PHOTO OF THE DAY. Pele arriving at Goodison Park for a World Cup group game (1966). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 15 July 1956. Ian Curtis was born in Stretford, Greater Manchester. He’s best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the post-punk band Joy Division. He recorded 2 albums with the group: Unknown Pleasures and Closer.

FACT OF THE DAY. 15 July 1953. Serial killer John Christie (aged 54) was hanged an Pentonville Prison. He murdered at least 8 people including his wife Ethel by strangling them at his home at 10 Rillington Place, London. The murders were dramatised in the chilling film 10 Rillington Place.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. A British woman with a gas resistant pram. (1938). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 14 July 1912. Folk music star Woody Guthrie was born in Okema, Oklahoma, USA. He’s frequently cited as a major influence on Bob Dylan. He performed with the slogan “This machine kills fascists” displayed on his guitar.

FACT OF THE DAY. 14 July 1789. French Revolution began when a mob stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress and prison in Paris, which was judged to symbolize the tyranny of the French monarchy. The mob released 7 prisoners. The French commemorate the day as French National Day (Fête nationale).

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Orson Welles removing his Citizen Kane makeup (1940). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 13 July 1955. Ruth Ellis (aged 28) became last woman hanged in UK for murder of her lover David Blakely. A petition to the Home Office for clemency was signed by 50,000 people, but was rejected by Gwilym Lloyd George, Home Secretary. Granted conditional posthumous pardon in 2026.

FACT OF THE DAY. 13 July 1985. Live Aid concert for famine relief in Ethiopia began at Wembley Stadium, London. The concert opened with Status Quo singing, Rocking All Over The World. The highlight of the London concert were performances by Queen and David Bowie.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. The last photo of Jimi Hendrix, taken the day before he died by Monika Danneman in Notting Hill, London (1970).

PERSON OF THE DAY. 12 July 1902. Conservative politician Arthur (“AJ”) Balfour became UK Prime Minister, succeeding his uncle Lord Robert (“Bob”) Salisbury thereby giving rise to the satirical joke that Balfour only got his job because “Bob’s yer uncle”.

FACT OF THE DAY. 12 July 1935. Jewish French military officer Alfred Dreyfus died (aged 75). His trial and conviction in 1894 (Dreyfus Affair) on charges of treason became one of the most highly publicised in history. It was felt antisemitism led to his conviction. He was eventually exonerated.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Corner shop at World’s End, London (1954). 📷 Inge Morath

PERSON OF THE DAY. 11 July 1924. Scottish-born Eric Liddell won the Gold medal in the 400 metres at the 1924 Paris Olympics. As a committed Christian he refused to run in the heats of the 100 metres because they were held on a Sunday. His story featured in the film Chariots of Fire.

FACT OF THE DAY. 11 July 1966. 8th men’s FIFA World Cup opened at Wembley Stadium with a 0-0 draw between the hosts England and Uruguay. The mascot for the 1966 competition was "World Cup Willie", a lion wearing a Union Jack. The bookies favourites were Brazil (9-4) and England (9-2).

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Johnny Cash just before going on stage for his live concert at Folsom Prison (1968) 📷 Dan Poush

PERSON OF THE DAY. 10 July 1911. British comedy actor Terry-Thomas (Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens) was born in London. He most often portrayed disreputable members of the English upper classes especially cads, toffs and bounders using a distinctive posh voice.

FACT OF THE DAY. 10 July 1964. The Beatles made a triumphant return to their home city of Liverpool for the northern film premiere of their 1st feature film A Hard Day’s Night, followed by a civic reception at Liverpool Town Hall. Around 200,000 people lined the route to greet the Fab 4.

8 July 2026. Welsh-born singer Bonnie Tyler (Gaynor Hopkins) died (aged 75). Her best known hit was Total Eclipse of the Heart which was a UK and US No 1. In all, she had 7 UK Top 40 hits.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty on the set of Bonnie and Clyde (1967). 📷 Ron Thal

PERSON OF THE DAY. 9 July 1937. David Hockney was born in Bradford. He’s one of the most influential British artists of all time. In 2018 his 1972 work Portrait of an Artist sold at Christie’s in New York City for £70 million, becoming the most expensive painting by a living artist.

FACT OF THE DAY. 9 July 2001. 1st episode of the spoof fly- on-the-wall documentary style comedy series, The Office, starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent, was broadcast on BBC2. It follows the day-to-day lives of office employees of the Slough branch of the paper company Wernham Hogg. #Office25

PHOTO OF THE DAY. A mug shot of Bill Gates, after he was arrested for driving without a license (1977). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 8 July 1822. English poet Percy Shelley (aged 29) drowned in Italy while sailing his boat Ariel on the Gulf of Spezia. Shelley was not famous or acclaimed during his lifetime, but recognition of his achievements in poetry grew steadily following his death.

FACT OF THE DAY. 8 July 1885. Hugo Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. He founded the fashion brand. He was also a member of the Nazi Party, manufactured Nazi uniforms and used slave labour in his factories during WW2. He was banned from running a company after WW2. His son took over the brand.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. The annual rewinding of the big watch at Dennison watch maker’s shop in Holborn, London (1910). 📷 Roger Viollet.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 7 July 1940. Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) was born in Liverpool. He gained worldwide fame as the drummer with The Beatles. He occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, most notably, on Yellow Submarine, Act Naturally, With a Little Help from My Friends and Octopus’s Garden.

FACT OF THE DAY. 7 July 2005. A series of 4 coordinated suicide bomb attacks (“7/7”) were carried out by Islamist terrorists in London. They were targeted at commuters on the city's public transport system and killed 52 people and 4 suicide bombers.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Grave of Eleanor Rigby in the churchyard of St Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool, where John Lennon & Paul McCartney met for the 1st time #OTD in 1957.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 6 July 1957. Althea Gibson (USA) became the 1st black athlete male or female to win a Singles Title at Wimbledon. She defeated Darlene Hard 6–3, 6–2 in the Ladies’ Singles Final.