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December 14. The British hero, Captain Robert Scott set
out for the South Pole in November and been out of contact for
a month when news came through that he had lost the race.
 Captain
Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer, became the first man to
the pole. On the return journey Scott and his companions would
run into the full fury of Antarctic blizzards and be hopelessly
stuck. While Amundsen enjoyed the adoration of his nation, there
was nothing left for Scott and his team but to die nobly.
August 10. The House of Lords finally surrendered its
conviction that peers of the realm had a divine right to rule.
By a narrow majority the House of Lords voted to accept the Liberal
government's Parliament Bill which effectively did away with the
Lords' right to veto legislation. From then on, the Lords would
have the power to comment on, amend and delay legislation drawn
up by MPs. But they could no longer scrap it.
August 22. In one of the most daring art thefts of all
time, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris. It was
safely recovered later.
February 11. Ronald Reagan, future President of the United
States, was born. He was to enter politics via a career in the
movies.
August 8. It was the year of riots. Fifty thousand armed
troops were on standby in London while in Liverpool two rioters
were shot dead on the streets during widespread disturbances.
A nationwide strike by transport and dock workers brought the
country to a grinding halt. Famine was feared in some of the big
cities and three warships were anchored in the Mersey to underline
the Government's determination to keep control.
January 3. More than 1,000 troops and armed police engaged
in a gun battle with anarchists in the East End of London. The
armed anarchists, believed to have killed three police officers
in Houndsditch, were besieged for seven hours in a house in Sydney
Street. The house eventually caught fire. The bodies of two men
were found in the ruins. A third anarchist was believed to have
escaped.
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In
brief
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July 1.
New Territorial Army drill hall was opened at Park Road
East as the new headquarters of 4th Squadron Staffordshire
Yeomanry and 4 (Staffordshire) Battery, Royal Field Artillery.
July 23.
At St John's church, Wednesbury, a new stained glass window
was unveiled in memory of the late Alderman R Williams.
August 8.
The "intense heat of the sun" through the glass covers of
wreaths was blamed for a fire which damaged one acre of
the Old Cemetery, Queen's Cross, Dudley.
August 24.
An inquest at Cradley Heath recorded a verdict of accidental
death on Albert Smith, of Providence Street, who slipped
under a train at Cradley Heath station.
September 27.
Walsall teachers objected to being docked pay for taking
absence which had been agreed in advance.
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