Commentary 9 - January 1st
JANUARY 1st Not only do we lesser mortals fiddle in our sincerity with New Year Resolutions BUT the higher echelons, our Rulers in Government, see the start of a New Year (particularly a New Century, as significant enough to make big changes. 1 January 1801 - Prime Minister William Pitt (the Younger) convinced the Catholic middle-class of Ireland to allow Ireland to join " the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland ". Because the Catholics were for it, the Proddies were against it. But Nevertheless this Union came to pass and lasted until 1921. Not a bad Imperialist time span! 1 January 1856 - The vastly influential business community (read farms & hotels) of Van Diemen's Land were successful in changing the name to Tasmania, still recognising that the Dutch " discovered " the Island before the English, but showing the strength of the English as Queen Vic had to assent to the idea! It is fascinating to think that the good burghers were nearly all ex-Convict...