6th
1882 ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST electric iron was the invention of a supreme optimist, Henry Seeley of New York, who patented it on this day
1885 ..... the FIRST successful treatment with anti-rabies vaccine was administered by Louis Pasteur to Joseph Meister, a young boy, who was brought to him for treatment after being badly bitten by a rabid dog. Three months later the boy was pronounced cured
1886 ..... U.K ..... box numbers, for classified advertisements, were used for the very FIRST time in the Daily Telegraph
1907 ..... U.K ..... the world’s FIRST purpose-built motor racing track, Brooklands, was opened. At the peak of his fame in the 1930s Donald Campbell used it as his base and Barnes Wallis (of bouncing bomb fame) had his office there. Brooklands was the place where a man FIRST exceeded 100 mph and where three world land speed records were set. In 1997 it celebrated its 90th anniversary with a calendar of events
1919 ..... the FIRST airship to cross the Atlantic, the British R34, arrived in New York from East Fortune in Scotland after 108 hours in the air. Despite electrical storms, the silver cigar-shaped craft landed safely with its crew of 30, a stowaway, and Wopsie, the airship's mascot cat. The stowaway was a 19 year old airman William Ballantyne. He was upset at being dropped from the crew and had hidden between gas bags in the hold until the fumes made him sick. Despite threats he was not court-martialled and turned up again, uninvited, when a commemorative statue of the airship was unveiled later at London airport
1925 ….. U.K ..... the FIRST regular Concert Party show, Radio Radiance, was created for wireless and began on this day. It starred comedian Arthur Chesney, Violet Parry, Bertha Russell and a tap-dancing chorus. In show number 3 Tommy Handley was introduced. Show number 8 contained all new comedy sketches written for radio and the music was written by Dick Addinsell
1928 ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST all-talking feature-film, Lights of New York, was released by Warner Bros and premiered at the Strand Theater, New York. It starred Helene Costello
1931 ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST colour cartoon talkie, Goofy Goat, was premiered at the Alhambra Theater, Los Angeles
1957 ..... U.K ..... Althea Gibson was the FIRST black person to win the Wimbledon title when she beat Darlene Hard - 6-3, 6-2
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