The Oxhill News

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Is the feast day of Saints Francis of Paola, Mary of Egypt, John Payne, Zosimus, Nicetius of Lyons, and Saints Apphian and Theodosia.  Zosimus gets another one on December 18, a third on December 26 and, possibly, yet a fourth on March 30^th.  The latter, however, is Zosimus of Syracuse, who is probably a different person altogether.  I suppose there is no reason why there should not be four completely different Saints Zosimus.  After all it’s a nice name, so why not keep using it.

The first mint was established in the USA in 1792.  This must not be confused with the first Polo.  In 1801 the British and Danish fleets met in the Battle of Copenhagen.  That was the one during which Nelson reportedly put his telescope to his blind eye and ignored Admiral Parker's signal to stop fighting, so the British fleet won.  No comment.  The Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst was founded in 1946, and Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982.  This was not cause and effect at work.  In 1996 the former Polish president Lech Walesa clocked on for work as a £120-a-month electrician at a Gdansk shipyard.  I wonder if we could persuade Brown and Blair to follow suit 10 years later?  Fair’s fair, Cameron and whoever is this week’s leader of the Lib Dems would have to go with them.  Also in 1996 the Dutch legislature voted to reduce the amount of marijuana that could be sold in coffee shops.  Finally, in 1997 Tennessee at last got round to ratifying the 15th Amendment, which guarantees US citizens the right to vote regardless of 'race, color or previous condition of servitude.'  It had taken them since 1870!  A bit like the British attempts at introducing the decimal system, really.

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Last modified: March 31, 2006