On September 21:
1792 The National Convention declared France a republic and abolished the monarchy.
1756 Scottish engineer and road builder John McAdam was born.
1834 British troops were used in New Zealand for the first time when they rescued Betty Guard and her children who had been captured by maori after the wreck of the ship Harriet.
1866 English writer H.G. (Herbert George) Wells was born.
1874 English composer Gustav Holst was born.
1897 The Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus letter was published in the New York Sun.
1934 Canadian singer, songwriter Leonard Cohen was born.
1937 J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien’s book The Hobbit was published.
Cover of the 1937 first edition.
1947 US writer Stephen King was born.
1950 US actor Bill Murray was born.
1957 Australian Prime Minsiter Kevin Rudd was born.
1964 Malta gained its independence.
1968 US talk show host Ricki Lake was born.
1972 English singer Liam Gallagher was born.
1978 All Black Doug Howlett was born.
Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia.
On this day in 1981 New Zealand’s first ever foray into the Whtibread Round the World Yacht Race, came to a sudden halt when Peter Blakes’s ‘Ceramco’ lost its mast in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, bringing down the hopes of many with it. While they re-rigged the boat, Grant Dalton and his crew zoomed past on Flyer to win the leg and we zoomed past on ‘United Friendly’, not totally disappointed at Blakey’s bad luck! ‘The Mast Falling Down’ has been commemorated every year on this day since 21 September 1981.
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