On this day in 1783: A 24-year-old is made British Prime Minister December 19, 2025 In 1783, the King needed a fifth Prime Minister in two years. Despite the doubts of some, he turned to William Pitt, then 24, to turn the country around.
On this day: the arrest of Bernie Madoff December 11, 2025 On 11th December 2008, financier Bernie Madoff was arrested for the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, writes Eliot Wilson The 1990s had been an economic boom time for much of the West, with America growing at more than three per cent a year. It seemed as if the post-Cold War world might be one of [...]
On this day: Enron files for bankruptcy December 2, 2025 On This Day in 2001, Enron, once considered America’s most innovative company collapsed, writes Eliot Wilson It’s hard to remember an economic boom now, but the last decade of the 20th century was exactly that for the United States. Annual growth was 3.5 per cent, the jobless total fell until there was nigh on full [...]
On this day: Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web November 12, 2025 On this day in 1990, physicist Tim Berners-Lee circulated a memo for a relatively modest information sharing proposal that would go on to revolutionise commerce, writes Eliot Wilson At 35, Tim Berners-Lee was a fellow at the particle physics laboratory CERN. A physicist by training, he had become interested in computer networking and how organisations [...]
On this day: The Gunpowder Plot November 5, 2025 Remember, remember… on this day in 1605 Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament was foiled Today 420 years ago was supposed to see the State Opening of the Parliament for its second session. The 100-day first session had been frustrating and fruitless: a new king from a [...]
On this day: Big Bang hits the Square Mile October 27, 2025 On this day, 27 October 1986: Big Bang hits the Square Mile, and changes the City forever. Eliot Wilson takes us through it.
On this day in 1814: The London Beer Flood October 17, 2025 On this day in 1814, the perils of drink would show themselves in an unexpected but deadly way in the London Beer Flood, writes Eliot Wilson.
On this day: Fox News hits our screens October 7, 2025 On this day in 1996, Rupert Murdoch launched Fox News Channel and changed the American news landscape, writes Eliot Wilson.
On this day: The Bill of Rights is set in motion September 29, 2025 On this day in 1789, the Bill of Rights was sent to the states for ratification. With the right to free speech still hotly contested 300 years later, Eliot Wilson goes back to the start.
On this day: Profumo proves the cover up is always worse than the crime September 26, 2025 62 years ago today, Lord Denning published his verdict on the Profumo affair – a minor sex scandal made far worse by subsequent lies. What lessons does the ensuing collapse of Harold Macmillan’s government have for politicians today? Asks Eliot Wilson Today in 1963, the Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning, published his 70,000-word report [...]