June #Mars

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OTD in 1860 inventor Edgar Purnell Hooley is born in Wales. His new approach improved road surfaces. ‘Tar was mixed with small stones and used for the top layer. This was called “tarmacadam”.’ Words: I & J Havenhand Artist: John Berry (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #5June #Tarmac

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OTD in 1666 the Dutch Navy wins the Four Days’ Battle. ‘The cannonade was so fierce that it … was heard in London, and finally the Dutch admiral, de Ruyter, won the battle, and the English ships retreated up the Thames.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #4June

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OTD in 1663 the Road Repair Act enabled the first turnpike trust to levy fees along a stretch of the Great North Road between Wadesmill and Stilton. ‘Travellers had to pay to use turnpike roads’ Words: I and J Havenhand Artist: John Berry (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #3June

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OTD in 1909 “Les Sylphides” by Fokine, with music by Chopin, premieres. ‘First performed in Paris … by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, with a cast headed by Pavlova, Karsavina and Nijinsky.’ Words: Ian Woodward Artist: Martin Aitchison (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #2June #LesSylphides

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OTD in 1999 Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the hovercraft, dies at the age of 88 in Hythe, Hampshire. ‘The hovercraft is an entirely new form of transport.’ Words: ES Hayden Artist: BH Robinson (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #1June #Hovercraft

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OTD in 1868 the first officially recorded bicycle race was held at St Cloud Park in Paris. ‘The event … was won by an Englishman named James Moore.’ Words: Edmund Hunter Artist: Ronald Jackson (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #31May #Bicycle

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OTD in 1431 Joan of Arc is martyred in Rouen. ‘The Church … welcomed her as saint in 1919. The famous statue … by Fremiet … shows Joan in her armour praying for heavenly guidance before a battle.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #30May #JoanofArc

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OTD in 1660, on his 30th birthday, restored King Charles II arrives in London. ‘The flags fluttered and the cannon fired a royal salute … the rightful King returned to his country, 9 years after he had left it.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #29May #CharlesII

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OTD in 1967 Gypsy Moth IV returns to Plymouth after 226 days. ‘Sir Francis Chichester of Great Britain sailed alone around the world between August 27, 1966 and May 28, 1967.’ Words: William Murray Artist: Frank Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #28May #Chichester #GypsyMoth

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OTD in 1774 Francis Beaufort is born in Navan, Ireland. ‘The Beaufort Scale … classifies wind speeds in thirteen numbered groups, from 0 (Calm) to 12 (Hurricane).’ Words: FE Newing BSc & Richard Bowood Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #27May #BeaufortScale

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OTD in 735 the Venerable Bede dies in Jarrow. ‘Bede’s writings tell us a great deal of what we know today of life in early Britain. He wrote a book called “The Ecclesiastical History of England”.’ Words: PJ Hunt Artist: Eric Winter (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #26May #Bede

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OTD in 1962 the new Coventry Cathedral is consecrated. ‘Coventry cathedral … was not rebuilt in the traditional Gothic style. Instead something daring and exciting was created.’ Words: Richard Bowood Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #25May #Coventry #Cathedral

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OTD in 1972 the Gravelly Hill Interchange, “Spaghetti Junction”, opens. ‘At busy cross-roads, underpasses and overpasses … let traffic pass … without stopping.’ Words: I & J Havenhand Artist: John Berry (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #24May #SpaghettiJunction

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OTD in 1701 Captain William Kidd is hanged at Wapping. ‘He was arrested as a pirate and executed, not for piracy but for killing a mutinous member of his crew by hitting him over the head with a bucket.’ Artist: F Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #23May #CaptainKidd #Pirate

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OTD in 1455 the first Battle of St Albans is won by the Yorkists. ‘It was won by Warwick, who led his men round to the back of the houses. They climbed over garden walls and attacked Somerset’s men from the rear.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #22May #StAlbans

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OTD in 1894 Queen Victoria opens the Manchester Ship Canal. ‘The Canal has brought such prosperity that Manchester is now the third most important port in the country.’ Words: Carolyn Hutchings Artist: Roger Hall (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #21May #ManchesterShipCanal

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OTD in 1840 York Minster was badly damaged by a fire, destroying the South West Tower belfry and the nave roof & vaulting. ‘Much of the original glass has miraculously survived.’ Words: Richard Bowood Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #20May #YorkMinster

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OTD in 1906 the Simplon Tunnel opens. ‘The famous Simplon Tunnel between Switzerland and Italy was opened in 1906. During the digging of this tunnel 67 men lost their lives.’ Words: W Murray Artist: F Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #19May #SimplonTunnel

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OTD in 1882 the fourth Eddystone Lighthouse is opened. ‘James Douglas had to build the base of the fourth tower below sea-level … his lighthouse … still stands.’ Words: Olwen Reed Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #18May #Eddystone #Lighthouse

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OTD in 1960 the Kariba Dam is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. ‘The Kariba Dam, below the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi River … supplies water and electricity.’ Words: W Murray Artist: F Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #17May #KaribaDam

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OTD in 1943 Operation Chastise, the Dam Busters raid, is launched by the Avro Lancasters of 617 Squadron. ‘The crews of these great bombers were highly trained.’ Words: Richard Bowood Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #16May #DamBusters

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OTD in 1928 the Royal Flying Doctor Service is established in Queensland. ‘The doctor examined the injured man, had a cup of tea, and then helped to carry the casualty to the plane.’ Words: David Scott Daniell Artist: Jack Matthew (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #15May #FlyingDoctor

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OTD in 1796 Edward Jenner carries out a successful smallpox vaccination on his gardener’s 8 year-old son, James Phipps. ‘He used a vaccine made from the cow-pox sores of a milkmaid.’ Words: Edmund Hunter Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #14May #Jenner #Vaccine

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OTD in 1912 the Royal Flying Corps is formed. ‘Then in 1914 war came. Young men hurried to learn to fly and were soon fighting in their frail craft, high above the trenches in France.’ Words: Richard Bowood Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #13May #RoyalFlyingCorps

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OTD in 1820 Florence Nightingale is born. ‘In the night hours, sometimes long after midnight, Florence used to walk through the quiet wards to see that all was well, carrying a little lamp to light her way.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #12May #Nightingale

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OTD in 973 King Edgar the Peaceable is crowned at Bath in the first coronation ceremony for an English monarch. ‘Edgar was recognised as the “Ruler and Lord of the whole Isle of Albion”, meaning England.’ Artist: Frank Hampson (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #11May #EdgarthePeaceable

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OTD in 1940 Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister. ‘When things looked black, he would make great speeches. These speeches made the “man in the street” sure that the war could – and would – be won.’ Words:W Murray Artist:F Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #10May #Churchill

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OTD in 1927 the original Parliament House opens in Canberra. ‘Every state in Australia has its own Parliament, and the people also elect members to … the Federal Parliament.’ Words: David Scott Daniell Artist: Jack Matthew (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #9May #Canberra

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OTD in 1903 artist Paul Gaugin dies in Tahiti at the age of 54. ‘Life in Tahiti had aged him … Gaugin always remained an enemy of authority and a friend of the natives.’ Words: Dorothy Aitchison Artist: Martin Aitchison (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #8May #Gaugin

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OTD in 1663 the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane opens under a charter from Charles II. ‘Nell Gwyn on the Drury Lane stage.’ Artist: Martin Aitchison (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #7May #DruryLane

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OTD in 1954 the first sub four-minute mile is run at the Iffley Road track, Oxford. ‘R. Bannister (Great Britain) was the first man to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.’ Words: William Murray Artist: Frank Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #6May #4MinuteMile #Bannister

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OTD in 1726, Marie Camargo made her debut at the Paris Opera Ballet. ‘When Camargo shortened her dress, and removed the heels from her shoes, she set the standard for a new type of dancer.’ Words: Ian Woodward Artist: Martin Aitchison (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #5May #Ballet

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OTD in 1904 Charles Rolls & Henry Royce meet in Manchester’s Midland Hotel. ‘The Rolls-Royce partnership … did not last very long. Rolls … in 1910 … was tragically killed in a flying accident.’ Words: David Carey Artist: Robert Ayton (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #4May #RollsRoyce

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OTD in 1978 the first spam email was sent promoting the DECSYSTEM-20 computer. ‘As computers became smaller and more powerful so their uses developed within science, technology and business.’ Words: David Carey Illustration: Gerald Whitcomb (c) Ladybird Books Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #3May #Spam

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OTD in 1519 Leonardo da Vinci dies in Amboise, France. ‘He made plans for his funeral, asking that sixty poor men should carry torches in procession.’ Words: Dorothy Aitchison Artist: Martin Aitchison (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #2May #DaVinci

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OTD in 1931 the Empire State Building opens and remains the world’s tallest building for almost 40 years. ‘It has 102 storeys and is 1,250 feet (381 m) high.’ Words: W Murray Artist: F Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #1May #EmpireStateBuilding

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OTD in 1859 the first instalment of Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” is published in his new magazine “All The Year Round”. ‘The French Revolution in 1789 was a terrible time for the people of France.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #30April #Dickens

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OTD in 1429 Joan of Arc enters Orleans. ‘Joan had brought much-needed food and arms for the beleaguered garrison … Her story had gone before her, and the people were now certain that Heaven was on her side.’ Artist: John Kenney (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #29April #JoanofArc

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OTD in 1721 pirate Mary Read is buried in Jamaica. ‘Mary Read became as tough a character, and as ruthless a fighter, as any pirate sailing the sea.’ Artist: Frank Humphris (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #28April #Pirate #MaryRead

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OTD in 2005 Princess Anne unveils the “Fine Lady” statue in Banbury. ‘Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon a white horse, Rings on her finger and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes.’ Artist: Frank Hampson (c)Wills & Hepworth #LadybirdBooks #OTD #27Apr

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OTD in 1564 William Shakespeare is baptised in Stratford-upon-Avon. ‘Although Holy Trinity Church has many other claims to fame, it is here that Shakespeare was both baptised and buried.’ Words: Geoffrey Earle Artist: Roger Hall (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #26April #Shakespeare

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OTD in 1284 Edward, son of Edward I, is born in Wales. ‘He promised to give to the Welsh a prince born in Wales and who could speak no English. The legend tells us that he presented to them his baby son, born in Caernarvon.’ Artist: Frank Hampson (c)Wills & Hepworth Ltd #LadybirdBooks #OTD #25Apr

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OTD in 1955 “The Canadian” transcontinental rail service is introduced by Canadian Pacific. ‘”The Canadian” crosses Canada from Vancouver to Montreal, a distance of 2,881 miles, in 70 hours.’ Words: David Scott Daniell Artist: Jack Matthew (c) Wills & Hepworth Ltd. #LadybirdBooks #OTD #24April

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