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An true icon of the North, the Blackpool Tower rises to 518 feet 9 inches and has been an imposing figure on the Lancashire skyline for 118 years.

In 1889 Mayor John Bickerstaffe had a desire to build a new landmark within the Lancashire area. Upon visiting the Eiffel Tower he gained inspiration to build the Blackpool Tower. The tower took 3 years to build and was constructed with 2,500 tonnes of iron and 93 tonnes of cast steel.

Blackpool Tower officially opened to the public on the 14^th May 1894 still attracts thousands of tourists each year. The main attractions include the Blackpool Tower’s eye, the Tower’s ballroom and the Tower’s circus.

Blackpool Tower is also a proud member of the World Federation of Great Towers and is a Grade 1 listed building.

What landmarks make you proud to be British?

Image credit: DavidHBolton 

 

Lord’s has been the spiritual home for cricket since it was founded by Thomas Lord in 1787; the grounds hosted their first cricket match on this day in 1814, between Marylebone Cricket Club and Hertfordshire.

The Lord’s Cricket Grounds are also home to the world’s oldest sporting museum. The museum contains hundreds of years of celebrated cricket memorabilia, including the Ashes urn. Arguably, the grounds are also characterised by The Pavilion which hosts the famous Long Room. The Pavilion was built in 1889 and has subsequently been listed as a Grade 2 building.

Throughout the year, Lord’s hosts a series of test matches, one day internationals and Middlesex home matches. The grounds also play host to the finals of the National Village Cricket competition and the longest permanent fixture that has been hosted at The Lord’s Cricket Ground is the annual Eton versus Harrow match which began in 1805.

 

Image credit: Jeherv 

A deep-fried Mars Bar is a British delicacy, said to have originated as a novelty item in 1995 at the Haven Chip Bar in Aberdeen.

An ordinary Mars Bar is chilled and then fried in batter to create an indulgent snack. Variations include deep fried Creme Eggs to celebrate Easter and deep fried Snickers for those who prefer a nuttier twist.

The deep fried Mars Bar has also become symbolic of Scotland’s notoriously unhealthy diet and in 2004 the Lancet commissioned a study into the culinary phenomenon. The survey of 300 Scottish fish and chip shops showed that 22% sold deep-fried Mars bars, and while average sales were at 23 bars per week, 10 outlets sold between 50 and a whopping 200 bars per week!

Nigella Lawson has created her own version of the dish, including a recipe for a deep fried Bounty bar in her book and TV series Nigella Bites.

Image credit: Karen Chan 16

Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is a world renowned theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author.

Born in Oxford on 8 January 1942, Hawking studied natural sciences with an emphasis on physics at University College, Oxford before continuing his graduate studies at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. His most influential works include theorems regarding gravitational singularities in the framework of general relativity and the theoretical prediction that black holes should emit radiation, known as Hawking Radiation.

Hawking is also known for penning books, such as the bestselling A Brief History of Time, in which he discusses his own theories and general cosmology.

Hawking has a motor neurone disease related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is now almost completely paralysed, he also relies on a speech generating device for communication and the electronic voice that he has used for a quarter of a century has become his trademark.

Hawking has received many honours, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the USA. Between 1979 and 2009, Hawking was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge before becoming the research director at the University’s Centre for Theoretical Cosmology.

Image credit: elhombredenegro

 

On paper a giant ferris wheel does not sound hugely impressive, but the London Eye is a universally loved addition to London’s rich arsenal of tourist attractions.

32 pods, one for each borough of London, span the 424m circumference of the structure that’s sat on the south bank of the river Thames, giving over 3m people expansive views over London every year.

Over 3,300 tonnes of concrete and cabling is required to give the Eye, which itself weighs 2,100 tonnes, the stability it needs to operate. The Eye moves at under one mile per hour giving 30 minutes with which to enjoy the views.

Image credit: flickr; Stig Nygaard

 

 

 

 

On this day in 1933 Alan Blumlein patented stereo sound.

Electrical engineer Alan Blumlein was said to have told his wife in 1931 that he would solve the problem caused by only being able to play sound through a single set of speakers. Early films may have shown a character moving from one side of the screen to the other but until stereo sound was invented this movement could not be tracked.

While we Brits might take it for granted, this breakthrough has contributed to an immersive and much improved experience for millions of people the world over, all because a resolute and intelligent man felt the quality should be improved.

Thank you Alan! 

Image credit: flickr; cpgmattr