Unbelievable Facts - Strange Facts - Everyday Life

That’s Life

Pope John II used to be a promising footballer. He played in goal for the Polish amateur team Wotsyla.

Florence Nightingale kept a small owl in her pocket, even while serving in the Crimean War.

George I could neither speak nor write English.

The first Duchess of Marlborough saved money on ink by never dotting her i’s or using punctuation.

The brutal Robespierre, who sent thousands to the guillotine during the French Revolution, was squeamish and couldn’t stand the sight of blood.

When asked to name a colour, three out of five people will say red.

A woman from Worcestershire sneezed every day for 977 consecutive days.

About 17 per cent of humans are left-handed, roughly the same figure as for gorillas and chimpanzees.

Einstein couldn’t speak fluently when he was nine, leading his parents to think he might be retarded.

John F. Kennedy could read for newspapers from first to last page in 20 minutes.

The Duke of Windsor was so besotted with Wallis Simpson that he wouldn’t let her touch used money in case it soiled her precious hands. So every day he issued her with a wad of freshly-printed bank notes.

Karl Marx, the founder of Russian Communism, never set foot in Russia in his life. Born in Germany, he moved to France and then on to England where he wrote Das Kapital and other works.

Child Care expert DR Benjamin Spock won a rowing gold medal at the 1924 Olympics.

Mao Tse-tung never brushed his teeth – on the grounds that tigers never brushed their teeth either.

Queen Victoria insisted that husband Albert’s clothes be laid out every day – even when he had been dead for 40 years.

Throughout his life Abraham Lincoln was convinced that he was illegitimate and publicly defended those born out of wedlock. It was only after his death that he was discovered to be legitimate after all.

President Lyndon Johnson ran away from home at the age of 15. He didn’t go back for two years.

On average, we spend 12 years of our life watching TV.

George V used to have a pet parrot which he would encourage to walk across the breakfast table, much to the disgust of the queen.

During the First World War, the wife of US President Woodrow Wilson used to graze sheep on the front lawn of the White House.

Catherine de Medici issued instructions that no woman at the French court should have a waist measuring more than 13 inches.

Walt Disney used to wash his hands every two minutes.

Before hot water bottles became fashionable, parlour maids would be despatched to bed warm the sheets before the master and mistress retired for the night.

At the age of 23, Aristotle Onassis, who went on to become the richest man in the world, was working as a humble dish-washer in a Buenos Aires restaurant.

Casanova spent the last 13 years of his life working as a librarian.

The youngest Pope was Benedict IX who was elected in 1032 at the age of 11.

Philippe, Duke of Orléans (son of Louis XIII of France), was forced to wear pretty dresses and play with dolls because his mother had always wanted a daughter.