A Brief History On November 26, 1983, London’s Heathrow Airport was the scene of one of the most spectacular heists in crime history, an incident referred to as the “Brink’s-Mat Robbery.”  In the warehouse section of the airport called the Heathrow International Trading Estate, thieves made off with gold bullion, cash and diamonds, a haul worth about £87 million (in today’s pounds).  Although 2 of the 6 robbers were caught, little of the gold was ever recovered, leaving the esteemed insurance company, Lloyds of London to foot the bill for the insurance payout. Digging Deeper The enormity and brazenness of…

A Brief History On November 25, 1120, a ship sailing from Normandy, France to England, hit a rock and capsized, quickly sinking and taking everyone aboard, save one, to their deaths.  Aboard the White Ship was the heir to the English throne, William Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry I.  The loss of William (also called William Ætheling) created chaos over the succession to the English throne, initiating a period known as “The Anarchy.”  While non-British people today may not be familiar with the sad tale of the White Ship, this particular wreck was a Big Deal back…

A Brief History In the early 20th century, the term “Renaissance man” was first recorded in written English.   It is now used to refer to great thinkers living before, during, or after the Renaissance (14th through 17th centuries).  This article presents a table of some notable Renaissance Men. Digging Deeper Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: Who is your favorite Renaissance Man (or woman) and why? If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our…

A Brief History Today, surfing is regarded by many sports enthusiasts and hip people as one of the coolest sports to ever exist.  While the exact date of the origin of surfing has not been determined, the first documented sighting was by Europeans back in 1767. Researchers believe that its roots show in the Polynesian culture thousands of years ago. Surfing in its days of origin was held in high regard, as the leader or chief of the tribe was believed to be the one who had the best surfing abilities. The European sighting of surfing in Hawaii has astonished…

A Brief History On November 23, 1948, one of major league baseball’s greatest hitters and onetime highest paid player in the National League died penniless, and no one, not even his own son, would claim the body. Hack Wilson played for the Giants, Cubs, Dodgers and Phillies, but his heyday was with the Cubs.  We told Wilson’s story in our article “Onetime Highest Paid Player in National League Dies Penniless” and today we discuss 5 such stellar professional or famous athletes that lost their fortunes and ended up in financial straits. Digging Deeper Evander Holyfield, Heavyweight and Cruiserweight Boxing Champion.…