US Marines help at the site of the terrorist bombing of the American embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. The bombing took place on the 18th of April, 1983; this image is from the 29th.
Monthly Archives: April 2017
On this day…
The chocolate wheel at the Ambulance stall at the Royal Queensland Show, Australia on the 29th of April, 1938. The show, often referred to as the Ekka, is held annually in Brisbane. The showground was used as a hospital four years later, during World War Two.
On this day: a nuclear disaster in the USSR
This is the first picture taken of the destroyed nuclear reactor in Chernobyl (Chornobyl in Ukrainian), Ukraine. 27th April, 1986.
Taken from a helicopter flying over to assess the damage, the image is foggy because of radiation.
This is 4pm, fourteen hours after the explosion that immediately killed two, and would be directly responsible for the deaths of another twenty-nine people in the days to come.
Duelling as an Olympic sport
The 1908 Olympic Games were held in London, beginning on the 27th of April. While medals were awarded for many sports, some were labelled “associate sports” and were for display only.
Duelling was one of these. Historically, duels were fought between two people (usually men) to defend their honour, and frequently resulted in grave injury or death.
At the Olympics the bullets were made of wax, and the contestants wore protective outfits.
The Games were supposed to have been held in Rome, but were moved after a devastating Mount Vesuvius eruption.
Unlike today, the event ran for months, from April to their conclusion on the 31st of October.
On this day: Children in Ireland
On this day: a new Parliament House
In this photograph dated the 26th of April, 1988, the massive flagpole is constructed on top of Australia’s new Parliament House in the capital city, Canberra.
The new building was constructed at the time of Australia’s bicentenary, replacing what would become known as Old Parliament House, the white building at the front of the picture.
New Parliament House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on the 9th of May.
Anzac Day
On this day: Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses
The 24th of April, 1933 is considered to be the day Nazi Germany began their persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as it is the date the Bible Student headquarters in Magdeburg were seized by police. This came only a few months after Adolf Hitler came to power.
If Jehovah’s Witnesses were willing to renounce their religion they were promised freedom from persecution. Below is a Nazi renouncement document.
From 1935 onwards, many people who kept their religion were sent to concentration camps.
The persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses continues today, with Russia outlawing the religion only days ago.
On this day: the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889
On this day: the destruction of Duckett’s Grove
Rare image of the house pre-fire. X
Duckett’s Grove, a great house in County Carlow, Ireland, was destroyed by fire on the 20th of April, 1933.
Built around 1830 for the Duckett family, they lived at the house until 1916, when a family dispute between the only remaining family members – none of them male (males would usually inherit) – led to the house’s management being taken over by locals.
By 1930 the house was being used by the Irish Republican Army, and when they left the property it was still in good condition.
In 1933, a week after local farmers – who had been managing the estate – reported a minor fire at the house, Duckett’s Grove burnt in earnest over the course of a night.
Today, the frame of the house still stands.
In Times Gone By... 
