June 9th: Historical Observance
9 June - A Day in History
Let's delve into some juicy tales from the past. Buckle up, folks, 'cause it's gonna be a wild ride!
9 June 721: Toulouse Triumph
An Ummayad army, under the command of Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani, met its fate at the Battle of Toulouse. This grand clash was led by Duke Odo of Aquitaine, and Al-Samh sadly paid the ultimate price, leaving his troops in disarray.
9 June 1812: A Star is Born
Radis, Wittenberg, welcomed the birth of Johann Gottfried Galle on this day. Known for his astronomical prowess, Galle became the first person to observe Neptune in 1846, after its existence was predicted by mathematicians Urbain Le Verrier and John Couch Adams.
9 June 1865: Charles Dickens Survives a Trainwreck
The literary legend cheats death, aiding fellow passengers afterward
Charles Dickens had a near-death experience on the 9th of June, 1865. Whistling by on the Kent countryside, Dickens, along with his mistress Ellen Ternan and her mother, found themselves in the middle of a catastrophe. As their train hit a missing section of track, it was hurled into the air, resulting in a horrific wreck that left seven carriages suspended in the quagmire below.
Amazingly, the author was able to escape the wreckage, only to rush to the aid of his fellow passengers who weren't as lucky. Despite the carnage, Dickens provided comfort to the injured and delivered brandy to those struggling to stay alive. After retreiving his manuscript from the wreckage, the literary legend was left shaken yet inspired, eventually completing his novel Our Mutual Friend.
9 June 1870: The Farewell to Dickens
Dickens took his last breath at his home, Gad's Hill Place. His last work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, remained unfinished, leaving fans in the dark. National mourning was so extreme that, in the end, Dickens was laid to rest in Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey.
9 June 1873: Living Large Burns Down Fast
Alexandra Palace, London, went up in flames only 16 days after its grand opening. Tragically, three members of staff lost their lives, and an exhibition of over 4,000 pieces of pottery and porcelain were reduced to ashes.
9 June 1909: Coast-to-Coast Crusade
Alice Huyler Ramsey, a brave 21-year-old housewife from Hackensack, NJ, embarked on an epic 3,800-mile journey across the United States in a 30 horse-powered Maxwell. Accompanied by her sisters-in-law and a friend, the troop encountered obstacles such as a dozen flat tires and two broken axles, but still completed the journey in 59 days. Later, she would make numerous cross-country trips.
9 June 1934: The World's Most Famous Duck Makes its Splash
Donald Duck first sailed onto the screen in the short cartoon The Wise Little Hen, based on the familiar fairy tale. Since its humble beginnings, Donald has become a cultural icon, synonymous with clever and mischievous shenanigans.
9 June 1983: Thatcher's Triumphant Return
The Iron Lady extends her reign
Opinion polls predicted it with certainty: Margaret Thatcher was about to win big in the 1983 general election. Despite criticism during her first term and the country's economic struggles, her Conservative Party stormed its way to victory, winning 397 seats in Parliament — the largest conservative majority since 1945. Thatcher's win marked her as the most popular Prime Minister since polling began.
But not everyone was thrilled with her victory. Critics, including journalist Julie Burchill, argued that Britain had a "terminally wrong" attitude for re-electing Thatcher, while the union leader Arthur Scargill called for direct action in response to the election results.
We hope you enjoyed this brief trip through the annals of history! Keep exploring, and you never know what entertaining tales you might stumble upon! Rock on! 🤘👽🌈🌟🏆🤠🐣🐯🦖
On 9 June 1873, the grand opening of Alexandra Palace in London was tragically marked by a fire that claimed three lives and destroyed an exhibition of over 4,000 pieces of pottery and porcelain.
In the political realm, on 9 June 1983, Margaret Thatcher, commonly known as the Iron Lady, extended her reign as the British Prime Minister with a massive victory in the general election, securing the largest conservative majority since 1945.
