Master John of Hever

The Queen and Paddington Bear:

HM The Queen shared afternoon tea with Paddington Bear, starring on screen with her own marmalade sandwiches.

Paddington – the creation of author Michael Bond and known to a generation of readers and film fans for his endearing clumsiness – deprives the Queen of her cup of tea and sprays cream from a chocolate eclair over a palace footman.

As the beloved bear shows Her Majesty what he hides underneath his hat – his beloved marmalade sandwiches – the Queen confides “So do I” and, prising open her handbag, tells him: “I keep mine in here.”

The short film touched the hearts of viewers as the Peruvian-born bear congratulates the Queen on her remarkable reign, exclaiming: “Happy Jubilee Ma’am. And thank you for everything.”

The monarch replies, simply: “That’s very kind.”

The sequence ends with both the Queen and Paddington using a spoon to tap out the beat of Queen’s We Will Rock You on a china teacup.

Outside in the real world, the band and the Corps of Drums from the Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines struck up with the song on the main stage - performed by Queen, of course.

On 7th June 1329 Robert the Bruce died at his manor near Cardross, Dumbarton.

King Robert was buried at Dunfermline Abbey, his heart was removed and embalmed. As recorded in 14th Century John Barbour’s “The Bruce”, as he requested, his heart was to be taken to Jerusalem by Sir James Douglas, known as “The Black Douglas” , accompanied by Sir William St Clair of Roslin, Sir Robert and Sir Walter Logan, Sir William Keith, Sir Alan Cathcart and Sir Symon Loccard of Lee, and one other knight unnamed. Sir James Douglas was killed at the Battle of Teba, on 25th August, 1330.

An embalmed heart, thought to be that of Robert the Bruce was discovered at Melrose Abbey in 1921, re-located in 1996 and re-interred in 1998 marked with a memorial which reads “A Nobel Hart May Have Nane Ease Gif Freedom Failye.” written by John Barbour in 1375, which translates, “A noble heart can know no ease without freedom.”

The tomb you see in Dunfermline Abbey, in the second photo, is not the original it was sadly destroyed during the reformation, the picture shows how it may have looked, contemporary sources record that his grave was by a monument commissioned prior to his death and imported from Paris.

I posted pics of King Robert's tomb after I visited last weekend, here is a wee bit more, the pics include how the original tomb may have looked.

During the building of the present parish church in 1818, workmen discovered a skeleton, believed to be that of the king. Whether or not the skeleton is actually that of Bruce, or one of the other kings known to have been buried in the abbey, is still a subject of debate. However, other excavations between c1790 and 1820 also discovered fragments of carved and gilded stone, variously described as marble or alabaster, which were identified as pieces of Bruce’s vanished monument.

Ghostbusters premiered in Los Angeles on 7 June 1984, before opening nationwide the next day.

Written by Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis, and directed by Ivan Reitman, the film set studio box office records at the time, and was #1 at the US box office for 5 consecutive weeks (before being replaced by Purple Rain for a week then returning to the top spot). It was the highest-grossing film of 1984, and the highest-grossing comedy of all-time (before being surpassed by Beverly Hills Cop the following year).

The Rolling Stones released their first single, “Come On,” on 7 June 1963.

Another trip around Londons streets in the late sixties probably around 1968, I hope you car buffs enjoy it. We start on Whitehall with Lord Nelson looking on from his column.

I would rather learn about history

by experiencing it

rather than just reading about it!

In 1987 I met a chap who was a member of an English Civil War battle reenactment group. The way he told stories really brought history to life. (I wish my history teacher at school could have made the subject sound as interesting.)

Since then I have met several tour guides/historians who talk about their subject with real enthusiasm, and make history interesting and entertaining. (I have also encountered a few bad, or boring ones.)

“Act as if you own the place.”

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was released in the US on 6 June 1965 (it was released in the UK on 20 August).

Elton John’s debut album was released in the UK on 6 June 1969 (it would not be released in the US until 1975).

Produced by Steve Brown, drummer Nigel Olsson appears on the record (and would appear occasionally on John’s albums before officially joining the group in 1972). Drummer Roger Pope and guitarist Caleb Quaye were also in the studio (Quaye had been playing with John since 1965 and would continue an on and off association with the band for 10 years).

The 39 Steps opened in London, England on 6 June 1935 (it would be released in the US at the end of July).

Based on John Buchan's 1915 novel, Charles Bennett (working closely with Alfred Hitchcock) made significant changes for the film version (including changing the meaning of the title), and the film is considered to be the first to contain signature Hitchockian elements (an innocent man wrongly suspected, the MacGuffin, a blend of humor and suspense, the "icy blonde", and the use of familiar places for the action).

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