15 February 1710 - Louis XV, King of France 1715-74, born.

I won't go into details of his life and long reign, just the tragic circumstances of his accession the the Throne aged five.

At the time of his birth Louis' elder brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather (the aged King Louis XIV) were still living, thus the young Prince was fourth in the line of succession.  

However after little more than two years the three ahead of him all died in the smallpox and measles epidemic that swept through the French Court 1711-12. His great-grandfather the King survived and died in 1715 aged 76, thus the five year old Louis became King many years ahead of his time.   

Or more so as every child appears to have been called Louis, knowing who was who can be difficult.  

Who's the twit that mentioned anniversaries. My 55 is this year. Will expect gifts from all and not just Kleenex Tissues again.

Potentially a big year for me too. I'm planning to retire in September on the 43rd anniversary of the day I started. Nothing definite yet, but that's my thinking at this stage, the money figures add up nicely, so that's the main hurdle overcome.  

Potentially a big year for me too. I'm planning to retire in September on the 43rd anniversary of the day I started. Nothing definite yet, but that's my thinking at this stage, the money figures add up nicely, so that's the main hurdle overcome.  

If you pass your date of employment, it means more time and more money on your pension. 

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

16 February 1075 - Ordericus Vitalis born.

English Benedictine monk and chronicler who wrote the HIstorica Ecclesiastica a history of Christianity from earliest times until his death in the 1140s. 

Born in Shropshire Orderic was the son of a French priest in the service of the Earl of Shrewsbury. From the age of ten he was brought up at the Abbey of St Evroul in Normandy where he became a monk. 

Initially tasked with producing a history of the Abbey of St Evroul Ordericus expanded it into a history of the Christian Church. When his narrative reaches the late 11th century it becomes more of a political history as he had first hand knowledge of events in England and Normandy. It ends suddenly in 1141 when it is assumed he died.      

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

Retire in October. My hire date was January 16, 1986. I retired on February 1, 2018. I had just over 32 years. It meant $100 a month more on my pension.

29 September has a nice symmetry, it'll be the 43rd anniversary of my first day, and it's a Friday too. I intend to spend my first week of "freedom" in the Holy City of Books Hay-on-Wye.    

Employed by in it's simplest terms. He would have been his secretary or scribe.

Employed by in it's simplest terms. He would have been his secretary or scribe.

So he was compensated for his services?

Yes, presumably he was paid in some way even if only in food and lodging. Back then monks were pretty much the only people who could read and write, so they were employed by Lords as secretaries etc. Perhaps they were cheap too as, being monks, they wouldn't ask for a regular salary. If the Lord in question was the patron or founder of the local abbey he might expect clerical services for free from the monks.  

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

Retire in October. My hire date was January 16, 1986. I retired on February 1, 2018. I had just over 32 years. It meant $100 a month more on my pension.

Are both yours and Marks Pensions indexed which means they will go up each year according to your State or Countries cost of living increase. If your Pensions are set at todays rates and then stay the same and never go up to keep up with the cost of living them you will fall behind when prices go up down the road.

Real-State is still the best investment and always has been and shows the best bang for your buck.. Next is a Tax free saving account if they have them where you are. A straight saving account is starting to go up with the fears of inflation but has paid a lousy return for years. Stay out of the markets because the only ones making money there are the banks, investment companies and the advisors.

Have you two thought of what you will do after you both retire? What ever you do, stay active.

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

Retire in October. My hire date was January 16, 1986. I retired on February 1, 2018. I had just over 32 years. It meant $100 a month more on my pension.

Are both yours and Marks Pensions indexed which means they will go up each year according to your State or Countries cost of living increase. If your Pensions are set at todays rates and then stay the same and never go up to keep up with the cost of living them you will fall behind when prices go up down the road.

Real-State is still the best investment and always has been and shows the best bang for your buck.. Next is a Tax free saving account if they have them where you are. A straight saving account is starting to go up with the fears of inflation but has paid a lousy return for years. Stay out of the markets because the only ones making money there are the banks, investment companies and the advisors.

Have you two thought of what you will do after you both retire? What ever you do, stay active.

I retired on February 1, 2018. I have an IRA mutual fund, a mutual fund, and other bank accounts.

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

Retire in October. My hire date was January 16, 1986. I retired on February 1, 2018. I had just over 32 years. It meant $100 a month more on my pension.

Are both yours and Marks Pensions indexed which means they will go up each year according to your State or Countries cost of living increase. If your Pensions are set at todays rates and then stay the same and never go up to keep up with the cost of living them you will fall behind when prices go up down the road.

Real-State is still the best investment and always has been and shows the best bang for your buck.. Next is a Tax free saving account if they have them where you are. A straight saving account is starting to go up with the fears of inflation but has paid a lousy return for years. Stay out of the markets because the only ones making money there are the banks, investment companies and the advisors.

Have you two thought of what you will do after you both retire? What ever you do, stay active.

I retired on February 1, 2018. I have an IRA mutual fund, a mutual fund, and other bank accounts.

I had mutual funds for year and my wife and I both lost big time on them 3 different times though the years and they were in blue chip stock which is suppose to be the safest with low risk. We lost thousands each time.

The secret is never put all your eggs in one basket.

I started as a casual in September 1980 and was made permanent in December, so the latter date is the one my works pension is based on, I can't claim a state pension until I'm 67. Waiting until December feels too long for me, plus the nature of the job means that the pre-Christmas months are the busiest, so I'd like to go once someone has been trained up and can handle the tsunami that'll hit them in November/December. 

The aforementioned new recruit is due to start next month, there should be two of us in my office, but I've been on my own since my colleague retired in June 2021. 

Retire in October. My hire date was January 16, 1986. I retired on February 1, 2018. I had just over 32 years. It meant $100 a month more on my pension.

Are both yours and Marks Pensions indexed which means they will go up each year according to your State or Countries cost of living increase. If your Pensions are set at todays rates and then stay the same and never go up to keep up with the cost of living them you will fall behind when prices go up down the road.

Real-State is still the best investment and always has been and shows the best bang for your buck.. Next is a Tax free saving account if they have them where you are. A straight saving account is starting to go up with the fears of inflation but has paid a lousy return for years. Stay out of the markets because the only ones making money there are the banks, investment companies and the advisors.

Have you two thought of what you will do after you both retire? What ever you do, stay active.

I retired on February 1, 2018. I have an IRA mutual fund, a mutual fund, and other bank accounts.

I had mutual funds for year and my wife and I both lost big time on them 3 different times though the years and they were in blue chip stock which is suppose to be the safest with low risk. We lost thousands each time.

The secret is never put all your eggs in one basket.

"The secret is never put all your eggs in one basket." I totally agree. I have a mixture of companies, that I have invested in.

What will I do when I retire? Stop getting up at 0620 every weekday morning. I've got a number of local history projects to take on.

17 February 1905 - Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich assassinated.

Uncle of Tsar Nicholas II and Gov-Gen of Moscow 1891-1905. 

Regarded as a repressive and reactionary figure which made him a target for Socialist Revolutionary Party assassins. On the day of his murder he was being driven alone from his private Moscow residence to the Gov-Gen's mansion, as the carriage turned into Senatskaya Square a SRP assassin threw a bomb directly into the vehicle. The explosion disintegrated both him and the carriage, the driver was badly injured and died three days later. The assassin Ivan Kalyayev was also injured but survived to be tried and executed in May. 

17 February 1905 - Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich assassinated.

Uncle of Tsar Nicholas II and Gov-Gen of Moscow 1891-1905. 

Regarded as a repressive and reactionary figure which made him a target for Socialist Revolutionary Party assassins. On the day of his murder he was being driven alone from his private Moscow residence to the Gov-Gen's mansion, as the carriage turned into Senatskaya Square a SRP assassin threw a bomb directly into the vehicle. The explosion disintegrated both him and the carriage, the driver was badly injured and died three days later. The assassin Ivan Kalyayev was also injured but survived to be tried and executed in May. 

So that makes him kin to British royalty too. 

What will I do when I retire? Stop getting up at 0620 every weekday morning. I've got a number of local history projects to take on.

Run for political office, the hours are better. Or you can go into balloon watching, it seems to be the rage these days. 

17 February 1905 - Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich assassinated.

Uncle of Tsar Nicholas II and Gov-Gen of Moscow 1891-1905. 

Regarded as a repressive and reactionary figure which made him a target for Socialist Revolutionary Party assassins. On the day of his murder he was being driven alone from his private Moscow residence to the Gov-Gen's mansion, as the carriage turned into Senatskaya Square a SRP assassin threw a bomb directly into the vehicle. The explosion disintegrated both him and the carriage, the driver was badly injured and died three days later. The assassin Ivan Kalyayev was also injured but survived to be tried and executed in May. 

So that makes him kin to British royalty too. 

Very much so; his wife, Elizabeth of Hesse, was Queen Victoria's granddaughter. She met an even more tragic end, she was one of the members of the Russian Imperial Family killed by the Bolsheviks in 1918 by being thrown down a mineshaft and left to die.