The List
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.ENGLISH HEROES: The Duke of Wellington (Irish); Winston Churchill (American mother); the Duke of Edinburgh (German and Danish descent); Leslie Howard (Hungarian descent); George Sanders (Russian born); John Barnes (Jamaican born); Sid James (South African born); Prue Leith (ditto); Sue MacGregor (ditto); James Bond, the ultimate Englishman, survived being a Scot (Sean Connery) and is now an Irishman, Pierce Brosnan.
TODAY is the feast day of St Peter of Mount Athos in Macedonia. Thought to have lived in the 8th century, he was on a ship from Rome to Asia when a vision of Our Lady told him to live as a hermit on Mount Athos. There he was assailed by devils who mocked him, shot at him with arrows and pelted him with stones. He repelled them with the power of prayer. They then took the form of snakes, a former servant and finally an angel, but all failed to persuade him to return to the world. He lived in isolation for 50 years until he was discovered by a huntsman who Peter sent away, asking him to return in a year, by which time the saint was dead.
12 June, 1458: Magdalen College Oxford founded.
1819: Charles Kingsley was born in Hampshire. He became chaplain to Queen Victoria, professor of history at Cambridge and a great moral authority but is chiefly remembered for a children's story, The Water Babies. Inspired by his concern for chimney-boys, it tells the story of Tom the water-sprite and contains the characters Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby and Mrs Bedonebyasyoudid. Kingsley's early reputation was made as a leading 'muscular Christian' (although he hated the phrase), campaigning on the plight of the poor. Besides polemics, historical novels, religious tracts and children's books, he also wrote popular ballads, of which the best remembered is 'The Sands of Dee'. He died in 1875.
1908: Rotherhithe Tunnel under the Thames opened.
1921: The last Sunday that post was delivered.
BIRTHDAYS: George Bush, former US president, 70; Pat Jennings, former goalkeeper, 49; Reg Presley of the Troggs, 51.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments