999 was the world's first number for automatically telephoning the emergency services. It was introduced in London in 1936 following a disaster in 1935 in which five women died in a fire in Wimpole Street while a neighbour was unable to contact the telephoneexchange which was jammed with calls. The General Post Office which ran the telephone network at the time suggested that an easy to remember three digit number, which could be easily located in the dark or in smoke, be introduced which would cause a light to flash at the exchange alerting the operators to the urgency of the call. The number 111 was rejected as it could be accidentally dialled by knocking the receiver - telephones at the time were pulse dialled - 000 could not be used as the first 0 would make it impossible to prioritise and so 999 was adopted. One year after 999 calls were introduced in London they were introduced into Glasgow. Research 999
The BSA A10 Golden Flash was a popular British motorbike produced between 1950 and 1961. The BSA A10 Golden Flash was powered by a four-stroke, twin-cylinder 650cc engine. BSA A10 Golden Flash motorcycles were the 'standard' British motorbike of the 1950's, bought by ordinary young men when they were single, and often fitted with a side-car after the owner got married and started a family. Research BSA A10 Golden Flash
Heliograph, or heliostat is the name given to various contrivances for reflecting the sun's light either temporarily or continuously to an observer at a distance. The simplest heliostat is a mirror hung up at a distant station so as to reflect a flash to the observer whose station may be many miles from it. This mirror is generally so adjusted that the flash occurs exactly at some prearranged hour, and by being in readiness the observer can get an observation with precision as regards time. Some heliostats are visible for 80 miles. By being fitted with an adjustment of clock-work, the mirror can be made to revolve with the sun, and so to reflect a beam of sunlight steadily in one direction, being then called also heliotrope. The heliostat has been used for signalling in war. Research Heliograph
Buster Crabbe (Clarence Linden Crabbe) was an American actor and Olympic gold medal swimming athlete. He was born in 1908 at Oakland, California and died in 1983. Although chiefly remembered for playing 'Flash Gordon' in the 1930s series, Buster Crabbe also starred in a number of films. Research Buster Crabbe
Jonathan Pryce is a Welsh actor. He was born in 1947 at Holywell. He played the role of 'Jack' in the 1986 film 'Jumpin Jack Flash'. Research Jonathan Pryce
Wheeler Oakman was an American actor. He was born in 1890 at Washington, District of Columbia, and died in 1949 of a heartattack. He often played the bad guy in Westerns and in science-fiction, appearing in two 'Buck Rogers' films and in the 1938 'Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'. Research Wheeler Oakman
Ornella Muti (real name Francesca Rivelli) is an Italian actress. She was born in 1955 at Rome. She is best known for playing 'Princess Aura' in the 1980 film 'Flash Gordon'. Research Ornella Muti
The Browning M1919 A6 was an American air-cooled recoil-operated machine-gun developed during the Second World War, and was produced from 1943 to 1954 being adopted in 1943 as the squad light machine-gun replacing the BAR. The M1919 A6 was a modification of the Browning M1919 A4 with the addition of a removable metal shoulder stock. muzzle flash hider and a bipod in place of the tripod. The Browning M1919 A6 fired the .30 inch calibre US Service cartridge fed from a 250-round cloth belt system at a rate of fire of 500 rounds-per-minute with a muzzle velocity of 860 meters per second and an effective range of 1000 meters.. Research Browning M1919 A6
Cordite is a smokeless explosive for use in ordnance, so named from being made in cordlike forms. In appearance it is like yellow gutta-percha, and when its ingredients are worked up into a mass it receives the cord-like character by being pressed through openings in dies. In the same way as the grains of charcoal powder are made of various sizes to suit various guns so cordite is made of various diameters. It consists of 58 per centnitro-glycerine, 37 per centgun-cotton, and 5 per centvaseline, which is added to make the cordite flexible and reduce friction in the incorporating process, while it also counteracts metallic fouling in small-arms. The cordite is wound on reels, and is afterwards cut up in lengths suitable for the various cartridges. Its keeping qualities are excellent in the extremes of climatic heat and cold. Wet cordite can be fired; moisture does not deteriorate it. As it is somewhat difficult to ignite, an 'igniter' of black gunpowder was originally put into the gun cartridges to extend the flash of the firing-tube. In the open air cordite burns quietly. Research Cordite
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research 999
