Hello all -
Happy Sunday!
This week is the birthday of Liz Truss, born 26 July 1975 - you remember her? Liz was UK Prime Minister for a blink of an eye and then she was gone. In September 2022 she replaced the ousted Boris Johnson, crushed by the weight of mounting scandals and misjudgements.
It turned out that Liz would make a few misjudgements of her own. Within 49 days (one for each year she’s been alive), she was out of office again. She now holds the dubious honour of shortest-ever serving UK Prime Minister, shattering the previous record set by George Canning in 1827 by more than half.
George Canning had a better excuse for his short term - he died from a bout of pneumonia. However, George is most remembered for resolving a cabinet dispute in the old-fashioned way. In 1809, on Putney Heath, Canning and Lord Castlereagh squared off for a duel. Castlereagh managed to hit Canning in the thigh. Canning was such a bad shot he missed Castlereagh altogether. The irony wasn’t lost that their disagreement was over military strategy.
Back to Liz. It sparked my curiosity about world political leaders who may have served for a shorter time than even her brief stint. Well, indeed, there were a few.
William Henry Harrison was the ninth and shortest-serving President of the United States in 1841. He managed 32 days before, like Canning, succumbing to pneumonia. Harrison contrasted his short stay in office by delivering the longest inaugural address in U.S. history. One hour and 45 minutes, in fact. This extended address, in the cold and wet without a coat, may well have brought on the pneumonia in the first place. You reap what you sow, I guess.
Frank Forde holds the record for Australian Prime Ministers at only 8 days. Towards the end of World War II, the incumbent, John Curtin, unexpectedly died. You’ll spot a theme here, though it wasn’t pneumonia this time. Forde stood in until Ben Chifley was elected Leader of the Australian Labor Party in July 1945.
Shifting gears a little, Joseph Goebbels, the infamous but effective Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi Party during World War II, became Chancellor in the dying embers of Nazi Germany. In May 1945, after Hitler committed suicide, Goebbels took office. He decided one day later to end it all rather than risk capture. Grimly, he and his wife also decided to take their five daughters and one son with them, death by cyanide.
But, today’s honour of the shortest-serving political leader goes to Pedro Lascurain. Pedro was President of Mexico for about half an hour in 1913. 'Ten Tragic Days', a sorry chapter in the 10-year Mexican Revolution starting in 1910, saw President Francisco Madero forced to resign as part of a coup led by General Victoriano Huerta.
Lascurain, next in line, became President. His only act, under duress, was to appoint Huerta as Minister of the Interior, making him next in line for the Presidency. Lascurain then dutifully stepped down, presumably with a gun at his head, allowing Huerta to become President.
Prudence paid off for Pedro, who lived to the grand old age of 96. The anniversary of his death some 72 years ago, 21 July 1952, is marked today.
Podcast episode... a look back
Episode 12. Winston Churchill's Last Bodyguard
The Potsdam Conference of 1945 was a key event towards the end of World War II. Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill came together to discuss the near future of liberated Europe.
They also issued the Potsdam Declaration this week on 26 July 1945, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender for the ongoing war in the east. On the same day, Churchill lost the British general election and left office. So, he immediately vacated his seat at Potsdam to be replaced by Clement Attlee, the new UK Prime Minister.
By the time Winston Churchill was back in office in 1951, he would have the protection of a new bodyguard, Edmund Murray. Murray would remain with Churchill for the remaining 15 years of his life. It is a touching story of trust and friendship between two contrasting individuals. I was lucky enough to learn more about Edmund Murray when I spoke to his son Bill Murray in the episode Winston Churchill's Last Bodyguard.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music or just about any other podcast player of your choice. Check out the show notes for the links and transcript to learn more.
My favourite quotes from Winston Churchill's Last Bodyguard...
"This is Murray sir", said Williams. Mr. Churchill moved his cigar to his left hand. I took his extended right lightly in mine, taking care as I have been warned to avoid clasping it firmly. The great man shook my hand, inspected me carefully, and belched.
I remember Dad saying to me when me and my sister met Sir Winston at 28 Hyde Park Gate, that Sir Winston did have very, very soft hands. That was absolutely true. Very friendly hands they were!
Dates with History...
Thursday…
I spent many of my earlier years in July following the Tour de France, surely the most prolific athletic event of them all. 21 stages, 2,200 miles and a total ascent that would scale Mount Everest over 5 times. It also has the breathtaking scenery, the intrigue, the romance and….. the drug cheats.
One of my heroes of the naughties was the American cyclist, Lance Armstrong. He won the Tour de France an incredible 7 times in a row between 1999 and 2005. This Thursday is the 25th anniversary of his first win, 25 July 1999.
The achievement would have been all the greater if he hadn’t been pickled with EPO, testosterone, corticosteroids and growth hormones. That’s not to mention the blood transfusions to increase his red blood cell count before a race.
Armstrong was stripped of all seven titles in 2012, and the titles went instead to……. no-one.
Well, there’s 7 years of my life I’ll never get back.
Also…
The much-hated Window Tax in England, Wales and Scotland was abolished this week on 24 July 1851. King William III (of the Orange variety) introduced the tax some 155 years earlier. Tax was charged to homeowners according to the number of windows in their property. Many homeowners bricked up their windows to reduce the tax burden. The unintended consequence was less light and air, leading to an increase in smallpox, typhus and cholera.
Question of the week...
Alexandre Dumas, the famous French novelist, was born on 24 July 1802, 222 years ago this Wednesday. He was a prolific writer, authoring over 200 books in his lifetime, but two of these are by far his most famous and enduring, recognised the world over. Can you name them?(answer at bottom of newsletter)
And finally...
“What’s Up Doc?”
Next Saturday is Bugs Bunny’s 84th birthday, originally broadcast in his current form on 27 July 1940. I was brought up with The Bugs Bunny Show and The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour, tied in with a helping of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
I was delighted to learn that Bugs Bunny is still going strong with today’s younger generation, albeit slightly less enthusiastically in Asia and Africa than perhaps it once was. I guess that combination of slapstick humour, bare-faced cheek and a smidgen of philosophy is still as relevant as it has always been.
As Bugs Bunny once said, "Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive!"
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Thank you for joining me. Have a great week!
Steve
HOST & CHIEF STORY HUNTER
P:S: Incidentally, I am always keen to receive your feedback to help me continuously improve this newsletter and the podcast. Just hit reply to this email and...... let it rip! I respond to every email that I receive.
Answer to Question of the week: Alexandre Dumas’s two most famous and enduring works are The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo.
The Three (Four!) Muskateers. Jules Huyot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
NEXT WEEK'S BREEZER
Oranges, lemons and Harold Habgood
LAST WEEK'S BREEZER
Here’s to Weary Dunlop, a true Australian hero
Attribution for cover image: Pedro Lascurain: Bain News Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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