10 Charles Rolls and Frederick Royce - 1904
In 1907 under the supervision of
Charles Rolls, the company began to manufacture small aircraft engines.
Tragically three years later Rolls was killed when his Wright biplane
crashed. He was the first Briton to be killed in an aeronautical
accident, and the eleventh internationally. As a symbol of mourning the
“RR” logo on the radiator plate was changed from red to black.
9 Dexter King and James Earl Ray - 1997
Ray told his wife, who thought he
was innocent, that he had killed King and threatened to kill her. In
discussing the events surrounding King’s death, Ray admitted his guilt
with the statement: “Yeah, I killed him. But what if I did; I never got a
trial.” Ray died in prison a year later in 1998 at the age of 70.
8 Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens - 1842
Six years earlier Poe had married
his 13-year old first cousin Virginia Clemm and was living with her and
her mother (Poe’s Aunt/ mother in-law) Maria Clemm. Virginia Clemm
died of tuberculosis when she was just 24. Because of his wife’s death
Poe became despondent and turned to drink to cope. When Dickens returned
to America for his second tour, Poe was already dead. Dickens learned
that Maria Clemm was ill and living on charity. Dickens visited her,
pressed some money into her hand, and later from England contributed
$1,000 for her keep.
7 Thomas Stafford and Alexei Leonov - 1975
The Americans and Soviets exchanged flags and gifts including tree seeds which were later planted in the two countries.
6 Pope John Paul II and Mehmet Ali Ağca -1981
6 Pope John Paul II and Mehmet Ali Ağca -1981
When Pope John Paul II died in
2005, Ağca’s brother Adnan said that his entire family was grieving and
that the Pope had been a great friend to them. Also: Ağca wanted to
visit the Pope’s funeral however Turkish authorities rejected his
request to leave prison to attend.
5 Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley - 1970
Of all the requests made each year
to the National Archives for reproductions of photographs and
documents, the one item that is requested more than any (even more than
the Bill of Rights or the Constitution) is the photograph of Elvis
Presley and Richard M. Nixon shaking hands during this famous meeting.
You can read Presley’s Transcript of his 6 page letter here.
4 Henry Stanley and David Livingstone - 1871
Here are the exact words written
by Stanley when he finally met up with Livingstone: “As I advanced
slowly toward him I noticed he was pale, looked wearied, had a gray
beard, wore a bluish cap with a faded gold braid round it, had on a
red-sleeved waistcoat, and a pair of gray tweed trousers. I would have
run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of such a mob – would
have embraced him, only, he being an Englishman, I did not know how he
would receive me. So I did what cowardice and false pride suggested was
the best thing – walked deliberately to him, took off my hat, and said:
‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’ “Yes”, said he, with a kind smile,
lifting his cap slightly.
3 Douglas MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito 1945
Hirohito later became a respected
marine biologist and wrote a number of books on the subject. After
Hirohito died in 1989 because of his interest in science and in
modernizing his country he was reported to have been buried with his
microscope and a Mickey Mouse watch.
2 Ulysses Grant and General Robert E. Lee - 1865
When Lee mentioned to Grant that
his men had been without rations for several days, Grant arranged for
25,000 rations to be sent to the hungry Confederates.
1 The Young Allotmenteer and the Welsh bard - 2012
This historic meeting took place last week in The Alehouse, Reading (PKA The Hobgoblin) and, over a pint or six, an international project was kicked-off to translate "The Reunification Express" into Cymraeg.
And just for the Welsh Bard, who related that he had once shared a plane journey with Dick Dale, the King of the Surf Guitar, on his way back from LA en route from Oz, here's Dick:
Wot a jolly old movie! Hey Ho!
