9th
1896 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST Horseless Carriage show opened at London's Imperial Institute with 10 models of cars on display
1914 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST parachute descent from a plane in Britain was made by William Newall over Hendon from a five- seater Grahame-White Charabanc piloted by R H Carr
1921 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST known sworn-in woman police constable in the Greater Manchester area was Clara Walkden
1926 ..... ANTARCTICA ..... the FIRST men to fly over the North Pole were the American Naval officer, aviator and polar explorer Richard Byrd (1888-1957) and his co-pilot Floyd Bennett. In 1929 Richard Byrd also made the FIRST flight over the South Pole in a 3-engined monoplane. He made 5 other Arctic expeditions and on his return to America in 1930 was made a rear-admiral retired by a special act of Congress. From 1933-35 he made an Arctic expedition and for five months lived alone in a shack 200km south of the Little America base which he had established in 1928. During WW2 he served with the navy as a confidential advisor
1927..... U.K ..... Joe Davis won the FIRST world professional snooker title when he beat Tom Dennis 20-11 at Camkin's Hall, Birmingham
1944 ..... U.S.A ..... the FIRST eye bank was opened by the Manhattan Ear, Nose and Throat and New York hospital
1949 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST launderette in Britain opened in Queensway, London. The Bendix coin-operated automatic washing machines cost 2s 6d for a 9lb load of washing and an extra penny for drying using the 'squeeze box'. By 1955 there were 650 in Britain and 1400 by 1960. They were staffed by an attendant and some provided coffee and soft drinks. The FIRST fully automatic self-service launderette opened in 1960
1992 ..... U.K ..... for the FIRST time women members of the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society for Chemistry met formally
1994 ..... SOUTH AFRICA ..... Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the FIRST ever black President of South Africa
1995 ..... U.K ..... Wayne Mills became the FIRST soldier to win Britain's new gallantry award for courage in Bosnia when he put his life in danger by protecting his comrades as they withdrew from a Serb attack. The award is second only to the Victoria Cross
1999 ..... U.K ..... EastEnders won the FIRST ever BAFTA for best soap series on television
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