May

                                         

                                            Gibraltarmonthly

 

May:

1 May 1707 - The Act of Union (agreed on 29^th April) came into force, uniting England and Scotland to become the United Kingdom.

 1 May 1781 (Gt Sge) Diary of Occurrences, Secretary’s Office: “The Governor gave directions for Inhabitants to be allowed free passage to Mahon aboard Minorca Transports.”

 1 May 1801 - Inauguration of Jumper's Well.

 1 May 1858 - The Alameda was first lighted by gas.

 1 May 1877 - Sir William H Doyle was sworn in as Judge of Supreme Court.

 1 May 1898 – The Times Gibraltar correspondent states that Spain has obtained delivery of 170,000 tons of coal ahead of the commencement of the war. (Spanish-American War)

 1 May 1901 – The Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce petitioned Sir M Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer, against taxing coal intended for colonial coaling stations. When compelled to find means for financing the war in South Africa, the Chancellor raised loans, increased income tax and introduced taxes on sugar and exported coal.

 1 May 1922 - The custom of signalling of vessels-sighted and firing morning and evening guns, from the summit signal station, was discontinued.

 1 May 1936 - Labour Day celebrations in Spain, all traffic being stopped, 700 passengers from Ronda on a visit to the Rock, were stranded at Algeciras being unable to obtain food or conveyances. Strikes followed. (Mayday is traditionally an ancient pagan festival which has been hijacked by the international Labour movement.)

 1 May 1954 – The Spanish Consulate in Gibraltar was closed, nine days before the Queen's visit.  Consul, Don Angel de la Mora y Arenas and vice Consul Leopoldo Yome were recalled to Madrid for consultations and the closure became permanent.

 1 May 2005 – Mersey Morris Men have been invited to take part in this years Mayday celebrations and will be demonstrating Morris and Rapper sword dancing this weekend. Dawn on Mayday traditionally sees Morris Sides all over England dancing as the sun comes up. This year Mersey Morris will welcome the sun on the more exotic location of the summit of the Rock.

 1 May 2007 - GB Airways began scheduled flights between Madrid and Gibraltar, which were subsequently withdrawn in September.

 2 May 1806 – HMS Niger captured the Spanish national schooner Virgen Del Carmen, Lieut. Luis Navaretta, bound for Guira with dispatches (thrown overboard) from Algeciras. At the end of 1807, Niger assisted in escorting Sir John Moore’s army from Gibraltar to England.

 2 May 1894 – The power of the light at Europa was improved and an explosive fog signal introduced. The 4 wick burner was replaced by a Douglas 8 wick burner increasing the light output to 35,000 candelas.

 2 May 1898 – There was a strike by the coal heavers, during which Mr James L Imossi and other merchants were ill-treated and severely injured. Troops were called out to restore order. The dispute was eventually settled by HE the Governor's mediation.

 2 May 1898 – British warship HMS Pallas has been ordered to Santiago de Cuba, in consequence of the British Consul there having been threatened with violence. (Sp-USA War)

 2 May 1899 – A collision occurred between steamers Saltwick and Mount Olivet in the Bay. Mount Olivet (2510 grt, single screw 260nHP) was en route from Iloilo (Philippines) to Montreal with a cargo of sugar, but sank as a result of the collision.

 2 May 1928 – Mr A.B. Hankey was appointed Justice of the Peace.

 2 May 1933 – The arrival of Rear Admiral F M Austin to replace Rear Admiral James as Rear Admiral in Charge and Admiral-Superintendent of HM Dockyard.

 2 May 1942 – The Admiralty decided that the 27^th Motor Launch flotilla must be reallocated to West Africa since the possibility of passing them through the Mediterranean was too remote. The remaining four M.L.s of the 3^rd Flotilla would wait at Gibraltar for an opportunity to arise.

 2 May 1959 – It was announced today in the Chronicle that plans for the new Gibraltar Casino, to be known as ‘Gibraltar International Sporting Club’ had been finalised and work is to start shortly. It remained only for the Government to approve the plans and it was expected the work would take two years.

 2 May 1961 – The Duke of Kent arrived in Gibraltar from Sierra Leone to refuel his aircraft, a Heron of the Queen’s Flight. He stayed at the Convent with the Governor and Lady Keightley.

 2 May 1982 – Some 323 souls aboard the 10,650 ton General Belgrano went to meet their maker when she was torpedoed by the submarine HMS Conqueror, in controversial circumstances. The Falklands War was said to be about sovereignty, the difference being that we do not control access to vast oil or mineral deposits.

 2 May 1982 – Operation Algeciras: A few days after the sinking of Belgrano, a team of saboteurs entered Spain from Argentina. The principal agents were Luis Albert Fernandez and Miguel Angel Godoy, who had sent Italian made explosive over to Spain in the Argentine Diplomatic Bag. Their intention was to limpet-mine HMS Ariadne and her attendant RFA on the 31^st May, in Gibraltar. With the connivance of the Spanish authorities (CESID) they set up shop in the Hotel Rio Grande, at San Roque, where they concealed their bombs. They hired a yellow Seat 127 to stow their sub-aqua gear, a zodiac and 6hp Yamaha outboard motor, and crossed by foot into Gibraltar to reconnoitre. Fernandez and Godoy, who had trained as suicide bombers at Puerto Belgrano, were assisted by two Argentine submariners, Victor Raul Madana and a man named only as Gonzalez. Their plan failed, apparently because the weather was too good for them to approach the Rock unseen by day. When they attempted to discharge their mission by night, they were arrested on the beach near Getares (?) by the Guardia Civil, who thought they were smugglers. It seems that CESID had not told the G.C. what was going on because they believed the G.C. 'were in league with Gibraltar smugglers.'

 2 May 2003 – RFA Fort Victoria returned to the Rock today around 1000am. She has been providing fuel and stores replenishment at sea to the amphibious task group in Operation Telic, the recent action in the Gulf.

 2 May 2004 – Type 42 destroyer HMS Glasgow docked in Gibraltar today on her way home from a six month deployment to the Falkland Islands. She was replaced in the South Atlantic by HMS Cardiff.

 2 May 2008 – The decision by GB Airways to sell their slots at Heathrow to Easyjet has created a serious shortage of air-freight space for all sorts of businesses. Easyjet does not carry freight and whilst BA does, its aircraft are smaller and it gives priority to passengers, luggage and mail, leaving a limited and often variable space for cargo. This has impacted on pharmaceuticals, small electronics, spares and goods with a limited shelf life. 

 3 May 1846 – Today saw the arrival of a Russian Squadron commanded by Admiral Lutke.

 3 May 1851 - Private McVane of the 55^th Regiment, whilst bathing between Catalin and Sandy Bay on the Mediterranean side of Gibraltar, about 130 yards from shore, suddenly sank to the bottom, a depth of 10 feet. Private Jewell, a comrade, had tried unsuccessfully to save him, being compelled to shake him off to save his own life. Gunner Gray immediately plunged in, and dived for the drowning man; the current however was so strong that he missed him the first and second attempt. He tried again, when, not being able to lay hold of the body with his hands, he contrived to grasp his neck with his feet, raised him to the surface and landed him safely on the beach. Had it not for the gallant and noble conduct of Gunner Gray, McVane must have been lost.

 3 May 1886 - Spaniard Francisco Contreras Castillo was hanged at Moorish Castle for killing Sapper Nettleton.

 3 May 1926 – UK General Strike.

 3 May 1951 – Thousands attended John Mackintosh Square and overflowed into the streets this evening, for a solemn service conducted by the bishop, Rt Rev RJ Fitzgerald, to give thanks for the loss of so few lives in the Bedenham explosion of 27^th April. The ceremony was conducted at an improvised altar in the Exchange Lobby.

 3 May 1968 – JMS was filled with people, some carrying banners, to give an expression of unity to Sir Joshua Hassan and Peter Isola on the eve of their departure to London to have discussions with the UK government in preparation for the Anglo-Spanish talks on Gibraltar to be held on the 18^th May.

 3 May 2002 – Foreign Secretary Jack Straw visited Gibraltar to be met by some 3,500   demonstrators outside the Convent. He was booed and called Judas and traitor by the angry crowd. There was an unfortunate incident, when a group of around 20 police officers surrounding Straw, attempting to move him from Convent Place to the Convent, charged at the crowd who had no space left to escape into. This was a riot tactic, used to snatch people at demos, not a crowd control measure and was wholly inappropriate; guess who got the blame. One of the results was that a 68 year old woman was knocked to the ground by the Police squad. An Inspector made an immediate appearance with a chair and a glass of water… thank goodness for old fashioned policing.

 4 May 1898 - The two sections of Admiralty Tunnel, driven through the heart of the Rock for the conveyance of material used in construction of the dockyard, met in the middle.

 4 May 1801 – This Saturday the first issue of the Gibraltar Chronicle was published. First editor, Charles Bouisson reported on ‘Intelligence from Egypt’ related to the five regiments from the garrison who had recently been deployed there.

 4 May 1877 – Dredger YC29, commissioned June 1868, had previously been HMS Blazer, (launched by John Laird & Co. Dingle, on 23 Feb 1856) was sold here today.

 4 May 1877 - The ex-Empress Eugenie of France, who had arrived on 1st May, departed for Malaga. Being a Spanish lady she was constantly jealous of her husband, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon 3^rd) who often gave her good reason to be so. When French all royalty were expelled in 1886 she settled in England.

 4 May 1954 – The Bland’s new passenger and car ferry Mons Calpe was successfully launched at the yard of the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company in Troon, by Lady Gaggero.

 4 May 1963 – HRH Princess Alexandra and the Hon. Angus Ogilvy landed at North Front on their way to Marbella for the second part of their honeymoon. The newly married couple were greeted at the airfield by the Governor, who then introduced the Mayor and the Air Officer Commanding.

 4 May 1964 – A heat wave hit Gibraltar when the temperature soared to 86’ Fahrenheit. There was no let up; the following day it reached a maximum of 85’. (29.5’C.)

 4 May 2004 – The body of a 42 year old male Spanish national, resident of La Linea was recovered from the waters of Marina Bay this morning by the Police motor boat.

 5 May 1781 – (Gt Sge) A soldier of the 58^th Regiment was executed at Grand Parade, at the door of the store where he was detected plundering. His body was left hanging until sunset, as a warning to others.

 5 May 1856 - The burial ground at Red Sands (now Alameda Garden) was closed.                          

 5 May 1821 - Napoleon died of (slow) arsenic poisoning, aged 51, at Longwood House, St Helena. Whilst dictating his will Napoleon said; “My death is premature. I have been assassinated by the British oligopoly and their hired murderer” Whilst it is true that arsenic caused his death, it may not have been murder. The house contained numerous articles riddled with arsenic; cosmetics, hair tonic, cigarettes, insect repellent and the daddy of them all… the wallpaper; where arsenic was used to produce a green colour.

5 May 1861 – James Brown, Private, Royal Engineers, had been put on board the iron screw frigate HMS Magaera, troop transport, as a lunatic, for passage to Portsmouth. Whilst off Lisbon, Pvt. Brown was walking to and fro on the upper deck when he eluded the watch of his keeper and jumped overboard. Lt. A Allington was on the upper deck and on hearing the cry Man Overboard seized one of the hand life-buoys, and as the man floated past, threw it as near to him as possible. Observing that the man appeared bewildered and judging that he would drown before a boat might reach him, Allington threw off his own coat and jumped overboard, swimming towards him. As Allington approached the man he was aware of his wild looks and concluded that he was the madman Brown. So, he swam to the life buoy and struck out with it towards Brown who was showing evident signs of going down, his head being underwater and the seas washing over him. At that moment the boat reached the spot, passing between the two people in the water; both were rescued in a very exhausted state.

 5 May 1950 – A mass meeting of 1000 people was held at the Theatre Royal at which it was agreed that traders should return their Trades Tax Assessment Forms to the government. Every trading establishment on the Rock remained closed from 1030 am until 3pm.

 5 May 1967 – Mrs Judith Hart, Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs arrived on the Rock for a four day visit to meet with all sections of the community and to see for herself the situation in Gibraltar under the Spanish restrictions.

 5 May 2005 – The Odyssey Explorer’s 15 day suspension of activity, reached one month today. It was initially agreed to placate the Spanish authorities but as we know (and Odyssey are finding out) giving-in to them only encourages them to make more demands. By the merest chance, HMS Scott, a R.N. hydrographic survey vessel arrived in port today. Her state of the art (SASS IV) Array Sounding System enables her to produce 3D images of the seabed, for the purpose of creating new charts. It is also quite handy for treasure hunting. 

 6 May 1773 – There was an earthquake across North Africa; Algiers and Tangiers were damaged and the sea much disturbed.

 6 May 1805 – The arrival of Lord Nelson with his squadron, departing to the westward (West Indies) shortly afterwards.

 6 May 1815 – Lt. Governor Sir George Don authorized a series of lotteries to fund the laying out of the Alameda Gardens. A total of 8 lotteries were held and the gardens opened a year later.

 6 May 1848 – Jews Gate Cemetery was finally closed for burials, a decision which was vigorously contested by the Jewish community to the extent that a letter was presented to the House of Commons. The government’s decision was ratified in a letter by the Colonial Secretary of 31^st May 1848. From then onwards all Jewish internments have been at N. Front. 

6 May 1876 – The laying of the foundation stone for Alexandra Battery at the root of South Mole.

 6 May 1914 – A new and revised edition of Gibraltar Laws compiled by Sir Bartle H.T. Frere (Chief Justice) when he was Attorney General came into force.

 6 May 1935 - Thanksgiving services for the Silver Jubilee of King George V's accession to the throne were held in the Catholic and C of E Cathedrals and the Synagogue. There was a trooping of the colours, a consular reception at Government House and a searchlights and fireworks display. At the opening of Our Day Fair at the Alameda by H.E. the Governor, a parade of schoolchildren was presented with Jubilee Medals by Lady Harington and other ladies. A feature of this year's fair was the celebration of the Annual Gibraltar Fair with the festivities of His Majesty's Silver Jubilee. The decorations and lighting were more elaborate than previously. Congratulatory messages were sent to Their Majesties and special Jubilee stamps put on sale. Local papers published special editions. His Majesty’s voice was heard quite audibly at the Alameda by means of loudspeakers. Celebrations in honour of the occasion lasted until the 19th May.

6 May 1968 - The Spanish Government closed the frontier to all persons except Spanish nationals entering Gibraltar daily to work and permanent civilian residents of Gibraltar who wished to apply for special passes to the military Governor of the Campo.

 7 May 1727 – (Sge of 1727) This morning, Ensign Stubbs of Colonel Egerton’s Regiment, retired a little out of camp and shot himself.

 7 May 1846 - Royal Highness' the Duke and Duchess of Coburg accompanied by the Govnr, Gen. Sir R. Wilson, laid the foundation keystone of the salient angle of Wellington Front.

  7 May 1859 - Arrival of HRH Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in HM Sloop Scourge from Civitavecchia, who landed at noon under royal salute and was received by the Governor proceeding through the city to North Front. HRH departed for England via Tangier, Cadiz & Lisbon on the night of 28 May 1859, on board the Royal Yacht Osborne. During his stay HRH visited Spain and Ceuta and great illuminations were spon­taneously prepared at Gibraltar. On his proceeding through the town to witness the same, enthusiastic cheering took place from the large crowds assembled throughout his progress. An address was presented to HRH on 11th May by the Chamber of Commerce, expressive of loyalty and devotion. The people, in their enthusiasm, removed the horses from HRHs carriage at the theatre on 12th May and drew it themselves to the Convent.

  7 May 1861 - Arrival of the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert with HM the Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria. She attended a Te Deum at the Church of St Mary the Crowned and with Lady Codrington, visited the works and part of the excavations. Next day she left for Palma in the same yacht. Sisi was an inveterate traveller, horsewoman and fashionista, obsessed with preserving her beauty, who was rarely seen in Vienna. She and her husband Franz Joseph didn’t really get on. She was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist in 1898 whilst visiting Geneva.

 7 May 1935 – A Naval Tattoo; a searchlight tattoo at North Front was held for four nights. This never-to-be-forgotten spectacle was one of the best ever seen at Gibraltar and many foreigners from Morocco and Spain witnessed the same. It was nightly proclaimed to have been the best item in the Jubilee Festivities Programme. Premises were decorated and two silver cups awarded as prizes. 

 7 May 1941 – Lord Gort was appointed Governor and Commander in Chief, arrived on The Rock, replacing Liddell and Mason-Mac.

 7 May 1942 – Operation Bowery:  The night of the 7/8 May the USS Wasp departed Gibraltar with 50 Spitfire embarked for Malta and was joined by HMS Eagle with another 17 Spitfires left from a previous Club Run. Sqdn Ldr Grant and Flt Lt Ron West were on board Eagle to lead the first two flights into Malta. Malta had 5 man teams ready to (first remove long range tanks then) refuel and re-arm the landed Spits and get them back in the air within 15 minutes of arrival. As the flights approached the island, Spitfires from Malta provided cover as Messerschmitts attempted to engage the new arrivals. All the first batch of Spits landed safely and within a few minutes several had been refuelled and re-armed. At 1055, eleven took off to attack the MEs.

 7 May 1943 – A Hudson aircraft X of 233 Sqdn and a Hudson aircraft I of 48 Sqdn sank U-boat U-447, Kapitan/Lt. Freidrich Bothe, with depth charges as she tried to enter the Med. west of Gibraltar at 35’30 N. 11’55 W.

 7 May 1943 – Battleship King George Vth arrived in Gibraltar from Scapa Flow accompanied by destroyers HMS Meteor, Troubridge and Tuscan, to commence her temporary duties with Force H.

  7 May 1954 – HE the Governor Sir Gordon Macmillan unveiled a WW 2 memorial tablet in the lobby of the Legislative Council Building (today’s Gibraltar Parliament). It commemorated Gibraltarians who had fallen in the war. The plaque reads: ‘In glorious memory of those who gave their lives in the War 1939 -45:  J Azzopardi, J Calamero, AW Carboni, GA Ensworth, T Hankey, GW Hosken, JR Rugeroni, AA Sanguinetti, J Viotto, J Zammit.’

 7 May 1968 – Economics Minister, Sol Seruya, said last night that Spain’s decision to close the La Linea border post between the colony and the Spanish mainland was serious. ‘But’ he added ‘Gibraltar is not going to capitulate as a result of the restrictive measure taken today.’ He continued ‘the shutdown at the border would affect 250,000 tourists as well as the people of Gibraltar.’ From now on, the only people allowed to cross the land frontier will be the 5000 Spanish workers who come to earn their living and Gibraltar civilians who get passes from the Spanish authorities. Despite anger in Gibraltar about the new restriction there were no incidents during the day.

  7 May 2001 – The crippled nuclear submarine HMS Tireless left Gibraltar this morning after a stay of nearly a year, whilst controversial repairs were carried out to her pressurised-water-reactor coolant system. Two eco-protestors, Antonio Munoz of Verdemar and Martin Caballero of Agaden, jumped into the sea at Queensway Quay and swam towards Tireless with a wreath before being intercepted by the RGP and held at NMH for their own safety. Thanks to Tireless, public awareness of nuclear hazards, particularly repair works, has been heightened locally.

 7 May 2003 – The arrival today of the USS Deyo caused alarm in the Spanish press who reported that she was carrying missiles armed with nuclear warheads. When questioned, the MoD stated categorically that; “There are no nuclear weapons in Gibraltar – on Gibraltar itself, the South Mole or anywhere else.” USS Deyo (DD986) is a Spruance Class destroyer launched in 1979, she carries Tomahawk cruise missiles of the type used in Iraq. She is driven by four gas turbines with 86,000 HP and can reach 33 knots. Deyo is on her way back from the Iraq conflict and called here on a ‘routine port visit.’

 7 May 2006 – Scotsman Antony Beretti arrived in Gibraltar on the latest leg of his trip from Calais to Brindisi, in his eco friendly Fiat Scudo 1.9ltr turbo diesel van which is fuelled exclusively by waste vegetable oil. Antony has vowed not to spend a single Euro on fuel during his trek across Europe. Instead he relies on café and restaurant owners to give him waste cooking oil, which they would otherwise have had to pay to dispose of.

 8 May 1782 - A meteor was seen.

 8 May 1875 – Hit & Run at sea: The barque Saga, bound to Malaga from New Orleans, was run into by a steamer during the night, some 24 miles East of Gibraltar. The steamer struck her on the bow and cut right through the planking, then backed clear and was not seen afterwards. Saga ran into Gibraltar and was almost filled with water. She discharged here. This is one of several similar occurrences reported lately.

8 May 1929 – A severe storm: Part of new building at the top of Boschetti's Lane collapsed.  Two people, Isobel Belilo and her son, were crushed to death.

 8 May 1942 - Force W sailed from Gibraltar during the night 7/8th consisting of the U.S. Carrier Wasp, HMS Eagle, Renown, Charybdis with British and U.S. destroyer for Operation Bowery to fly Spitfire reinforcements to Malta. Welshman also sailed from Gibraltar with stores for Malta.

 8 May 1943 - WW2 - The US freighter Pat Harrison was mined at Gibraltar and later written off as a total loss. One merchant seaman was killed but there were no casualties amongst the 26 man armed guards.

 8 May 1945 – Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) was celebrated on the Rock with the principal centre of festivities being Alameda Grand Parade. The Chronicle reported that 100K cigarettes, 8K pints of beer, 10K sandwiches, 3000 bottles of lemonade and about 5000 cups of tea would be distributed free of charge.

 8 May 1963 – The 4,500 ton British Freighter Monksgarth, bound for Middlesborough, put in at Gibraltar to land two British survivors picked up in the English Channel off Alderney. Mr Michael Brain Comerford and Mr Jack Auty’s small cabin cruiser had developed engine trouble and was making water in heavy seas. When their craft sank they had taken to a rubber dinghy and most of their personal possessions were lost. (It seems likely that the Monksgarth was collecting ore from Marbella, having rescued the survivors on the outward passage.)

 8 May 1967 – Two Spanish labourers, employed by the City Engineer’s Dept. of the City Council, were killed when sand above where they were working on the slopes above Sandy Bay, collapsed and buried them. The two men were Antonio Rico Ocana (41) of La Linea and Juan Rojas Castillo (48) of Los Barrios.

 8 May 1971 – According to the President of the EEC, Herr Walter Behrendt, that organisation has at no time thought of including Spain within its membership; “Only democratic countries are eligible to become members of the European Economic Community” said the Social Democrat leader.

 8 May 1971 – The Chronicle reports; HE the Governor will officially launch the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in Gibraltar, at 11.30 on Wednesday at the John Mackintosh Hall where an exhibition organised by Gibraltar’s National Award Committee will be open for people to acquaint themselves with the scheme.

 8 May 2002 – Panorama reports; “The Governor, David Durie, has broken his silence by lashing out against what he termed a small minority of Gibraltarians who took it upon themselves to be aggressive and intimidating, and even violent, towards the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw during his visit.”  It was most ironic that the Governor’s remarks were made at the RGP passing out Parade for new recruits, because it was a group of the Police officers that behaved aggressively, using inappropriate riot-tactics when crowd control measures were required. However, the irony was lost on Mr Durie since he was reacting to what he was told had happened - he wasn’t there to see it - by the same RGP officers. 

 9 May 1882 - A heavy storm.

 9 May 1850 - Arrival of His Serene Highness, Maximilian de Beauharnais the 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg. (A grandson of Napoleon’s 1^st wife, Empress Josephine, the Duke is 1^st cousin to Emperor Napoleon III of the French and Franz Joseph I of Austria. On his marriage to Grand Duchess Maria Nikoleyevna of Russia, in 1839, his father in law Nicolas I, granted him the Russian and Finnish title, Imperial Highness, a rank he was entitled to as a descendant of the extended dynasty of Napoleon I).

 9 May 1942 - Operation Bowery was carried out successfully. 58 Spitfires arrived at Malta during an air raid and were in action almost at once. A heavy air battle ensued in which thirty enemy aircraft were destroyed and damaged for the loss of three Spitfires. Force (W) turned back to Gibraltar after flying off the aircraft. There were indications of the possibility of a move into the Mediterranean by the French forces at Casablanca.

9 May 1945 - World War 2 ended.

9 May 1950 - The EEC was born with optimism, unconcious of the fact that some Mediterranean countries would eventually join for the sole purpose of milking it.

9 May 1952 - Huge crowds assembled along the route taken by Gibraltar's 47th Governor, Lt-General Sir Gordon Macmillan, to give him a warmand friendly welcome. In his speech to the Legislative Council he said he would aim at maintaining the happy relations between the Convent and all classes of the community and externally enhance the long existing relationship between Gibraltar and her neighbours.

9 May 1962 - English first division side Leicester City beat the GFA 5 - 0 at the Victoria Stadium.

9 May 1968 – Foreign Secretary, Mr Michael Stewart, made a strong protest to the Spanish Ambassador in London against the virtual closing of Spain’s frontier with Gibraltar. 

 9 May 1984 – AVRO Vulcan bomber XM571 arrived at Gibraltar to perform Gate Guard Duty as a static display alongside the runway. All Vulcans had been withdrawn from RAF service the previous month. It would eventually be scrapped on the pretext of corrosion; nothing at all to do with Spanish objections that placing it there was ‘provocative’.

 10 May 1847 - Opening of Theatre Royal with Verdi's opera Nabucodonosor in presence of HRH the Duke of Ostrogothia, the Governor and his daughter Miss Wilson and the Marchioness de Niza. When Corporal McLeod RA spoke the prologue written by the Governor and reached the "God save Great Britain's Loved and Lovely Queen" the house rose and responded with heartfelt hurrahs. The architect of the Theatre was Mr Bracebridge.

10 May 1877 - Proclamation published amending the Charter of Justice.

 10 May 1884 – The first round was fired from the 100 Ton gun.

 10 May 1942 - HMS Welshman arrived at Malta at 0525 and sailed again after unloading in seven hours. E boats attempted to intercept her on arrival off Grand Harbour but were driven off and repeatedly hit by Beryl and Trusty Star. Welshman had been examined by enemy aircraft on the 9th, but had assumed a French disguise and was not attacked.

10 May 1942 - Force W returned to Gibraltar and was dispersed. A report of the sailing of the Richelieu Class French Battleship Jean Bart from Casablance was not confirmed by reconnaissance. The Jean Bart was incomplete at the outbreak of war - only one of her turrets was installed - so when the Germans overran France, she was rushed to Casablanca to prevent her falling into enemy hands.

10 May 1954 - HM the Queen & Prince Philip visited Gibraltar, for two days, 10^th and 11^th but… for whatever reason… have never been back.

 10 May 1971 – The Chronicle reports: The green pasture where Gibraltar’s last milk cow lived, some 20 years ago, will soon be converted into housing for UK dependent families. The old Rolly-camp is being marked out by the DoE.

10 May 1984 – Recent discoveries in Collins cave, 350 feet above sea level on the east side, have yielded further information about Neolithic life on the Rock. Among implements discovered were hammer-stones, a fractured stone anvil, and cores of flint, quartzite and red jasper. Those few which had been worked into tools, particularly a blade and a skin scraper, showed a remarkable standard of workmanship. Some 300 bones were excavated including ibex, fish and birds. Around 500 fragments of pottery were unearthed pointing to the industry of Neolithic cave dwellers who lived on the rock around 3000 BC.

 10 May 2004 – HM Submarine S91, Trenchard, arrived in Gibraltar today amidst a storm of protest by Spanish ecologistas, who – strangely - feel able to protest about events in Gibraltar but apparently not Spain.

 11 May 1781 - (Gt Sge) Scarcely a house north of Grand Parade tenantable. 

 11 May 1832 – HMS Firebrand, a former gun vessel now an Admiralty Yacht, arrived at Gibraltar from Falmouth and Cadiz carrying mail and despatches. This 6 gun, 260hp paddle steamer had been built in 1831 and incorporated novel ‘splendid’ engines by the Butterly Company.  She left two days later with mail for the Mediterranean. Throughout the following years she was a regular visitor to The Rock. In 1842 Firebrand was renamed Black Eagle following her employment in bringing the King of Prussia from Ostend to England. She continued to be used as an Admiralty Yacht.

 11 May 1876 - Second evening gun fired at 10pm.

 11 May 1945 – Colonial Secretary George Henry Hall sent out this memo: “Our ultimate ideal would be to break up Gibraltar as a community and leave it as it was originally formed, a small parasitic population hanging around the port and fortress.” George had started work in Penrikyber Colliery, aged 12, and remained a collier until becoming Check Weigher, Local Agent for the South Wales Miners Federation, then eventually was elected to parliament in 1922. He certainly had a dim view of us.

 11 May 1954 – Travelling in the Royal Yacht Britannia, HM Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prince Philip with 4yr old Charles and 3yr old Anne visited Gibraltar for a two day visit.

 11 May 1971 – The Chronicle reports: The public are warned that the southern entrance to Keightley Way Tunnel will be closed from 1030 to 1130 today, to allow removal of a dangerous boulder by blasting.

 11 May 2004 – Today, the Princess Royal block at Europa was demolished by contractors Monteverde on behalf of the owners, MoD. This 200 year old heritage asset was in poor condition but could easily have been saved – had anyone cared. To add insult to injury, a Cadiz plated wagon taking rubble from the site knocked lumps out of Ragged Staff Gate as it passed through. The wagon which barely squeezed through, was clearly too big for Gibraltar’s roads.

 11 May 2004 – A Russian built Antonov AN-12, belonging to Bulgaria based contractor Bright Aviation, arrived today. The aircraft stayed on the Rock overnight after collecting a cargo of jeeps, which it will deliver to Khartoum.

 11 May 2004 – The tourism industry is very concerned about Spain’s recent stroke; cruise liners leaving Gibraltar are being refused entry to Spanish ports. Another liner did not call here yesterday to avoid problems during the rest of her cruise. This same day the European Union accused Spain of illegal ‘state aid’ for injecting 500M Euros into government owned shipyards in Cadiz and Seville. Since Spain has no money, it can only have come from one place.

 12 May 1773 – The town was divided into 3 civilian and 6 military districts

 12 May 1857 – The Duke and Duchess d'Aumale arrived. (Henri d’Orleans was the 5^th son of King Louis Philippe 1^st of the French and distinguished himself in the invasion of Algeria where he became governor in 1847. Subsequently in 1886 all heads of royal families were expelled from France.)

 12 May 1864 – A large English vessel, name unknown, has been wrecked on the African coast near the Spanish settlement of Albucemas. Three of the crew were drowned and seven were taken to Tangiers in a Riff boat. The wreck has entirely broken up. HM gunboats Redpole and Procris have been despatched, the former to save whatever has been left of the ship and cargo, the latter to bring over the crew from Tangiers. (Albucemas/Alhucemas is now Al Hoceima)

 12 May 1927 - Opening of 'Our Day' Empire fair by Governor, it was the first fair to be held since 1914.

 12 May 1935 – Thanksgiving services were held at C of E and R C churches in honour of HM’s silver jubilee; the Hebrew community held their service on the previous day. Jubilee Medals were presented to members of the forces, opposite Government House. A Jubilee Regatta was held.

 12 May 1937 – The Coronation of King George VI took place at Westminster Abbey.

 12 May 1945 – Four days after Germany’s capitulation, U-boats U 485 and U 541 approached Gibraltar flying the White Ensign above their Swastikas.  They both then surrendered at Gibraltar. Both were transferred to Northern Ireland and, as part of Operation Deadlight, were sunk off the N. Irish Coast in December ’45 and January ’46.

 12 May 1997 - Crowds of Gibraltarians assembled at the frontier, waving their passports and shouting NO to Spain. Immediately afterwards, the Adaunas put the screws on, generating long queues and a Spaniard from Estepona died from a severe heart attack, whilst queuing in the sun.

 12 May 2002 – The eleven year old Guardia Civil launch Alcazar 1 of Algeciras, blazed and sank near Tarifa this morning whilst the crew executed routine maintenance work. The fire was extinguished with the help of the passenger ferry Euroferrys Pacifica and no casualties were reported. The cause of the accident is as yet unknown.

 12 May 2002 – This evening around nine pm, twelve immigrants on board a sinking vessel in the Strait, west of Tarifa, were saved when one of them managed to alert Spanish Police via his mobile phone.

 12 May 2003 – The Ticonderoga class US Guided missile cruiser USS Cape St George arrived today for a routine port visit.

 12 May 2006 – HMS Enterprise, one of the Royal Navy’s Echo Class Survey Vessels arrived in port today. Built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Appledore and launched in 2002 she is the second SVHO Echo class vessel. In the last 7 ½ months Enterprise has completed a comprehensive oceanographic survey of the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, operating in waters rife with smuggling & piracy.

 13 May 1794 – Saw the death of Governor Sir Robert Boyd, whose body is interred in a magazine lighting passage at Kings Bastion.

 13 May 1924 – A pillar box near The Mount was set on fire, but only three letters were unrecognizable.

 13 May 1931 – The death occurred, at Ripon, of Major General J.C. Dalton RA, a former deputy governor of Gibraltar.

 13 May 1968 – Sir Joshua Hassan and Peter Isola arrived back in Gibraltar after their meetings in UK with Commonwealth Secretary Mr George Thomson and Minister of State Lord Shepherd. Mr Thomson had decided to visit the Rock to continue talks where they had left off. Mr Thomson duly arrived on the 22^nd May.

 13 May 2000 - Gibraltar, Algeciras, La Linea, Los Barrios, San Roque and Ceuta took part in The 3rd Straits Games, a co-operative cultural exchange for more than 600 school children at the Victoria Stadium. On their way back across the border each child was individually searched by the Aduanas.

 14 May 1771 - Healy's Mortar, cut into the living rock, was fired for the first time.  It was charged with 27lbs of powder and 1470 stones, each one not exceeding 1 & 1/2lbs in weight. Some say it proved unsuccessful since most of the stones fell within the fortress, along the Line Wall (La Batteria); some say that was the intention, the destruction of invaders.

 14 May 1854 – C. Bouisson, Chronicle Editor since 1801, died and was buried in Sandpits (Withams) Cemetery.

 14 May 1867 – The USS Miantonomoh, an iron-clad turret ship arrived in Gibraltar accompanied by the USS Augusta. She is one of four monitors designed by John Lenthal and built for the Union Navy.  She is the first vehicle of her class to visit the Rock and is the object of much curiosity. The Chronicle reported: ‘The feeling that would be uppermost in most minds when first beholding this monstrum informe, ingens, of the waters, would be one of surprise that she could cross the Atlantic. Two huge turrets, the funnel and the ship’s boats, suspended on their davits high in the air, are nearly all that is seen above water. The ship herself is a great platform rising little more above the surface of the sea than her own boats.’ ‘Her hitting apparatus, the two impenetrable towers with their Dahlgren 480 pdrs, of which she carries two in each turret, is the only part she presents to an enemy, while the only part that he could hit to do her an injury is wisely screened below the waves, except the narrow rim that, like the tower, is invulnerable.’ Miatonomoh left Gibraltar next day.  There is a mystery here. This report was republished in the New Zealand press on 24^th May 1867… ten years before international telegraphy reached New Zealand…

 14 May 1870 – The Cableships Scanderia and Edinburgh commenced laying the first section of the 1200nM telegraph cable from Malta to Gibraltar. CS Scanderia then laid the second section from Gibraltar to Carcavelos and the CS Hibernia laid the third section, Carcavelos to Porthcurno in Cornwall. This completed the first long distance chain of direct submarine telegraph cable in the British Empire, which then opened for public service in June 1870.

 14 May 1906 - Arrival of H.M. Queen Alexandra on board the Royal Yacht, accompanied by Princess Victoria. During their stay they drove through town, visited Algeciras and the Waterfalls, Guadacorte (residence of Mr Larios) and Mr Benoliel's establishment. They left on the 17th May.

 14 May 1967 – Spanish Air Ban. The Spanish government has unilaterally imposed an Air Ban (no fly zone) in the areas adjacent to Gibraltar, as of midnight tonight. The ban on military aircraft over-flying Spain has been in place for a long time, but now Franco intends to deny commercial flights, in an attempt to strangle our tourism industry. Britain intends to disregard the proposed prohibition. Since Britain will continue using the airport, it remains to be seen what practical steps Spain will take to enforce the ban. It seems that nothing short of military action by Spain will enforce the ban. A British European Airways Comet is due at 8am and there are four flights by GB Airways to and from Tangier. The Gibraltar government is keenly awaiting the next reaction from Madrid to Britain’s firm stand against Spain’s ban on air traffic over territory adjoining the isthmus.

 14 May 1935 – An amateur exhibition of Special Jubilee paintings was opened at the Exchange & Commercial Library by H.E. the Governor.

 14 May 2003 – An important bronze-age site has been found in Bray’s Cave. The Gibraltar Museum working with the Museo de El Puerto Santa Maria, believe they have found a ritual site dating from around 1500BC, which is unique in southern Iberia. They have also discovered a copper age burial from 2400BC at the same site. The site is a collective burial within the cave and contains three crania superimposed on each other without anatomical connections. There are also ceramic and ritual foods; remains of goat, birds and marine molluscs. Perhaps most interestingly there is an amber necklace, possibly of Black Sea origin, suggesting the possibility of trade or at least the arrival of sailors in the 2^nd C B.C.

 14 May 2005 – The Pipes and Drums of the Gibraltar Sea Scouts were joined in Main Street today by the Corvera-Lluanca Pipe Band from Asturias, entertaining the crowds with a selection of Irish, Scottish and Asturian tunes. It was excellent. Subsequently, they all gave a concert at the Alameda Open Air theatre which was well received. The Corvera-Lluanca had even written a tune especially for Pipe Major Emeritus Tony Galliano.

 15 May 1856 - Money orders were issued for first time.

 15 May 1874 – A deputation from the Exchange Committee petitioned H.E. regarding the inadequacy of the Gibraltar Police force. The establishment was increased by six men shortly afterwards.

 15 May 1898 – (Sp-American War) The Gibraltar authorities have been notified, that until further notice, no lights will be exhibited by night in the ports and harbours of Algeciras, Malaga and Cadiz and their respective coasts. The telegraph and postal establishments throughout Spain and especially at Cadiz are now very rigidly watched and scrutinised by Spanish officials, rendering it exceedingly difficult to obtain any reliable information regarding naval movements in that quarter.  (Horatio Sprague)

 15 May 1930 - Opening of Montagu (mixed) Sea Bathing Pavilion by H.E. the Governor, General Sir Alexandra Godley.

15 May 1934 – Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the arrival of the nuns of Gavino’s Asylum at Gibraltar.

 15 May 1944 – A US Air Force P-51 Mustang pilot, shot down over France, arrived in Gibraltar after evading the enemy with the help of the Maquis. He was Charles Elwood (Chuck) Yeager who, three years later in October ’47 would become the first man to break the sound barrier in level flight. (Bell X-1 experimental aircraft)

 15 May 1960 – The Right Reverend AH Eley was enthroned as the Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The diocese was formed in 1842 and is the largest, geographical diocese in the Anglican Communion covering one sixth of the Earth’s landmass.

 15 May 1960 – A USSR whaling factory and oil refinery, the Yuri Dalgoruky with sixteen whale catchers, arrived in Gibraltar from the South Atlantic. They had an estimated total complement of 1200 men and women. The ships are expected to leave for Odessa during the next few days.

 15 May 1965 – The evening daily newspaper El Calpense became a bi-lingual weekly newspaper after previously publishing only in Spanish.

 15 May 1967 – Today, Monday, Spain introduced her ‘air-ban’ on the Gibraltar approach and attempted to reinforce it by flying Spanish air force Sabre jets, along the frontier line. The stunt was colloquially nicknamed ‘Franco’s Follies’.

 15 May 1967 – The first civil flight landed in Gibraltar since Spain imposed prohibited flying zones around Gibraltar, designed to impede air access to Gibraltar.

 15 May 1992 - Sir Anthony Kershaw, Chairman of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, told GBC's Clive Golt; "I do not feel it's immoral to get rid of Gibraltar now that it is no longer needed."  (To quote Michael Foot; if all else fails, tell the truth)  Writing in the Times, he said that he believed the pre-amble to the Constitution of Gibraltar should be scrapped and an Andorra solution studied. He summed it up by stating “20,000 Gibraltarians ought not to have a veto on British policy. I hope HMG will stop sitting on its hands and will agree to modify the Treaty of Utrecht”. Sir Anthony Kershaw, had a distinguished war record and career as a Conservative MP, serving on the 1922 committee; he died in 2008.

 15 May 2000 - 10th anniversary of the establishment of Gibraltar Nynex which replaced the old Telephone Department in 1990. At that time there was a 15 seconds wait to get dial tone, 1000 people on the waiting list and it often took several months to get your new line connected. In 1990 there were 14,000 subscribers; in 2000 there are 31,000 customers.

 16 May 1815 – The first of 8 lotteries, for the Alameda, was held today.

 16 May 1863 - Arrival of new clock for tower of St Mary the Crowned, to replace the old one which had been in use for the previous 121 years.

 16 May 1874 – Ex-Governor Lt-General Sir A Wilson RA, died.

 16 May 1940 – Orders arrive from London begin the evacuation of civilians.

 16 May 1954 – In response to the Queen’s visit General Franco wrote an article, published in Madrid, in which he said that; ‘the visit had added to the differences of opinion already existing between Britain and Spain.’ It had… ‘united Spaniards in the sad decision that Gibraltar shall not go on living at the expense of Spain, that the smuggling and speculation centred there shall cease once and for all. ’ and now the best bits…. He said: ‘No one will have pointed out to Her Majesty that La Linea is a slum and that Gibraltar is the equivalent of the city, that Gibraltar throws its garbage into La Linea, that during two centuries Britain has exploited the misery of La Linea by giving lower pay to workers of that town, and what is worse, has taken advantage of the necessity engendered by poverty to satisfy the animal desires of the soldiers and sailors of Her Majesty. No one will have explained to the Queen that the prosperity of the Rock, from the worthy Governor’s pay down to the smallest municipal expenditure, comes from official exploitation of the smuggling of goods into Spain. 

  16 May 1958 – Governor Sir Harold Redman presided over the last Legislative Council meeting today. His term of office was due to end a week later.

 16 May 1967 – The Spanish ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office to be told that it was the intention of the British Government to uphold its rights to use Gibraltar airport for both civil and military flights… por culo Cortes.

 16 May 1969 – The Governor, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg officially opened the new Coca Cola bottling plant at Saccone and Speed, Devil’s Tower Road.

 16 May 1985 – Speaking at a press conference in La Linea, Spanish Opposition Party leader Sr Manuel Fraga Iribarne, accused the PSOE government of having tricked the Spanish people. He said; “They should have been honest and said that Britain had got them in a corner, instead of coming up with triumphant political statements and empty promises of economic prosperity for the region.” Sr Fraga complained that the way the frontier had been opened has not only been disadvantageous for La Linea, it had opened the port of Algeciras to competition and had a hard hitting effect on Ceuta. (Spain was refused entry to NATO whilst forcibly incarcerating civilians of a NATO member state.)

 16 May 2002 - The Voice of Gibraltar Group issued a declaration to coincide with today’s ceremony of the keys. The declaration demands the resignation of the Governor, David Durie, for conduct unbecoming his office and state that he is no longer to be trusted to hold the keys to Gibraltar. Hear, Hear. (Durie was sent to Gibraltar on the promise of a knighthood if he kept the natives in order whilst Blair and Straw arranged our handover to Spain. Durie failed - as did Blair & Straw - but still received a knighthood and, as a bonus, Spain gave him one too.) Excuse me… the bone through my nose is itching.

 17 May 1881 – A meeting of the R.C. community at the Theatre Royal protested against the appointment of Reverend Gonzalo Canilla as Vicar Apostolic.

 17 May 1900 - Opening of a Hebrew Asylum for the aged and needy in South District.

 17 May 1905 - HM Queen Alexandra arrived, accompanied by Princess Victoria and Prince & Princess Charles of Denmark on an unofficial visit. HRH had tea at the Convent with Lady White and drove to the station hospital with Lady White and General JC Dalton, the acting Governor.

 17 May 1906 – HM the Queen and Princess Victoria set sail for England.

 17 May 1913 - His honour the Chief Justice determined that regulation with reference to the route to be taken by workmen leaving the dockyard was invalid. The regulation was repealed in November of this year. Governor Gen. Sir Archibald Hunter had insisted that workers leaving the dockyard should not go through town and issued an order to that effect. He also said; ‘that he knew Gibraltar better than anyone else; that the Chamber of Commerce thought about nobody but themselves; that Gibraltar juries were notoriously unjust; that he might soon have to establish a press censorship; that Gibraltarians speak worse English than Egyptian donkey boys and that this town is like the Augean stables.’ (Cleaning the Augean Stables was Hercules 5^th task) Hunter continued; ‘I am determined to exact order and decency here from everybody who comes into the fortress I command.’ Clearly Archie was not our biggest fan. The result was that after various memorials were addressed to the Secretary for the Colonies, the Governor was given 3 months leave-of-absence whilst the communities’ concerns were addressed. Hunter did not return to the Rock.

 17 May 1927 – A banquet, given by Consul-General Sr. Don Lopez Ferrer, was attended by H.E. the Governor Sir Charles & Lady Monroe, in honour of HM the King of Spain on the occasion of his birthday and 25^th anniversary of his coronation on 27^th May.

 17 May 1927 – Mr HEC Merrick appointed Auditor of Gibraltar.

 17 May 1932 - Cars without pneumatic tyres paid 100% licence surcharge.

 17 May 1951 – The Military Governor of Algeciras, Don Antonio Barroso Sanchez-Guerra, paid an official visit to H.E. the Governor, General Sir Kenneth Anderson. As is the custom the two governors exchange formal calls, with the newly appointed governor calling first. He was returning the call made by General Anderson on the 14^th May. General Barroso arrived by sea and was accorded a 17 gun salute as he stepped ashore and again as he embarked after visiting the Convent. The route was lined with troops and General Barroso inspected a Guard of Honour at the steps and again at the Convent.

 17 May 2005 – Soldiers from 20 Field Squadron R.E. recovered the first of two lightning conductors which ran from the top of the rock down to ground level near to Williams Way. The steel and copper conductors weigh 1.5 tonnes each and are being safely recovered by being manually winched to the top of the rock. The first was recovered tonight and the second will be on Thursday night (20^th).

 18 May 1905 – A Torchlight Tattoo was held in the Alameda to honour the visiting Queen Alexandra.

 18 May 1942 – Execution in England of Gibraltarian Jose Key: for aiding the enemy in time of war.

 18 May 1966 - First Anglo-Spanish talks about Gibraltar.

 19 May 1160 – (Depending on your calendar) The foundations were laid of Medina del Fath, the new city of Gibraltar. One translation is City of Victory or Triumph.

 19 May 1781 - (Gt Sge) Inhabitants have constructed temporary sheds in the gullies between Buena Vista and Europa, Windmill Hill and other parts of the Rock.

 19 May 1881 – The steamers Adriana and Unity collided off Europa Point.

 19 May 1930 - The giant airship Graf Zeppelin flew low over Gibraltar, taking photographs for the German military command.

 19 May 1934 – The death occurred at Glasgow of Reverend Ian Brown Smith, M.A. Church of Scotland minister at Gibraltar.

 19 May 1961 - A Russian shipmaster asked for political asylum in Gibraltar. It is unlikely it was granted; usually asylum seekers are shipped out to UK for due process.

 19 May 2002 – Some 15 boats were destroyed or sank at their Watergardens Quay pontoon moorings, by a blaze set this evening by a man and two girls after a disagreement with a boat owner earlier today.

 20 May 1781 – (Gt Sge) Diary of Occurrences, Sec. Office: ‘Proclamation by Quarter Master General; all Inhabitants desirous of going to England to give their names into the Office.’

 20 May 1831 – The first General Criminal Session of the Supreme Court was held. Three men were found guilty of robbery and sentenced to death.

 20 May 1857 – The Austrian frigate SMS Novara arrived in Gibraltar for a stay of ten days. The crew were invited by the Governor, Lt. Gen. Sir James Fergusson, to attend Queen Victoria’s birthday celebrations. The Novara was undertaking a circumnavigation of the globe.

 20 May 1883 - Inauguration of the Bull Ring in La Linea, built by subscription of merchants including many from Gibraltar, and led by Pablo Larios (nieto).

 20 May 1907 – The Royal Artillery Band played at the Alameda for the first time.

 20 May 1955 – A new Governor, Lt-General Sir Harold Redman, arrived in Gibraltar.

 20 May 1968 – Minister of Defence, Denis Healey, arrived in Gibraltar as part of his tour of British Services stationed in the Mediterranean area. (A bit of a jolly… eh?)

 20 May 2000 - The Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless limped into Gibraltar under auxiliary diesel power after a leak in her reactor cooling system caused her withdrawal from her UK taskforce assignment. The MoD assured us that no nuclear hazard existed. In fact, no NATO ally in the Med would accept her; and we had no choice. During the repair, some Spanish senators were shown the work to demonstrate that no risks attended it. When CM Peter Caruana was given a similar tour, all the relevant parts were covered with a white sheet. 

 20 May 2004 – A 2,440 ton WW2 submarine, SS 394 USS Razorback, called at Gibraltar this week one her way back home to the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, in North Little Rock, where she is to become an exhibit. Commissioned into the USN on 3^rd April 1944 she is a Guppy IIA Class sub and served at Pearl Harbour throughout the war under her first two captains; Roy S Benson & Charles D Brown. She was present in Tokyo Bay at the signing of the peace treaty and is the only USN ship to have won battle stars in WW2 and Vietnam. In 1970 she was sold to Turkey who has just retired her after 30 years service. The Turkish government donated her to the museum and made the repairs required for her tow across the Atlantic.

 21 May 1846 - HM Brig Phantome (1839, 16 gun) accidentally discovered the wreck of the British SS Ruth near Cape Tres Forcas. The Moors opened fire on armed boats, who were recovering property and the Phantome and the boats returned fire. Midshipman Boyce was killed and Lieut Sanderson and 10 men were wounded. Midshipman Boyce was buried at Sandpits Military Cemetery on 24th May.

  21 May 1870 - Capture by brigands of Messrs Bonnell (uncle and nephew) at a venta near the Zabal. They were only released on payment of a $27,000 (£6000) ransom advanced from the Colonial Chest by H.E. the Governor. They were returned to Gibraltar on board SS Trinculo from Puerto Santa Maria. On their return, the same day, the brigands were waylaid by a party of Civil Guards, and as they resisted, three were killed. One Guardia Civil also died in the incident; the Bonnell family handing $500 dollars to the Spanish Consul to aid the dead man's family. The greater part of the ransom was found on the brigands’ bodies and in a nearby cortijo. General Prim and Srs. Rivero and Sagasta, on being informed by the British Ambassador, promised that the ransom would be (re)paid by the Spanish Government.

 21 May 1897 - HE the Governor General Sir Robert Biddulph started a project to create a small local museum; 3 cases containing specimens of pottery, stone implements, etc. were placed in the Garrison Library.

 21 May 1916 - Tobacco duty was raised to 2 and 1/2d per pound.

 21 May 1924 – The Fortress gates were closed to both ingress and egress at 10 pm.

 21 May 1925 – Governor Colin Campbell's - 114 year old - stone gateway at Europa Pass was demolished.

 21 May 1934 – Opening of the Empire Fair festivities at the Alameda by H.E. the Governor, Gen. Sir C.H. Harington, accompanied by Lady Harington; the illuminations being very effective with the arms of Gibraltar. The Band of the Spanish Foreign Legion, with its mascot – a sheep – attracted many thousands when they gave a concert.

 21 May 1940 – The beginning of the evacuation to UK of all families of British military personnel was followed next day by mandatory evacuation of all other civilians to French Morocco; with more than 11,000 transported over the next four weeks.

 21 May 1954 – The Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, told the House of Commons that no promise to cede Gibraltar to Spain had been made during the late war. This was a reaction to a statement to the contrary by General Franco.

 21 May 1962 – The Spanish frontier authorities announced that no north bound French or Moroccan car would be allowed to cross the frontier at the La Linea frontier. It was understood that this action followed the case, a few days previously, when a quantity of arms, including 5 sub-machine guns, was found in a car driven by a French Moroccan. It was further understood that a number of persons considered undesirable by the Spanish, had been entering on false passports from North Africa.

 21 May 1998 - A 3 day visit from Itshak Levy, deputy P.M. of Israel, whose father was born in Ceuta, and whose grandfather and great-grandfather were both born in Gibraltar.

 21 May 2002 - A Monarch Airlines 757-200, flight ZB064 from Luton, landed apparently normally tonight but put the nose wheel down heavily resulting in suspected damage to the nose wheel gear. All 165 passengers alighted as normal. A replacement aircraft flew in to take off the outgoing passengers and the 757 remains stranded here until repairs are effected. It is possible that our short runway contributed to the event; only last week another Monarch aircraft burst a tyre on landing.

 21 May 2003 – A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck northern Algeria 45 miles east of the capital, Algiers. It killed 2,268 injured 10,147 and left 200,000 people homeless and was the largest earthquake to hit Algeria since 1980. In Gibraltar it disrupted communications for private leased circuit customers as both the FLAG and SEAMEWE-3 cable consortiums were affected. Gibtelecom’s IDD, ISDN and IP services remained unaffected but Gibnet reported that their leased line with Gibtelecom to London was currently down (because of a fault in Spain) leaving Gibnet customers with no international connectivity. Repairs were not expected to take long and in fact Gibnet found a solution and service was restored later in the morning. 

 22 May 1781 - (Gt Sge) The morning gun on South Bastion was fired by a splinter of a shell.

 22 May 1782 - (Gt Sge) 80 dollars given for a sheep, bread scarce.

 22 May 1900 – Sir George Stuart White, VC, became Governor of Gibraltar at a salary of £4500 per annum. This was somewhat less than the Sir Francis Grenfell, Governor of Malta, at £5000 or the Captain General of Jamaica, also £5000. A typical salary for UK professional would have been around £700 p.a. and a working man around £42 p.a.

 22 May 1933 - Empire Fair opened H.E. the Governor and Lady Godley.

 22 May 1932 - Postage to UK 1 and 1/2 pennies.

 22 May 2002 – Tonight’s GB Airways flight arrived 24 minutes late as a result of unauthorised military activity within yards of the airport by two Spanish Harrier jets. The Harriers were observed by MoD, making a mock attack on nearby rural areas of La Linea, and the information was reported to Seville ATC who required the GB Airways flight to stay safely to the East until the warplanes withdrew.

 22 May 2004 – The Bristol registered Kaskelot a 153 foot replica of a 3 masted 19^th century barque arrived in port today from Charlestown Dock, St Austell. She is engaged in filming a TV program, Press Ganged, to be screened later this year. Built from oak for the Danish government in 1948, she was used as a trading and supply ship for the remote Greenland settlement and as a hospital ship and surgery for the Eskimos until 1970. Her name means Sperm Whale in Danish. In 1981 she was purchased by Square Sail and re-rigged to feature as Captain Scott’s Terra Nova for the film Last Place on Earth and subsequently featured in Three Musketeers and Return to Treasure Island. On 24^th May she departed for Funchal. 

 23 May 1873 – There was a fire at the Straw Stores, North Front.

 23 May 1914 - Third annual Gibraltar Fair which lasted until 3rd June. Owing to the outbreak of war the fair was discontinued and eventually resumed in 1927.

 23 May 1917 - A sun-halo of abnormally large proportions was observed today

 23 May 1921 - Visit to Gibraltar by Emperor Hirohito of Japan, included a (not the 30/4) tour of Europa Lighthouse, where he signed visitor book.

 23 May 1932 – Opening of the Empire Fair.

 23 May 1943 – A Consolidated B.24 Liberator, Reg. AM911, rolling towards take-off at North Front, experienced an engine fire and landing gear failure just prior to rotation. The aircraft went out of control and came to rest near the runway end. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

 23 May 2005 – The Dockwise Company’s heavy lift vessel Teal was off detached mole today transporting a Russian submarine believed used for oceanographic exploration.

 24 May 1781 - (Gt Sge) A shell fell in a house in Hardy-Town killing the occupants.

 24 May 1842 - The Alameda was opened to the public.

 24 May 1902 – The first Empire Day was celebrated and the date chosen was Queen Victoria’s birthday. It was to become recognised as an official event in 1916. Empire Day remained an essential part of the calendar for the next 50 years until, embarrassed by the evaporation of the Empire, it was re-badged as British Commonwealth Day in 1958. Later in 1966 the name was changed to Commonwealth Day and the date changed to 10^th June, the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

 24 May 1910 - Empire Day celebrated by unveiling of Queen Victoria's memorial at Governor's Parade.

 24 May 1912 - First Gibraltar Fair was held at the Alameda Gardens.

 24 May 1913 - The second Gibraltar Fair commenced and lasted until 3rd June. It was even more successful than the first!

 24 May 1924 – News published of two very interesting relics at King’s Chapel, consisting of the tombs of Juan Calbo and Peter Duranda.

 24 May 1935 – The Band, Drummers and Pipers of the Gordon Highlanders left for Madrid to give two performances.

 24 May 1942 – Submarine HMS Traveller arrived at Gibraltar to join the First Submarine Flotilla. She was retained to operate from here for the present.

24 May 1999 - Today the SS Norway, at 1035 feet the longest passenger ship ever built (until QE2 in 2008) visited Gibraltar and had to anchor off in the bay because of her deep draught. Around 1970, when she held the Transatlantic Blue Riband, as SS France, she once arrived in New York where stevedores found the mast and rigging of a sailing boat jammed in her anchor hawse pipe. Clearly she had run down some yacht without even being aware if it. In 1974 the C.G.T. decided to retire her and 800 of the crew seized the ship and anchored her in the entrance to Le Havre, blocking the port to all traffic. They demanded a pay rise of 35% and to continue to serve in her. It didn't happen; instead she was moored at the 'pier of the forgotten' for the next four years. In 1977 a Saudi millionaire bought her for $24M, his plans unrealised, he sold her for $18M to the Norwegian Caribbean Line and she was registered in Oslo as SS Norway. She was evntually broken up in 2008.

 24 May 2004 – HMS Sovereign, S108, a Swiftsure Class submarine, arrived in port today. Launched Feb 1973, she has a crew of 130, can make her own oxygen and freshwater and can circle the globe submerged.

 25 May 1772 – General Sir George Augustus Eliott was appointed Governor of Gibraltar and commander of the British and Hanoverian garrison. By coincidence, his uncle Colonel Roger Eliott had been the first governor of Gibraltar more than 60 years beforehand. Deputy Governor Robert Boyd, who had done so much to prepare Gibraltar’s defences, must have been somewhat disappointed to have been passed over… which probably goes a long way to explaining his eventual retirement to San Roque.

 25 May 1782 - Work began on excavating the Upper Galleries (Gt Siege)

 25 May 1915 - During a severe thunderstorm in the afternoon, numerous eye witnesses reported that “a cloud belched forth millions of tiny frogs” over the ground close to the frontier. The road was alive with frogs.

 25 May 1918 – The British torpedo boat TB-90 capsized in heavy weather whilst on patrol in the strait. Sixteen crewmen lost their lives alongside their skipper, Chief Gunner James Hamilton DSC. TB-90 was one of ten first class torpedo boats of the (steam powered) 140 foot class, built by Yarrow & Co. Glasgow in 1895 and purchased by the Admiralty between 1875 (the invention of the Whitehead torpedo) and 1905.

 25 May 1856 - King Ferdinand, ex-regent of Portugal arrived.

 25 May 1875 - The Convict Establishment was closed this day.

 25 May 1926 – A meeting of the Exchange Committee was held regarding open air cinema exhibitions in Commercial Square. No understanding was reached and so people were deprived of an attractive open-air amusement in the centre of town.

 25 May 1955 – Seventeen-gun salutes were fired in Algeciras for the arrival and departure of the new Governor of Gibraltar Harold Redman, when he paid his official call on the Military Governor of Algeciras, General Don Jose Cuesta Monereo. The newspaper report says the salute was fired from Fort Santiago, home of the Coast Artillery Regiment No 5.   The site was released to the city for public use in January 2001 and the remains of the fort, sitting just north of Parque Maria Cristina, are partially destroyed.

 25 May 1963 – At an extraordinary general meeting in the Theatre Royal, the GCL membership approved the merger of the Gibraltar Confederation of Labour with the Transport and General Workers Union.

 25 May 2003 – A rock fall on the East side above Catalan Bay damaged several cars, smashing their windows and severely denting bodywork.

 25 May 2006 – The MoD closed the airport this afternoon with the result that two incoming flights had to be diverted to Malaga. This unusual circumstance occurred after two air traffic controllers reported sick, leaving insufficient cover for normal operations. ATC at Gibraltar has been contracted by MoD to NATS since January this year when the contract with the previous service provider – SERCO - expired.

 25 May 2011 – At around 1340, the bulk carrier MV Cosco Jinggangshan, departing the Western Anchorage, came into contact with the oil tanker MV Aeolos (Aegean) anchored nearby. No injuries were sustained and only slight damage was suffered by both vessels, having no effect on their seaworthiness. The accident investigation concluded that the master of Jinggangshan miscalculated his rate of turn when attempting to clear the Aeolos. At the time, the weather was good however a change to a flood tide occurred during the incident. This may have led to Aeolos swinging to her anchor (thus reducing the clearance between the vessels) equally it may have forced the Jinggangshan toward the Aeolos. At present compulsory pilotage is only required for inbound vessels, the GPA is now considering pilotage requirements for outbound vessels.

 26 May 1870 - Installation of a submarine cable to Malta. This had commenced from Malta (14 May) by CS’s Hawk, Edinburgh and Scanderia laying the 1159nM. The Scanderia then continued laying the 366nM to Carcavelos, Portugal. The last 824nM section to Porthcurno, Cornwall, was laid by CS Hibernia, commencing June 2nd and arriving in Cornwall six days later. The Falmouth, Gibraltar & Malta Telegraph Co. was Pender’s second venture.

 26 May 1924 – Mr W Serfaty opened the first Broadcasting Hall in Gibraltar.

 26 May 1928 – Arrival of Sir Alan and Lady Cobham, famous long distance aviators, on the last stage of their 23,000 mile flight round Africa. Ex- RFC flyer Cobham flew a Shorts Singapore flying boat around Africa landing only in British territories. He later became famous for Cobham’s Flying Circus.

 26 May 1933 - Brigadier the Hon. HCM Makgill-Crichton made Deputy Governor, during the temporary absence of H.E. Gen. Sir A J Godley.

 26 May 1940 - War Cabinet minutes record that Churchill said; "I would be thankful to get out of our present difficulties, even at the cost of some cession of territory..." from Neville Chamberlain's diary we find his actual words were: "If we could get out of the jam by giving up Malta and Gibraltar and some African colonies, I would jump at it..."  (Winston also once said; “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it” and that’s exactly what happened.)

 26 May 1985 – On this Sunday an oil tanker sailed into the bay and berthed at the refineria, where it promptly exploded. Fortunately for us it was levanter, and equally fortunately the rest of the refinery didn’t go up. Gibraltar emergency services provided what assistance they could.

 26 May 2002 – The inaugural race of the Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association was held on the Eastside in near-gale conditions. Several boats were damaged, with three crew and an RYA Official ending up in hospital. The winners of this “Checkout Championship” were the A&J Phones Powerboat Team of Adrian de Los Santos and Karl Mesilio.

 27 May 1857 – The screw steamer SS Adelaide was on passage from Malta to the Rock and about 10pm a cry of Man Overboard was heard. The officers were in the saloon and on rushing out they saw Lt. Oliver de Lancey, 47^th Regiment, run to the stern and without a moment’s hesitation jump overboard fully clothed, in hope of saving the man. The vessel was steaming at around 9 knots. A boat was lowered and Lt. de Lancey was picked up after nearly an hour in the water; he had managed to get all his clothes off and was much exhausted. The man who had gone overboard was Martin Dempsey E Coy. 47^th Regt. and he was never seen again.

 27 May 1859 – A Ball was held at the Theatre Royal in honour of Prince of Wales.

 27 May 1899 – The U.S. Consul in Gibraltar sent the following: ‘to the Honourable the Assistant Secretary of State: Sir, I have the honour to state for general information, that in consequence of some cases of plague having occurred in Egypt, the board of health of Gibraltar, has today declared Alexandria an infected port, and arrivals therefrom will not be admitted to pratique; but coals and necessary provisions will be allowed to be supplied under rigid quarantine restrictions. Respectfully yours. Horatio J. Sprague, United States Consul.’

 27 May 1936 – The death occurred of Mr G Mascarenhas.

 27 May 1943 – Churchill, Brooke and Marshall arrive by air en route from the USA via Newfoundland to Algiers.

 27 May 1966 - Unconfirmed discovery of prehistoric rock engravings.

 27 May 1972 – Shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his wife, the former Jacqueline Kennedy, arrived by Olympic Airlines jet to join their yacht Christina. After a Rock Tour and visit to Apes Den they joined the yacht, which sailed almost immediately.

 27 May 1972 – A Carruthers Davies employee working on the Parcar Hotel site in Queensway (now Ocean Heights) fell 65 feet yesterday from the roof. He was rushed to St Bernard’s suffering head and chest injuries.

 27 May 1985 – Gibraltar has been informally thanked by the Spanish authorities for the way its emergency services rallied to the call in Sunday’s tragic events when two oil tankers, berthed on the pier at the refinery, exploded and burst into flames. It is thought to have been the worst disaster in the Campo’s history. By yesterday evening 33 deaths had been confirmed and there were 37 wounded. The two tankers which blew up were the Petragen One (Panamanian flag) and the Camponavia (Spanish). The 3,000 population of Puente Mayorga fled their homes. Yesterday King Juan Carlos landed at La Linea football ground by helicopter to visit the injured in hospital. Chief Minister Sir Joshua Hassan sent a cable of condolences to Sr Rafael Palamino, Mancommunidad President, expressing deep sorrow and concern on behalf of the people of Gibraltar.

 28 May 1741 - Prices fixed as follows: Beef- 12 quarts per lb/Mutton- 1 rial per lb/Hogs- 14 quarts per lb/ Roasting pig/goose $2 each.  Fowls/ducks/Pair of pigeons- from 3-4 rials each    Whosoever demands greater price contrary to order shall forfeit to the buyer the same thing which they have offered to sell him.

 28 May 1755 – In the Houses of Parliament, the members voted “that a sum not exceeding £236,420-18-6d be granted to his Majesty, for maintaining his Majesty’s forces and garrisons in the plantations of Minorca and Gibraltar; and for provisions for the garrisons in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Gibraltar and Providence, for the year 1755.” (Universal Magazine of Knowledge) Three years later this figure had jumped to £623,704.

 28 May 1854 - St Andrew's Presbyterian Church opened.

 28 May 1894 - Approval of a main drainage system with the outfall at Europa.

 28 May 1900 – A total eclipse of the sun.

 28 May 1968 – The Hon. E. Howard Davis was sworn in as an ex-officio member of LEGCO, in the capacity of Financial Secretary.

 28 May 1985 – Emergency services in Gibraltar are maintaining an anti pollution alert in the wake of the ships’ explosions at the refineria. The Police and Port launches (manned by the CFB) were out tackling the oil spillages at Western beach, the marinas and Waterport areas as from yesterday morning. At this stage it is not absolutely certain that the oil has come from the exploded tankers, but this is obviously a strong possibility. Prior to Sunday’s incident 200,000 litres of gasoil was spilt from the Acerinox factory at Los Barrios. Spanish police suspect that this was intentional but are unable to find the culprits.  The previous weekend a leak of 10,000ltrs occurred from the Gibraltar refinery, also in Los Barrios. 

 28 May 2002 – Ernest Borrell landed a 64Kg Stone Bass; which is a new World Record.

 28 May 2002 – UK Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith paid an official visit to Gibraltar by private jet. Iain was welcomed by the Chief Mini and crowds of Yanitos lined the streets with banners and flags. He was cheered everywhere he went, firstly for supporting us and secondly because, as a result of his visit, Jose Maria Aznar withdrew his invitation to a planned meeting of the two right wing politicians, at the Moncloa Palace.

 28 May 2003 – The new Governor designate, Sir Francis Richards, arrived this afternoon on an RAF VIP flight to be greeted by a 17 gun salute from the RGR.

 29 May 1781 – (Gt Sge) Diary of Occurrences, Secretary’s Office: “Sail’d last night the Enterprise with 15 Merchant Ships carrying about 200 Inhabitants, passengers.”  This is most likely HMS Enterprise, a 28 gun sixth rate frigate, launched August 1774, on harbour service from 1790 and broken up in 1807.

 29 May 1781 - (Gt Sge) Two artificers, Samuel Whittaker and Simon Pratts, were executed at the White Convent in Irish Town (Bland’s offices today) for plundering the King’s stores.

 29 May 1898 – The 1^st Lord and the Civil Lord of the Admiralty left for England in HMS Terrible after inspecting naval installations.

 29 May 1928 – The first telephone call to London from Gibraltar was placed by Messrs Smith Imossi & Co.

 29 May 1933 – The ex-Bland Line steamer Gibel Habib, built in 1900 as the Cape Clear, 367 tons, which had been sold to an Italian company, sank on La Rada de Estepona en route to Genoa, in ballast. Habib means significant friend in Arabic.

 29 May 1936 - After fall of Addis Ababa, exiled Emperor Haile Selassie fled Abyssinia arriving in Gibraltar aboard the cruiser HMS Capetown from the British Mandate of Palestine together with his family and suite. Lt-Col the Hon AE Beattie & Captain JM Ripley called on board on behalf of government. The Negus lunched with Governor Charles Harington at Government House (Convent). He stayed at the Rock Hotel overnight and left for England on board the Orient liner Orford on Sunday 31^st May.

 29 May 1940 – Approximately one dozen fascist sympathisers were arrested.

 29 May 1957 – Messrs A Montegriffo (AACR) and E M Russo (Independent) were elected to the two vacant seats in the Legislative Council caused by the resignation of Messrs Triay and Alcantara. The total number of votes cast was 3,834 representing only 29% of the electorate.

 29 May 2000 - Despite the recent Anglo-Spanish deal, the SVA today returned to their harassment of Gibraltar. At 0050, when the airport was closed, an SVA spotter aircraft, showing no light, flew east to west along the runway at 100 feet.

 30 May 1903 - A large mass of rock, estimated at around 100 tons, became dislodged above Catalan Bay. As it came down, it struck a cattle-shed, killing five cows and a pony, before hitting the corner of a house, partially burying a young couple. Miraculously, they escaped serious injury.

 30 May 1937 – (Sp Civ War) The German battleship Deutschland arrived in Gibraltar after having been attacked by two Republican bombers. The aircraft, Soviet Migs piloted by Russians, dropped 12 bombs, 2 of which struck the Deutschland killing 23 of her crew and injuring another 83. On arrival in Gibraltar some 53 wounded were taken to RNH. On the 31^st May, at 1100, Deutschland sailed, leaving behind her chaplain and an interpreter. During the night another crewman died bringing the total to 24. At 1700 the funeral procession of German naval ratings went through the Dockyard Gate with coffins draped with Nazi flags. A Royal Navy guard from HMS Arethusa provided the escort and the Royal Marines played suitable music. The 24 German sailors were buried at North Front and the service was conducted in front of the Governor, Sir Charles Harington. Shots were fired over the grave by a detachment from HMS Despatch.

 30 May 1962 – HE and Lady Keightley were among the guests at the christening of an 18 foot launch, at H Sheppard & Co. yard. The launch, Carina, had been built by Sheppard for Major H C Cowdell a member of the RYS. Lady Keightley performed the christening.                 

 30 May 1967 – Lathbury Barracks were declared open today, by the person after whom they were named, General Sir Gerard Lathbury, Governor of Gibraltar.

 30 May 1969 – The new Constitution of Gibraltar came into force, which established that Gibraltar belonged to ‘Her Majesty’s territories’ and was to lead to Spain’s closure of the border on June the 8^th.

30 May 1969 - A new constitution for Gibraltar was introduced by the UK Parliament, under the initiative of the British Government (Gibraltar Constitution Order 1969) under which Gibraltar attained full internal self-government, with an elected House of Assembly. The City Council and Legislative Council disappeared. The preamble to the Constitution stated that:

"Her Majesty's Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes." (See Spain's response 8 June 1969) 

 30 May 1978 - Swearing in of Sir William Jackson, as Governor.

 30 May 1982 – Spain was allowed to join NATO, despite considerable public opposition.

 30 May 2002 – A heightened state of alert (Amber) was inaugurated because of intelligence reports of suspicious movements in the Western Med, although MoD Gibraltar claimed at the time that it was just an exercise. It later transpired that Al Qu’ida had planned attacks against British and US frigates and had already made a reconnaissance visit to the Rock. Subsequently arrests were made in Morocco. Alert state Amber involves, amongst other things, an issue of firearms to RGP Marine & GSP Officers.

 31 May 1887 - The Gymkhana Club was formed.

 31 May 1916 – The duty on tobacco was raised to 2 1/2d per pound.

 31 May 1921 - The Board of Education was appointed today.

 31 May 1933 – The publication of City Council estimates for construction of a new potable water reservoir (No. 7) of 1M gallons showed the cost to be £13,300.

 31 May 1936 – The death occurred of Mr Abraham I. Massias.

 31 May 1942 – General Mason-MacFarlane appointed Governor of Gibraltar.

 31 May 1962 – HE the Governor Sir Charles Keightley took the keys and salute for the (his) last time when the Ceremony of the Keys was performed at Casemates.

 31 May 1966 – Mr E F E Ryan retired as Editor of the Gibraltar Chronicle after 26 years service with the newspaper.

 31 May 1989 - The Vulcan Bomber XM 571 (City of Gibraltar) used in the Falklands War and displayed alongside the runway, was removed, after a complaint from Fernando Ordonez who described it as an affront to Spaniards who came regularly to Gibraltar, since Spain had supported Argentina during the 1982 war. Interestingly, a scrap Vulcan was then worth around £20K. Who scrapped this ‘gift to the people of Gibraltar’ and where the money went, we still don’t know.

 31 May 2006 – Commander Aladar (Ali) Nesser, United States Liason Officer, retired today bringing a 200 year old tradition to an end. Commander Nesser will be the last US Military attaché to have been permanently based in Gibraltar. The Governor, Sir Francis Richards said; “It is the end of an era”.

 31 May 2011 – This afternoon the North Mole was the site of an explosion involving an oil storage tank. Two Spanish workers had been welding on the top of the tank and the gasses inside ignited. One of the workers was extensively burned and unable to climb down the companionway. A very brave young Gibraltar policeman climbed to the top of the tank and carried him down. In addition to the two workers burned, some 12 passengers from the MS Independence of the Seas were injured; none seriously. The cruise ship had been berthed almost alongside the tank when it exploded but the master very quickly cast off and removed her to safety. During the evening, as the fire continued to burn, a second tank caught light, forcing the removal of land based fire fighters from the site. The fire continued to be attacked from the sea, by fire tugs.

                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  

May 1588 - Sir Francis Drake was obliged to retire from a game of bowls on Plymouth Ho in order to vanquish La Felissima; the Spanish Armada, led by the Duke of Medina Sidonia; Gibraltar's one-time feudal overlord… the British weather accomplished the task for him.

 May 1857 - Gibraltarian Right Rev Dr Scandella became 1st Vicar Apostolic.

 May 1864 - Birth of Peter Emmanuel Amigo, Gibraltarian of Genoese descent, destined to become Archbishop Amigo of Southwark.

 May 1901 – Governor Sir George White’s refusal to grant a licence for a local labour newspaper, for which elaborate arrangements had already been made, aroused strong feelings on the Rock. The ordinance requiring the Governor’s consent before publication came into force in 1869 but before this Governor’s time such consent had never been withheld. Gibraltar’s criticism of Sir George is said to be extremely vigorous.   

 May 1912 - Inauguration of the Bandstand erected in memory of King Edward VII at Kingsway (Alameda); the band of South Staffordshire Regiment played.

 May 1915 – Seven Australian soldiers with dangerously septic wounds arrived from the war in Gallipolli. These were the first casualties to arrive here, larger numbers arriving in August. 579 beds were made available in a Convalescent Depot at Windmill Hill as part of the 987 total hospital beds. Larger numbers (around 2550 Officers and 55,400 other ranks) were sent to Malta.

 May 1922 - Morning and Evening gunfire discontinued this month.

 May 1924 - First Broadcasting Hall opened by Mr W Serfaty.

 May 1940 - Start of 'Official' evacuation of civilians to Fr. Morocco.

 May 1951 – In an interview with the Daily Mail, Franco asked for Gibraltar in return for Spain’s friendship. He also claimed to have defeated communism in Western Europe and said he had been badly treated by the Allies after WW2. He further stated that there were no political prisoners in Spain and that Spaniards who had taken refuge overseas were free to return. There was no mention of the people who continue to disappear in the middle of the night.

 May 1956 - From page 22 of the Chatham House Memoranda on Gibraltar; "...the British contended that territorial waters extended as far as the range of the fortress guns. This would normally be a 3 mile limit from the shore and, if so, it could cover the greater part of Gibraltar Bay."  

 May 1968 - John Cardona, of The Integration with Britain Party, drafted the Pre-amble to the Constitution.

 May 1988 - Having gained membership of the European Union, Spain now proposed to the Union that Great Britain should henceforth drive on the right of the road instead of the left.

 May 1997 - The 30th (approximate) anniversary of the UNO's denial of human rights to Gibraltar was marked by a well choreographed anti-Spanish demo on the streets, culminating in a march to The Convent.  600 videocassettes of the event were distributed worldwide by the Voice of Gibraltar Group.