› added 7 years ago

163

TIL that William Lee invented a knitting machine in 1589, however Queen Elizabeth I denied him a patent because of her fear that the invention would cause her poor subjects to lose their jobs and become beggars.

Read more wikipedia.org

via ift.tt

oRm0Y TIL That during Napoleon's autopsy, the doctor cut off his penis and gave it to his chaplain who brought it home to Corsica where it remained until 1916. Since then it has changed ownership several times and is currently owned by John K Lattimer's daughter who has been offered at least $100k for it.
N7WO8 TIL Gillian Lynne did so badly in school teachers thought she had a learning disorder & her mom took her to a doctor. Lynne began dancing to his radio; the doctor said: She’s not disordered, she’s a dancer; put her in dance school. Lynne became a world-renowned dancer & music theater choreographer.
Zp8Dv TIL that Charles Lindbergh’s son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., was kidnapped at 20 months old. The kidnapper picked up a cash ransom for $50,000 leaving a note of the child’s location. The child was not found at the location. The child’s remains were found a month later not far from the Lindbergh’s home.
ZPjG TIL a SWAT team raided and held a Maryland mayor and his mother-in-law at gunpoint, and shot and killed his two dogs. No action has been taken against the officers or their respective police departments while stating “we’d do it again, tonight.”
Nm4b TIL after an Indian king was insulted for his ethnicity by an employee while visiting a Rolls-Royce showroom in London he ordered that 6 luxury cars be bought and sent back to India to be used as garbage collectors throughout the city, damaging Rolls-Royce’s reputation and profits.