In the middle of the 20th century, things moved quickly. In January 1942, a group calling itself the United Nations declared for mutual support during the Second World War. If you look closely at the declaration, you can see China’s signature, between Russia and Australia and just down from Britain and, signed by FDR, the… Continue reading #OTD 6 January – The first United Nations
Month: January 2026
#OTD 5 January – Treason on the 12th day
Some Christians start the 12 days of Christmas on Christmas Day. Some start the day after. If you are in the former group, 5 January is the last. It’s called Twelfth Night. Three or four years after the premiere of Shakespeare’s play of that name, colleague Ben Jonson was commissioned to produce a masque. Known… Continue reading #OTD 5 January – Treason on the 12th day
#OTD 4 January – A woman in court
Rose Heilbron was a stellar criminal barrister. On 4 January 1972 she became the first female judge to sit at the Old Bailey. A couple of years later she was appointed to the High Court although like many early female judges she was initially placed in the divorce jurisdiction. She had been junior in Learie… Continue reading #OTD 4 January – A woman in court
#OTD 3 January – A loyalty oath
Prior to 3 January AD 250 the imperial approach to religion was live and let live, pax Romana in action. By and large the central government permitted provinces to keep their religions unless things got ugly. On 3 January, an edict issued by the Emperor Decius came into effect. He ordered everyone in the empire… Continue reading #OTD 3 January – A loyalty oath
#OTD 2 January – Making morality universal
At the beginning of the 21st century China became a member of the World Trade Organisation. Whatever the politics of that process, there is the curious reality that prior to the event, there was something called the “World Trade Organisation” which was a trade organisation omitting the then most populous country in the world. A… Continue reading #OTD 2 January – Making morality universal