I rely on high White Horse souses.

11 May 1811 - Chang and Eng Bunker born (traditional date).

The original Siamese twins. Born in Meklong, Siam (modern Samut Songkhram, Thailand) to a peasant family. Raised as normal children with no ill effects they were "discovered" by a Scottish traveller who arranged for them to travel to the USA in 1829 for a five year tour in a freak show. As the Siamese Twins they toured the USA and Europe becoming celebrities not wishing to return to Siam. 

They finally settled in North Carolina, married sisters and fathered 21 children. Further tours followed before retiring in 1870. Chang died in January 1874 and naturally Eng followed two hours later. They are buried in Mount Airy NC. 

Fathered 21 kids between them, eh? Gives & whole new meaning to the menage a trois thingy. 

I don't want to think about the logistics of it, it's lunchtime. 

12 May 1926 - The first flight over the North Pole. 100 years ago today.

In fact it was probably the first ever visit to the North Pole if the two previous claims are discounted.

The Italian semi-rigid airship Norge (so named because the expedition was financed by Norway) began its journey from Italy to the forward base on the Norwegian Arctic island of Svalbard in April 1926 flying via England, Norway and Russia before arriving in Svalbard on 7 May. Already there were the Americans Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett who, on 9 May, flew to the North Pole and back, the first to do so. However recent evidence shows that they almost certainly failed turning back some 80 miles short.

On 11 May the Norge took off and headed north. On board were 16 men (eight Norwegians, six Italians, a Swede and an American) and a dog. The airship was commanded by Umberto Nobile while the expedition leader was the Norwegian Roald Amudsen. The North Pole was reached early the following morning and the airship continued across the frozen Arctic Ocean before landing at Teller in Alaska, thus becoming the first expedition to cross the Arctic Ocean.

If, along with Byrd and Bennet's claims, Robert Peary's expedition failed to reach the top of the world in 1909 are dismissed then the Norge venture was the first to reach the North Pole. 

The Norge was damaged in landing and never flew again. 

There's little doubt that Byrd and Bennett failed to reach the Pole and considerable doubt about Peary in 1909. So the Norge expedition was the first to reach the Pole, albeit by flying over it. If we discount Peary the first to actually stand at the North Pole was a Russian team which flew in and landed there in 1948. 

Odd that there should be such controversy over the North Pole yet none over the South, which was a much more hazardous undertaking.  

This is the best I can find for today, not very exciting.

13 May 1962 - Henry Trendley Dean died.

US dentist who as head of dental research at the National Institute of Health advocated the fluoridation of drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. An experimental trial in Missouri in 1945 proved successful and led to the fluoridation of water supplies around the world.

Any public health matters will be opposed by some for whatever reason. 

14 May 1771 - Robert Owen born.

Welsh-born mill owner and social reformer who, after successfully running a cotton mill in Lancashire, bought a mill in New Lanark, Scotland in 1799 where he founded a community based on higher social principles rather than purely commercial. He built better quality housing, established schools and greatly improved sanitation. 

In 1825 he moved to the USA intended to extend his principles there. But his community of New Harmony IN failed so he returned to GB in 1828, although several of his sons and daughters remained in the USA.

He is seen as a pioneer of social reform and the improvement of the lives of the working class.

14 May 1771 - Robert Owen born.

Welsh-born mill owner and social reformer who, after successfully running a cotton mill in Lancashire, bought a mill in New Lanark, Scotland in 1799 where he founded a community based on higher social principles rather than purely commercial. He built better quality housing, established schools and greatly improved sanitation. 

In 1825 he moved to the USA intended to extend his principles there. But his community of New Harmony IN failed so he returned to GB in 1828, although several of his sons and daughters remained in the USA.

He is seen as a pioneer of social reform and the improvement of the lives of the working class.

In our coal mines during early years, miners worked in the mines, lived in company housing, shopped in company stores, & were paid in company script rather than real $. It was kind of a reformation. 

Similar here. Employees were given tokens rather than actual money that they could exchange for food etc in the company store, often at higher prices and poorer quality than if they'd gone to a shop on the "outside". Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil, which I read a few months ago, deals with the practice.   

Similar here. Employees were given tokens rather than actual money that they could exchange for food etc in the company store, often at higher prices and poorer quality than if they'd gone to a shop on the "outside". Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil, which I read a few months ago, deals with the practice.   

Yes, there are stories of a miner's family actually owing the company after the pay period. Imagine toiling all week & then you owed the company $? They you start out the next week on the negative side of the ledger.