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Local Comment

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Spring 2016

Focus Spring 2016

On 21

April 2016 the nation will celebrate the Queen’s 90

birthday but her birthday is not the only memorable day this
year or indeed in centuries before.
A thousand years ago King Ethelred “the Unready” was surely
unready when he passed away on April 23

1016 and William

Shakespeare shuffled off his mortal coil 400 years ago on the
same day in 1616.
Another giant of literature scythed down by the Grim Reaper
400 years ago was Miguel de Cervantes on April 21

and

Charlotte Bronte was born on April 21

1816.

Elsewhere on the space-time continuum Albert Einstein baffled
the world with his General Theory of Relativity on May 11,
1916 (a theory that continues to baffle the world’s finest to
this day). Two famous 60s albums celebrate their 50

birthday.

The Beach Boys Pet Sounds and Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde
were both released on May 16, 1966,. The edgy sitcom Till
Death Us Do Part sprang to life on June 6, 1966.
The battle of the Somme started on July 1

1916 and ended in

November with an allied advance of 5 miles and total casual-
ties of more than a million.
In a more agreeable contest, England beat West Germany on
July 30

1966 and on July 28

1866 Beatrix Potter hopped into

the world to give us Peter Rabbit. In the same year The nation-
al Trust was founded.
Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution was made official on
August 1

1966 and The Great Fire of London was ignited 350

years ago in Pudding Lane on 2

September 1666.

The first episode of Star Trex was scheduled to boldly go out on
September 8, 1966.
The centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth falls on September 13th
while the 150

birthday of HG Wells is on September 21

King Harold’s death in October 14

at The Battle of Hastings

950 years ago allowed the Normans to make their conquest
and Eight Hundred years ago October 12, 1216 King John’s
crown jewels were lost while being rashly transported over a
short cut through the Wash. In another waterway crisis 60
years ago, Israel invaded Egypt which had just appropriated
the Suez Canal on October 29

1956. And on December 30

1916 the Tsar’s in-palace monk Rasputin was poisoned, shot,
beaten and drowned until he eventually gave up the ghost.
The same day in 2006 saw the final demise of Sadam Hussein
and finally Utopia arrived 500 years ago when Thomas More
published his famous tale in December 1516.
So as you celebrate with her majesty on April 21

just

remember there are plenty of other anniversaries to look
forward to in the remaining months of the year.

A Suffolk man is celebrating a world record after his team
won a 3,000 mile rowing challenge across the Atlantic Ocean.
Skipper Angus Collins, 26, from Hartest formed part of Ocean
Reunion which crossed the Antigua finish line for the Talisker
Whiskey Atlantic Challenge in, 37 days, nine hours and 12 min-
utes after setting off from the Canary Islands in late December.
The team, also comprising Colchester man Joe Barnett, 25,
Angus Barton, 25, from Diss, and Jack Mayhew, 26, from
Uppingham, beat the previous record of 41 days, set in 2014.

A brother and sister from Suffolk have entered the record

books as they both competed in the gruelling Talisker

Whiskey Transatlantic 3,000 mile rowing race.

Not far behind Angus were an all female crew with his sister
as one of the rowers. The Row Like a Girl - team were Bella
Collins (sister), 22, Olivia Bolesworth, 26, Gee Purdy, 22, and
skipper Lauren Morton.
“I wouldn’t do it again in a hurry but if any of these guys asked,
I’d absolutely do it again said Bella” Here brother Angus said it
was that sibling rivalry that helped to push him forward in the
challenge.

The quartet of British women have become both the youngest
and fastest all-female team to row across the Atlantic after
completing the 2,700 nautical mile journey in 40 days.

Gee Purdy said the crossing had been hugely difficult at times:
“There’s no doubt there were times where you question your
sanity, sitting in the middle of the Atlantic in a rowing boat,
oars in and a massive storm tossing you around the ocean.
“The feeling though of pure ecstasy to see the finishing line, to
see our families and friends after 40 days made it all worth it..”
Over the 60 days the team consumed 1,680,000 calories, with
only 240 hours of sleep to pull the oars 1 million times.