Milestones

[Jollyrei]

Yes, but ice-cold?

Oh, and Happy Birthday Canada!

(When's England's birthday, anyway? )

What date was Hastings?
If you went to Trafalgar Square earlier, the Canadian High Commission was having a big Canada party - barbecue, poutine, and a beer tent. Too late now though.

Sun finally came out here, so we might just get clear enough conditions for the fireworks.

 

[RacingRodent]

Yes, but ice-cold?

Oh, and Happy Birthday Canada!

(When's England's birthday, anyway? )

Probably some time in the reign of Alfred the Great, though to make the whole situation nicely complicated while he was certainly King de facto of England he never actually claimed the title de jure.

But something Alfred related makes about as much sense as anything.

 

[Repertor]

(When's England's birthday, anyway? )

Its mother, the continent, gave birth somewhere between 450000 and 150000 BC.
The exact date has been forgotten.

 

[bobinder]

When's England's birthday, anyway?

14th October (1066)

 

[Naraku]

Happy Birthday, Canada Eh.

 

[windar]

Happy Birthday
CANADA

View attachment 511340

I enjoy a Coors Light.​

Finally, a use for Coors Lite

 

[Naraku]

14th October (1066)

The Anglo-Saxons would argue that England already existed before William the Bastard showed up in 1066.
The birthday of the United Kingdom can definitely be claimed as May 1...sorry, I mean 1 May, 1707, when the Act of Union went into effect.

 

[Primus pilus]

What date was Hastings?
If you went to Trafalgar Square earlier, the Canadian High Commission was having a big Canada party - barbecue, poutine, and a beer tent. Too late now though.

Sun finally came out here, so we might just get clear enough conditions for the fireworks.

Local cafe near Pp does a pretty fair poutine! Would meet a Canadian-raised friend there for lunch but the friend has just become an Aussie citizen so might be too late .

 

[Eulalia]

Its mother, the continent, gave birth somewhere between 450000 and 150000 BC.
The exact date has been forgotten.

It collided with Scotland about 490 million years back. We're still sorting out the insurance.

Actually, I was in a discussion only today about when England (Engla-lond) was first so-named,
the answer is, as RR's suggested, late 9th century, the time of Alfred.
But the concept of 'England' was only just taking shape then -
Alfred was only ever titled King of the West Saxons.
His grandson Athelstan had received homage from the rulers of the Danes of York
the Cumbrians of Cumbria/ Strathclyde, and the Scots,
but he was titled King of the English 927-939 -
early kingdoms were more usually of peoples rather than of lands
(we had Kings of Scots - and Mary Queen of Scots - right up to the Union of the Crowns),
Eadgar was the first to actually be called King of England, 959-975.

 

[Eulalia]

The birthday of the United Kingdom can definitely be claimed as May 1...sorry, I mean 1 May, 1707, when the Act of Union went into effect.

The term 'United Kingdom' was indeed introduced by the Acts of Union,
but they really only united the Parliaments; as a kingdom,
it had already been united by the Union of the Crowns in 1604.
A cause of much mystification: if we in Scotland had voted for independence in 2015
(or do so in future), the Acts of Union would be repealed,
but the Sovereign would still be Head of State in both kingdoms.

 

[phlebas]

Happy 4th of July to our American members



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[Madiosi]

Happy Independence Day for all our US-American Members!

 

[thehangingtree]

Thanks all, It sound corny but I truly feel blessed to have live my life in this great land...

The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives when they signed.

It would be 13 years later before the US Constitution would be written and passed. The preamble says

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The interesting words for me are in Order to form a more perfect Union. This country wasn't born perfect and isn't yet today. We'll keep working on it...

 

[Wragg]

So




And it looks like I'll have to be content with the feast day of a Turkish saint on 23rd April

 

[RacingRodent]

And it looks like I'll have to be content with the feast day of a Turkish saint on 23rd April

Greco-Syrian surely, the Turks weren't anywhere near Anatolia in the Third Century

 

[Wragg]

Greco-Syrian surely, the Turks weren't anywhere near Anatolia in the Third Century

Anatolia?

Is that anywhere near Basingstoke?

 

[phlebas]

Probably some time in the reign of Alfred the Great, though to make the whole situation nicely complicated while he was certainly King de facto of England he never actually claimed the title de jure.

But something Alfred related makes about as much sense as anything.

Well, Alfred was more like the last man standing when it came to Anglo Saxon kings, the Vikings and various mishaps did for the other 6 kingdoms. In his day he was the only English king, but he was king of Wessex not of all the English. He resisted the Danes, fought to preserve his kingdom, and laid the foundation for the future. His grandson Athelstan is the first man with a claim to be king of a united kingdom of all England. We're talking the early 900s here.

14th October (1066)

Absolutely not. That's the date the English lost their freedom, if anything! It was the wealth, good governance and weak leadership of the English kingdom that made it attractive to William. That he was able to carry out the survey known as the Domesday Book is a tribute to the administrative health of the Anglo Saxon Kingdom of England.

Thanks all, It sound corny but I truly feel blessed to have live my life in this great land...

The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives when they signed.

The interesting words for me are in Order to form a more perfect Union. This country wasn't born perfect and isn't yet today. We'll keep working on it...

I hope you stay vigilant Tree and defend the values and structures that have been passed down to you. It is so hard to build, so easy to destroy.

That goes for all of us, we live in increasingly turbulent times and many of us have lost faith in the political classes. Hold to what is good in our systems, don't throw it all away on a whim. There are those in every country who work against the interests of the majority.

 

[Deleted member jedakk]

Anatolia?

Is that anywhere near Basingstoke?

Argh! Had to drive to Basingstoke from Heathrow once, a dangerous enterprise for an American used to driving on the right (also correct) side of the road. Spent three days there teaching classes.

 

[Eulalia]

Three days in Basingstoke, followed by a drive to Heathrow,
definitely qualifies as a cruel and unusual punishment!

 

[Loxuru]

The name 'England' roots in the 'Angles' tribe, a Germanic tribe that invaded the country.

So, whoever it did and whenever it happened, the founder was a German !