The actual history of why number 13 is considered
unlucky is somewhat elusive.
One popular theory states that the number is connected to the last 13 Knights Templar being burned alive to end the Crusades on Friday the 13th, and thus has been deemed unfortunate.
Another theory revolves around monks involved in maintaining the yearly lunar calendar when there are 13 full moons some years instead of 12, resulting in confusion of church festivals. Because of this confusion, years with 13 full moons became unlucky.
Regardless of the true history, there are many people who are fearful of anything associated with the number, so much so that the phobia has been given a name: triskaidekaphobia.
The number 13, especially Friday the 13th, has long been considered lucky in Judaism, and some think that the general population's fear of 13 stems from anti-Semitism.
One popular theory states that the number is connected to the last 13 Knights Templar being burned alive to end the Crusades on Friday the 13th, and thus has been deemed unfortunate.
Another theory revolves around monks involved in maintaining the yearly lunar calendar when there are 13 full moons some years instead of 12, resulting in confusion of church festivals. Because of this confusion, years with 13 full moons became unlucky.
Regardless of the true history, there are many people who are fearful of anything associated with the number, so much so that the phobia has been given a name: triskaidekaphobia.
The number 13, especially Friday the 13th, has long been considered lucky in Judaism, and some think that the general population's fear of 13 stems from anti-Semitism.
As far as I'm concerned 13
is most definitely the luckiest number of all. My father disagreed.
Why? - well I was born on
Friday 13th September 1946 at number 13 Trent Road in Ipswich.
The Welsh bard appears to agree with my dad.
Friday 13th 1946...
Friday 13th 1946...
In September Forty Six,
Suffolk folk were in a fix –
The war had gone but Baltzer had arrived!
In Ipswich everyone was glum,
wondering what on earth had come
To test them after all they had survived.
The omens, one would have to say,
were bad – that dreaded date and day
Could well portend disaster, but hear this:
Ever since that fateful day,
all bad luck has come my way...
I’ve never yet been bought a beer by Chris!
Suffolk folk were in a fix –
The war had gone but Baltzer had arrived!
In Ipswich everyone was glum,
wondering what on earth had come
To test them after all they had survived.
The omens, one would have to say,
were bad – that dreaded date and day
Could well portend disaster, but hear this:
Ever since that fateful day,
all bad luck has come my way...
I’ve never yet been bought a beer by Chris!
Rather surprisingly, my arrival didn't make the national news but here's what did:
Notice that the papers cost 1 old pence and footballer Albert Stubbins was tranferred from Newcatle to Liverpool for £13000, the second highest transfer in league history!
But it's not just my birthday today, its happy birthday to sportsmen Michael Johnson (45), Goran Ivanisevic (41), Shane Warne (43) and Robin Smith(49), comedian Bobby Davro (54), Ringo Starr's son Zak (47) and Paul McCartney's daughter Stella (41).
From the world of literature J B Priestley was born this day in 1894 and Roald Dahl in 1916.
Film actress Jacqeline Bisset,
shown here portraying Miss Goodthighs with Peter Sellers in Casino Royale, was born on 13th September 1944:
and actor Richard Kriel, Roger Moores' arch enemy
in two James Bond films, was born on September 13th 1939:
No blog would be complete without music, so before I
depart to Chichester to celebrate my 66th birthday in style, with breakfast at
the Vestry, lunch at Marco's all washed down with a baker's dozen of beers at the Park Tavern, here
are two clips by artists who were born on 13th September.
First Mel Torme, nicknamed "The Velvet
Fog", born in 1925, singing one my favourite records and one of the first I
ever bought:
That clip brought back a few memories! I must have been in there somewhere.
And now, predictably a moon song, sung by the lovely
Katie Melua, born this day 1984:
And to finish another 66 year old, a song written by Booby Troup in 1946, recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole and subsequently by over 50 artists including the Chuck Berry and The Rolling Stones, appropriately entitled Route 66:
Hey Ho!
