Did you know it even existed? I didn’t. Otherwise known as Royal Oak Day, Oak Apple Day commemorate the restoration of King Charles II to the throne in 1660, on his 30th birthday. For many years, the anniversary of the Restoration was celebrated by the wearing of oak leaves or oak apples and those who did not display such a symbol were often kicked or pinched in punishment. Oak Apple Day is still marked in some towns by the carrying of oak branches in procession or the placing of an oak wreath on a statue of Charles II.
In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mt Everest but today in 1985 saw tragic events at Heysel Stadium. Thirty-nine people were killed when a wall collapsed at the Brussels Stadium as a result of rioting at the Liverpool versus Juventus European Cup final.
There are many websites listing what happened on particular dates in history but I wonder if there is a measure of how positive or negative a date has been over the centuries? Perhaps best not….
