Greenwich time and the story of longitude
A historical wrap from 1925 marking Greenwich Observatory's 250th anniversary with King George and Queen Mary. recounts the birth of naval navigation, the race to determine longitude, Flamsteed and the Royal Observatory, and how Greenwich time became the world standard. It notes the evolution of timekeeping from pendulums to chronometers and the role of the U S Naval Observatory.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
John Dickinson Sherman
Greenwich
Greenwich Observatory
St. Paul's Cathedral
Grinridge
Old Royal Observatory
Greater London
George
Queen Mary
International Astronomical Union
Indian Ocean
Western Avenue
Chicago
Madison Street
le Sieur Ae Sainte Pierre
Isle
Sainte Pierre
England
John Wamsteed
Derby
Royal Society of London
Jonas Moore
Ordnance
London Tower
Charles II
John Flamsteed
Charles
Greenwich Hill
Sir Christopher Wren
Tilbury Fort
Royal Observatory
Flamsteed
Famsteed
Edmund Walley
Halley
Bradley
Frank Dyson
Seven Seas
United States
United States Naval Observatory
mid-Pacific
New York
Denver
San Francisco
Sitka
Alaska
Honolulu
Manila
Apia
Samoa
Melbourne
Tokyo
Peking
London
Washington
Frank E. Ross
B. Littell
Peary
Goin' Fishin' Gaffe Sparks Deaf Exchange
Two elderly deaf men meet on a country road with one carrying a fishing pole. A misheard question about going fishing leads to a humorous exchange as they clarify their plans. The anecdote captures a comic moment from Cap per's Weekly.
Rather Thin Pie Joke in Landlady Debate
A landlady complains a boarder’s remark about pie crust improvement by another coat of paint. The exchange centers on what the boarder said and the landlady’s response. The humor relies on wordplay about painting a pie crust to improve it.
Thinking That Counts in Beauty Contests
A witty social remark compares perceptions of a woman’s appearance by girls and by men, suggesting deeper judgments beyond surface beauty. The quote highlights gendered views and social commentary on attraction.
Olympian names spark a civic dream for Athens
A playful verse imagines Olympus deities expanding into modern trades. Venus would run a beauty shop while Pallas considers opening a school as work becomes the rule. The pun nods to the gods trying earthly enterprises.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Olympus
Venus
Pallas
No Business There Visitor Ias Your Husband Really Got Any Business
Mrs Country Merchant replies that he has no business in the city, while a visitor questions whether her husband has any business there. The exchange suggests a domestic or social friction in a small town setting.
Might Happen Poem Exchange Caution In Magazines
A quip suggests a cautious poet should mind heart health when sending verses to magazines. The joke hinges on a pun about a weak heart possibly accepting a poem, highlighting playful newspaper banter about submissions.
Brains for Two Quip Sparks Lighthearted Row
A brief exchange centers on a joke about a wife’s intelligence. One speaker compliments her as highly capable, and the other retorts about brains for two, prompting a playful husband wife dialogue. The item captures a domestic humor moment without further context or consequences.
Against the Stream A Test of Living Truths
A concise verse snippet contrasts ordinary ducks drifting with the challenge faced by a true live person who actively swims against the stream, highlighting resilience and authenticity in difficult currents.
Husband in Apron Clears Dishes at Barber Shop
A wife visiting the barber shop bumped into her husband washing dishes while wearing an apron. When asked about the wife the husband grouchily replied she was at the barber shop.
Reg Pardon Quote Sparks Dining Joke Exchange
A humorous exchange features Reg Pardon asking where his wife is and a reply that she is at Wilson's eating. The banter notes dieting as a recent change and plays on light domestic humor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hank
Wilson’s
No Place for the Profess
A humorous dialogue about heaven and divorce ends with the claim that divorces could not exist there due to the need for a lawyer. The exchange features a professor and a man named He no, underscoring a satirical clash of perspectives.
Glass with Care Returns Ring by Registered Post
A woman returns an engagement ring the next day, the box marked Glass with care, sent by registered post. The scene highlights a cautious handling of the delicate item and the narrative tone suggests careful, almost tentative, exchange. The details imply a domestic dispute or emotional undertone centered on the ring’s return.
Jones escape plea after car theft conviction
The court allowed Jones to plead insanity after a conviction for selling a stolen car. The judge reviewed the vehicle and granted the sanity plea, avoiding a prison sentence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Binks
Jones
Jinks
Man Receives Wrong Number Then Triplets Surprise
A man who married a telephone girl once joked about receiving the wrong number. Two years later she surprised him with triplets, prompting his lighthearted exclamation that she still gave him the wrong number.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Yeates Greenwich
Ove
Watichinng
Lee Sears
Engr Tebe, LL
Trbes Sr
Reg
Peru
Hostetter
Conran
Pittburgh, Pa
Dauld F. Mitchin
Max Miller
Baye
Bayer
Bayer Manufectees
Vosaneeth
Saleyleactd
Beecham
A. Humphries
Scholl
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!