16 September: The Yeomen of the Guard

This date in 1485 saw the establishment of the Yeomen of the Guard, bodyguard of the English Crown, popularly known as Beefeaters. 10 things you might not know about them.

1. Or, at least, the date on the earliest known document that refers to them. In this document, one John Frye, a yeoman of the king's guard, is appointed to the office of Searcher at the port of Bristol.

2. The Yeomen were created by King Henry VII after the Battle of Bosworth Field and is the oldest British military corps still in existence. Of course, monarchs had bodyguards before this, but Henry wanted to reward his for their bravery and loyalty by creating a guard that would protect the King (or Queen) of England forever, of which they would be the first.

3. Their first official act was to escort Henry to his coronation on 1 October 1485. John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, led a company of fifty of them.

4. At that time, their primary function was protecting the monarch. This involved creating a physical shield around him wherever he went, even inside his palace, tasting his food and even standing guard in the king’s bedroom all night. In addition, they carried torches, served the King’s meals and made sure he had food and drink in his room in case he woke hungry or thirsty during the night. Making up the King’s Bed was another ritual, which involved stabbing the bed with daggers and jumping on it to spread out the bedding, and disturb any assassins who might be hiding in the bed.

5. This archaic function is reflected to this day in the names of two of the ranks: Yeoman Bed Hanger and Yeoman Bed Goer. Other ranks are Exon, Ensign, Lieutenant, Captain, Yeoman, Divisional Sergeant-Major and Messenger Sergeant-Major.

6. Today, their role is purely ceremonial. Their uniforms haven’t changed much since Tudor times and they still carry swords, although they are never used. There is an annual roll call and a Sovereign's Inspection about every five years. Their regular commitments include the annual Royal Maundy service, the Epiphany Service in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, installations of Knights of the Garter, summer garden parties at Buckingham Palace and a ritual search of the cellars of the Palace of Westminster in advance of the State Opening of Parliament, a nod to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

7. Fancy joining the Yeomen? It will take a while. Since 1830 the requirements are that all candidates must have served in the British military for at least 22 years, must have attained the rank of sergeant or above, but not be a commissioned officer, and must have been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Hence any new recruits will be at least 42 years of age, and retire at age 70.

8. The Yeomen of the Guard are not the same as the Yeomen Warders who guard the Tower of London, although their uniforms are almost identical. The Yeomen of the Guard can be distinguished by their cross belts, worn from the left shoulder.

9. The last time the Yeomen took place in a battle was the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 during the reign of King George II. It was after this that they became largely ceremonial, although King George V re-instated the guarding at the palace role during the first world war, and allowed them permission to join the regular forces and go fight if they wished.

10. Why are they called Beefeaters? Most likely because they tended to be quite beefy in build, but more relevantly, because they were allowed a generous daily meat ration.

For the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta click here: Yeomen of the Guard

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

15 September: Make a Hat Day

Today is Make a Hat Day. For those who celebrate, 10 quotations about hats.

1. A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in. Frederick the Great

2. Hats have power. Hats can change you into someone else. Catherynne M. Valente

3. How a hat makes you feel is what a hat is all about. Philip Treacy

4. Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day. EB White

5. Never try to wear a hat that has more character than you do. Lance Morrow

6. People get to like a soul, but a satisfactory hat makes an impression at first sight. Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie

7. I have an American top hat that's collapsible and works as a frisbee. Jackson Rathbone

8. A hat should be taken off when you greet a lady and left off for the rest of your life. Nothing looks more stupid than a hat. PJ O'Rourke

9. Never run after you own hat – others will be delighted to do it; why spoil their fun? Mark Twain

10. If your brains were dynamite there wouldn't be enough to blow your hat off. Kurt Vonnegut 

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

14 September: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was born on this date in 1983. 10 things you might not know about her.

1. Amy Jade Winehouse was born at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, London. Her father was a taxi driver and her mother a pharmacist. The family were Jewish, something Amy was proud of, although she wasn’t religious.

2. Music was in her blood. She had several uncles who were Jazz musicians and her father’s mother once dated Ronnie Scott. Her father loved to sing as well, and even released an album of his own in 2010, called Rush of Love.

3. When Amy was about 10, she teamed up with her friend, Juliette Ashby to form a hip hop duo. Inspired by the rap group Salt-N-Pepa, they called themselves Sweet ‘n’ Sour. In a 2004 interview, Amy said, “I was sour, of course.“ They even managed to make a small number of studio recordings: Glam Chicks, Boys … Who Needs Them and Spinderella.

4. At 12, she was admitted to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She attended there for two years before being expelled for "not applying herself" and piercing her own nose. At 16, she made her debut with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. At 19, she signed with manager Nick Godwyn of 19 Entertainment, a company founded by Simon Fuller, the man behind Pop Idol and the Spice Girls.

5. “They” really did try to make her go to Rehab. In 2005 her manager Nick Shymansky was among those urging her to get help for her excessive drinking. Amy claimed at the time that she wasn’t an alcoholic, she just had a broken heart. She did, however, eventually give in and go to rehab in 2008.

6. Amy Winehouse was the first British female artist to win five Grammys at one ceremony, in 2008, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Her record was beaten by Adele in 2012.

7. Artists who have credited Amy Winehouse as an influence include Adele, Duffy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Jessie J, Emeli Sandé, Paloma Faith, Lana Del Rey, Florence Welch and Billie Eilish. Patti Smith's This Is the Girl is a tribute to her, as is Green Day's Amy.

8. When she died, there were rumours circulating that she was in the process of adopting a 10-year-old girl from St Lucia, with whom she had formed a strong bond while staying on the island. It was even said that she would have moved to St Lucia permanently to achieve this. Winehouse's representative has denied it, however, saying the rumours were not true.

9. Her last recording was a duet, Body and Soul, with Tony Bennett. It was released on what would have been her 28th birthday.

10. Since her death, Amy’s family have set up a charity which works to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on young people, and to help disadvantaged youngsters reach their full potential. The Amy Winehouse Foundation was also launched on what would have been her 28^th birthday.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

13 September: 256

13 September is the 256^th day of the year. 10 fun facts about the number 256.

1. 256 is an important number in computing. One byte is equal to eight bits and has 256 possible values, counting from 0 to 255. The number 256 often appears in computer applications, for example, typical number of different values in each colour channel of a digital colour image.

2. It is 2 to the 8th power, and the only 8^th power number to have three digits. There’s an obsolete mathematical term for the 8^th power, dating back to when powers were written out in words rather than as superscript numbers. The word is zenzizenzizenzic. Hence, 256 is the only 3 digit number to be zenzizenzizenzic.

3. In Binary, 256 is 100000000.

4. 256 Walpurga is a large Main belt asteroid discovered by Johann Palisa in 1886 in Vienna and named after Saint Walburga.

5. The A256 is a major road running along the east coast of Kent between the Isle of Thanet, beginning on the edge of Broadstairs, and Dover. In 2015, dual carriageway sections of the A256 were identified as a possible relief for Operation Stack, for queueing Dover-bound freight vehicles along the road. Used a lot since Brex-shit, I suspect.

6. +256 is the international dialling code for Uganda.

7. 256 is a regional North American telephone area code serving northern Alabama, USA, including the cities of Huntsville and Florence.

8. London bus 256 runs from Miramar Way to Wincanton Road.

9. 256 Steps is a 2012 short film directed by Jessie Hawkes and Jake Hodge, and starring Neil J Barrow, Neil Radford and Eric Radford. A murder in 1870, which was never meant to happen, pitched a town into Groundhog Day mode, repeating the same day over and over again. It is up to two young adults in 2012 to break the curse on the parallel plane. However, the pair are are pulled into the time loop. Can they save the town?

10. In numerology, 256 is a nurturing and methodical energy. A person under its influence follows established guidelines and procedures for specific results. The person is cooperative, diplomatic, supportive, diligent and practical. It is also a whimsical energy which cherishes time with family.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

12 September: Charles Dudley Warner Quotes

Born this date in 1829 was Charles Dudley Warner, American essayist, novelist, and friend of Mark Twain, with whom he co-authored the novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. 10 quotes:

1. The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value.

2. There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.

3. Lettuce is like conversation; it must be fresh and crisp, so sparkling that you scarcely notice the bitter in it.

4. Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.

5. Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.

6. The boy who expects every morning to open into a new world finds that today is like yesterday, but he believes tomorrow will be different.

7. There is nothing that disgusts a man like getting beaten at chess by a woman.

8. One of the advantages of pure congregational singing is that you can join in the singing whether you have a voice or not. The disadvantage is that your neighbour can do the same.

9. There is but one pleasure in life equal to that of being called on to make an after-dinner speech, and that is not being called on to make one.

10. Few people can resist doing what is universally expected of them. This invisible pressure is more difficult to stand against than individual tyranny.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

11 September: Dijon

This date in 1944 was the Liberation Day of Dijon, France from Nazi occupation. 10 facts about Dijon.

1. Dijon is the capital of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region of France.

2. It’s known for its Mustard since 1856, when Jean Naigeon decided to try using the juice of not quite ripe Grapes (verjuice) to make mustard instead of the traditional Vinegar.

3. It’s also famous for its Wine, and the blackcurrant liqueur crème de cassis. This liqueur, with white wine, makes the drink Kir, which was named after Félix Kir, a former mayor of Dijon.

4. Gustave Eiffel, best known for a tower in Paris, was born just outside Dijon. It’s said he also helped design Dijon’s marketplace, Les Halles Market, built in 1868.

5. The cathedral is called Notre Dame, and it’s famous for a small stone sculpture of an Owl known as La Chouette. According to local legend, it’s good luck to rub the sculpture with your left hand while making a wish. The owl is the symbol of the city, and visitors wanting to take a self-guided walking tour can do so by following the owl symbols.

6. In 2023, the population was 161,830.

7. It was once the seat of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, and was on a strategic trade route, so in the middle ages it was a centre of art, learning and innovation.

8. Dijon holds an International and Gastronomic Fair every autumn. Every three years there is an international flower show, Florissimo.

9. The city’s nickname is “City of a Hundred Steeples.”

10. There are some spooky local legends. These include: The spirit of a gardener haunts the gardens of the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. He appears at the stroke of midnight, tending to the flowers and pruning the hedges. A less benevolent ghost is the Phantom Piper, who is said to wander the streets playing haunting tunes on a flute with the purpose of luring unsuspecting tourists into dark corners of the city, where strange, unexplained things happen to them. The forests nearby are said to have been the home of a fearsome dragon, at least until a knight came along and sealed it in a hidden lair. There’s also said to be a witch’s well in the surrounding countryside, a meeting place for witches far casting dark spells and a gateway to the underworld. Finally, an ancient treasure is said to be hidden somewhere within the city walls, but don’t bother looking for it – it’s cursed, and the person who finds it will suffer misfortune and despair.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

10 September: Terbium

This date in 1797 was the birthdate of Carl Mosander: Swedish chemist who discovered the element terbium. 10 facts about his discovery.

1. Terbium is silvery-white, rare earth metal that is malleable and ductile. It is soft enough to be cut with a knife. Pure terbium is stable in air but reacts with cold water.

2. Its chemical symbol is Tb and its atomic number is 65.

3. Its melting point is 1629 K (1356 °C/2473 °F)

4. Its boiling point is 3396 K (3123 °C/5653 °F)

5. Mosander discovered it in 1843, as an impurity in yttrium oxide. However, his discovery wasn’t confirmed for some time and it was 1905 before pure compounds were produced.

6. Like erbium and ytterbium, terbium is named after the village of Ytterby in Sweden.

7. It is twice as common in the Earth’s crust as silver, although that still makes it one of the rarer rare earth metals. It is never found in its pure form in nature, but is contained within minerals such as monazite, bastnasite and cerite.

8. Because it is rare and therefore expensive, it has few uses in industry. Its compounds fluoresce green in ultraviolet light, so it gets used in fluorescent lamps and Television and monitor cathode-ray tubes.

9. World production is 10 tonnes a year. The richest source at the moment is southern China, but a further rich supply was found in 2018 off the coast of Japan's Minamitori Island, which is said to be enough to meet global demand for 420 years.

10. Terbium has no biological role. It is mildly toxic and irritating if it comes into contact with Skin or Eyes. Its toxicity has not been investigated in detail.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/