27 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 27 June:

Helen Keller

1. Born on this date in 1880 was Helen Keller, who left deaf, blind, and mute by an illness diagnosed as brain fever at a year old. She was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. A prolific author, she was well travelled, and was outspoken in her opposition to war. She campaigned for women's suffrage, workers' rights and socialism, and many other causes. She said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow."
2. In 1746, after his defeat at Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped over the sea to Skye with Flora MacDonald. He was disguised as an Irish maid called Betty Burke.
3. In 1941, the BBC began using the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth as a morale-boosting motif for listeners in the parts of Europe occupied by the Nazis. In Morse Code, "dit-dit-dit dahhh" stands for the letter "V", for "Victory."
4. In 1939 Principal photography for Gone With The Wind was completed. Rhett Butler's farewell to Scarlett O'Hara was filmed on this day. David O. Selznick added "Frankly" at the last minute to "my dear, I don't give a damn." Because of the censors, it was also filmed as "I just don't care."
5. In 1652, New Amsterdam (now New York) imposed the first speed limit in the US. Basically that it was illegal to gallop within the city limits.
6. On this date in 1969, a Football penalty point started a war. In a World Cup football match between El Salvador and Honduras, the referee awarded a late penalty against Honduras. El Salvador scored the winning point, sparking violent riots and clashes between fans in the capital cities of both nations. As a direct result, on July 3, war broke out between the two states. 2,000 soldiers died before peace was finally restored.
7. In 1967, Britain's first cash dispenser was opened by Barclay's Bank in Enfield.
8. In 2018, Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident as a wildfire spread on Saddleworth Moor. Nearby homes were evacuated. The fire was described as the "biggest in living memory" in the United Kingdom.
9. In 1902, Harry Jackson, 41, broke into a house in Denmark Hill, London and stole some billiard balls. He left fingerprints on a newly painted windowsill so the Fingerprint Bureau was called in. The left thumb left the best print; it was photographed, and taken to the bureau to be compared to prints on file. A couple of months later, Harry Jackson was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison. He was the first person ever to be convicted based on fingerprint evidence.
10. In 1991, Chicago officials praised fans of the Grateful Dead, saying the parking lots where the "Deadheads" had camped out during the band's gig were left almost spotless.

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