This is the November 2023 edition of my fascinating facts newsletter, which includes a range of interesting topics. This includes information including fun facts about November. I also cover the cenotaph, pace sticking competitions and tin tabernacles.

Fascinating Facts November 2023 Contents

You can download the full newsletter to read HERE, however some snippets are listed below.

FUN FACTS ABOUT NOVEMBER

• For the US, November is a special time as every four years it is when the month of the Presidential election.
• It was November 1918 when WW1 ended. Today, the world honours this 11th of November. In the UK, it is a day of remembrance honour those who died.
• In the UK, November 5th is Bonfire Night and the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
• November has two zodiac signs, Scorpio and Sagittarius. You are Scorpio if you’re born from the 1st to the 22nd and Sagittarius if you’re born after 23rd.
• November is also an important time in many religions, as Diwali and All Saints’ Day are both celebrated at the beginning of the month.
• While in the northern hemisphere, November is full of brown falling leaves, but for those in the southern hemisphere, it is a month of spring.
• Traditionally, November was the ninth month in the 10-month Roman calendar but after a Gregorian calendar reform adding two months, it became the 11th month as two new months were added.

LUTYENS AND THE LONDON EMPTY TOMB CENOTAPH

English war memorials, prior to the 20th century, had mostly been a celebration of victory with wealth and social standing determining to whom they were commemorated. There were almost no monuments to the soldiers and sailors buried in unmarked graves overseas or at sea.

Attitudes began to change when memorials were erected to the dead of the Crimean War and the Second Boer War. But after the WW1, the scale of the loss and bereavement demanded a more fitting response at a national level. It was in response to this that the Cenotaph was proposed.

WORLD MILITARY PACE STICKING COMPETITION

Few outside of the military would know what a pace stick is used for. Consisting of 2 tapered pieces of wood hinged at the top covered and polished brass addition, it is similar to a drafting compass but sized relevant to the user. They are used by opening a set distance to match the type of marching such as quick march, double march, step short, etc.

The pace stick is held by the hinge at the side of the holder’s body. One leg of the stick kept vertical, and the other leg pointing forward. By twirling the stick while marching, the stick is caused to “walk” alongside its holder at the proper pace. When folded or marching, it is normally tucked tightly under the left arm and parallel to the ground, with the left hand grasping the stick near the top. Read more…

UNUSUAL TIN TABERNACLES

During the Industrial Revolution, towns and cities expanded as the workforce moved to newly industrialised areas. This resulted in the building of more than 4,000 churches. Within this population increase, there was an upsurge in nonconformism, which led to a demand for even more buildings.

The Church of England, influenced by Pugin, the Cambridge Camden Society and John Ruskin, were initially sceptical about corrugated iron buildings as a solution.

999 THE WORLD’S FIRST EMERGENCY NUMBER

The world’s first 999 emergency number was in London on 30 June 1937. This was later extended to cover the entire country. Initially when 999 was dialled, a buzzer sounded and a red light flashed in the exchange to attract an operator’s attention. 999 is the free official emergency number for the United Kingdom, but calls on this number are also accepted on the European Union emergency number 112. All calls are answered by 999 operators. Approximately 35 million 999/112 calls are made in the UK each year, with 74% from mobiles and 26% from landlines in 2022. Read more…

FIREWORKS NOT JUST FOR BONFIRE NIGHT

One could not let November go by without an article which has some relevance to fireworks other than related to Guy Fawkes. The earliest fireworks were developed in China during the Song dynasty (960–1279) where they were used to accompany festivities. The art and science of making fireworks became a profession where the pyrotechnicians were respected for their knowledge and abilities.
During the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), people threw bamboo stems into a fire to produce an explosion with a loud sound. This developed into gunpowder packed into small containers used to mimic the sounds of burning bamboo. Read more…

WORLD FAMOUS 10 DOWNING STREET

Originally three houses, No 10 Downing Street is the private residence of the British Prime Minister. Built over 300 years ago, it contains approximately 100 rooms. The third floor is the residence of the prime minister. The other floors contain offices and conference, reception, sitting and dining rooms where the prime minister works, and where government ministers, national leaders and foreign dignitaries are met and hosted. At the rear is a 1/2 acre walled courtyard and a terrace. Originally a mansion overlooking St.
James’s Park called “the House at the back”. It had a town house and cottage behind it. The street gets its name from Sir George Downing, who built the houses. Read more…

WORLD CONKER COMPETITION

The word conker most likely comes from the French word conque meaning to “knock out” as the game was originally played using snail shells and small bits of string. The name may also be influenced by the verb conquer, as earlier games involving shells and hazelnuts have also been called conquerors. Conkers are also known as cheesers relating to a conker which has one or more flat sides, caused by it sharing its pod with other conkers (twins or triplets). Read more…