Every weekend Spectator Life brings you doses of topical trivia – facts, figures and anecdotes inspired by the current week’s dates in history …
13 February
Peter Gabriel (born 1950). The ex-Genesis singer called each of his first four solo albums ‘Peter Gabriel’.
14 February
James Bond (died 1989). The ornithologist wrote the book Birds of the West Indies, a copy of which was owned by Ian Fleming, who stole the name for his most famous character: ‘I wanted the simplest, dullest, plainest-sounding name I could find, and “James Bond” was much better than something more interesting, like “Peregrine Carruthers”.’
15 February
Clare Short (born 1946). The politician’s mobile phone, which she had forgotten to turn off, once rang during a meeting of the Privy Council. Short hurriedly scrambled to silence it. The Queen asked: ‘Anyone important?’
16 February
In 1742 Spencer Compton, the Earl of Wilmington became Prime Minister.
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