16th July 2021
Guinea Pig Appreciation Day
As far as small fuzzies go, the Guinea Pig is certainly one of the world’s favourites. Having been domesticated in South America for thousands of years, they’re one of the longest-serving companions to humans and today are the pet of choice for many children and adults alike. With their soft squishy bodies, cute little ears and their easy-going demeanour, if you’re looking for a cuddly companion you can’t go far wrong. To keep the love of guinea pigs alive, Guinea Pig Appreciation Day celebrates everything that we love about these cutesy creatures and celebrates just what it is that makes them great pets.
Corn Fritters Day
Where would we be without corn fritters? This simple, unassuming dish is comfort food heaven. Add your favourite condiment to a corn fritter and that’s some good eating right there. So, some bright spark had the great idea to create a very special day of celebration for this humble food favourite, and very creatively called it Corn Fritters Day. Who are we to argue with such a great idea? The more people that eat corn fritters and recognize them for the culinary treat they are, the better! Corn Fritters Day is a celebration of comfort food and simple cooking. With some corn, egg, flour, milk, and melted butter, anyone can throw together a batch of these side dish favourite's. With some creativity, you can add your own favourite ingredients to spice them up or create your very own fritter monstrosity. Sardines and chocolate chips, anyone?
Fresh Spinach Day
Popeye was right about spinach: dark green, leafy vegetables are the healthiest food on the planet. As whole foods go, they offer the most nutrition per calorie.
Michael Greger
It’s had a reputation as being an incredibly healthy plant for as long as Popeye has been popping open cans and giving Bluto a black eye. Spinach is probably one of the alternately most loved and reviled vegetables to ever reach our plates. Fresh Spinach Day is here to celebrate this dark leafy green and all the ways you can prepare it so it’s wonderful!
World Snake Day
Snakes have gotten something of a bad rap over the past few thousand years. What with that one snake tricking that nice lady into eating an apple way back when, thus condemning the entire human race to mortality, snakes have been mistrusted if not flat-out feared. And while it is understandable that people may fear an animal that can easily kill them, these fascinating, diverse creatures that range from several inches to 30 feet long, and from friendly and docile to aggressive and deadly, deserve for people to find out more about them.
A Selection of Birthdays
1194 Saint Clare of Assisi, Italian follower of Francis of Assisi and founder of the Order of Poor Ladies (the Poor Clares), born in Assisi, Italy (d. 1253)
1704 John Kay, English inventor (developed the flying shuttle), born in Lancashire (d. circa 1779)
1722 Joseph Wilton, English sculptor (Westminster Abbey), born in London (d. 1803)
1723 Joshua Reynolds, English portrait painter (Simplicity), born in Plympton, Devon (d. 1792)
1855 C. F. Abdy Williams, British organist, composer & musicologist, born Dawlish, Devon (d. 1923)
1865 George A. Birmingham, Irish clergyman and novelist, born in Belfast (d. 1950)
1870 Lambert McKenna, Irish editor and lexicographer, born in Clontarf, County Dublin, Ireland (d. 1956)
1889 Larry Semon, American comedian & director (The Wizard of Oz) b. West Point, Mississippi (d.1928)
1909 Geoffrey Bryan Bentley, British Canon of Windsor and moral theologian (d. 1996)
1911 Ginger Rogers [Virginia McMath], American dancer and singer (Top Hat), and Academy Award winning actress (Kitty Foyle; Stage Door), born in Independence, Missouri (d. 1995)
1913 Hugh Ford, British mechanic engineer, born in Northampton (d. 2010)
1915 Edward Miller, British historian and Master (Fitzwilliam College Cambridge), born in Acklington Park, Warkworth, Northumberland (d. 2000)
1921 Trevor Illtyd Williams, scientific writer, born in Bristol (d. 1996)
1926 Philip Randle, British biochemist (Randle cycle), born in Nuneaton (d. 2006)
1927 John Freeland, Legal advisor UK foreign office and judge at the European Court of Human Rights, born in London (d. 2014)
1927 John Warr, English cricket bowler (avg 281) and president (MCC), born in Ealing (d. 2016)
1927 Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator (Dogger), born in West Kirby
1928 Anita Brookner, English novelist (Hotel du Lac) and art historian, born in London (d. 2016)
1931 Lady Caroline Blackwood, Journalist & writer (The Last of the Duchess) b. London (d. 1996)
1932 John Chilton, English jazz trumpeter (Feetwarmers), born in London (d. 2016)
1935 Tom Rosenthal, British publisher and broadcaster, born in London (d. 2014)
1939 Corin Redgrave, British actor (Excalibur, A Man For All Seasons), born London (d. 2010)
1939 Mary Parkinson, British broadcaster, born in Doncaster
1940 Tony Jackson, British bass player (The Searchers), born in Dingle, Liverpool (d. 2003)
1942 Desmond Dekker, Jamaican reggae pioneer (Aces - "Israelites"), born in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica (d. 2006)
1942 Frank Field, British Labour politician, born in Edmonton, Middlesex
1945 Barry Dudleston, English cricketer and cricket umpire, born in Bebington, Cheshire
1946 John William Hollins MBE. Retired footballer & Manager, b. Guildfod. He was initially a midfielder who, later in his career, became an effective full back. Throughout his footballing career, featured for clubs such as Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, and Arsenal. 714 First Division appearances, an English top division record for an outfield player and second only to goalkeeper Peter Shilton
1949 Ray Major, rock guitarist (British Lions)
1950 Dennis Priestley, English darts player (PDC World Champion 1994), born in Mexborough
1951 Lorraine Chase, English actress & model (Lame Ducks, Love & Bullets), b. Deptford, London
1952 Phil Carrick, Cricketer (Yorkshire County Cricket Club), b. Armley, Leeds (d. 2000)
1958 Michael Flatley, Irish choreographer (Lord of Dance), born in Chicago, Illinois
1966 Johnny Vaughan, Writer & broadcaster (Capital Breakfast), born in Barnet, London
1966 Mike Horn, South African explorer, 1st to reach North Pole without dog or motorized transport, born in Johannesburg, South Africa
1975 Jamie Oliver, Welsh keyboardist (No Devotion), born in Pontypridd
1977 Bryan Budd, British soldier (VC recipient), born in Belfast (d. 2006)
1989 Gareth Bale, Welsh soccer winger (Tottenham, Real Madrid, Wales), born in Cardiff
On this Day in British History
1439 Kissing is banned in England (to stop the Black Death from spreading)
1618 Captain John Gilbert patents 1st dredger in Britain
1894 Treaty of Aoki-Kimberley signed between Japan & England
1897 The South African Committee, investigating the Jameson Raid releases its report finding that it was conducted almost implicitly through the support and encouragement of Cecil Rhodes and the mining houses in the Transvaal
1921 Encouraged by the British, King Constantine of Greece launches a drive to take Asia Minor from nationalists under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
1940 Hitler orders preparations for Operation Sealion, his plan for the invasion of Britain.
1956 King Faisal of Iraq begins visit to England
1987 Great Britain performs nuclear Test at Nevada Test Site
2005 "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the 6th book in the series by J. K. Rowling, is published worldwide. 9 million copies sell in 24 hrs
Northern Ireland
1971 The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) withdraw from Stormont (North Ireland Parliament) after no inquiry is announced into the shooting dead of Seamus Cusack and Desmond Beattie
Scotland
1970 9th British Commonwealth Games open in Edinburgh, Scotland
Deaths in History
1546 Anne Askew, English Protestant (burned at the stake) (b. 1521)
1557 Anne of Cleves, Queen of England (1539-40), 4th wife of Henry VIII, dies at 41
1594 Thomas Kyd, English dramatist (The Spanish Tragedy), dies at 35
1686 John Pearson, English theologian (b. 1612)
1770 Francis Cotes, English painter (b. 1726)
1796 George Howard, British field marshal, dies at 78
1916 Victor Horsley, English physician and neuroscientist, dies while serving in Iraq in WWI at 59
1995 Stephen Spender, English poet and critic (Vienna, Edge of Darkness), dies at 86