Ben Judge
Ben studied modern languages at London University's Queen Mary College. After dabbling unhappily in local government finance for a while, he went to work for The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh. The launch of the paper's website, scotsman.com, in the early years of the dotcom craze, saw Ben move online to manage the Business and Motors channels before becoming deputy editor with responsibility for all aspects of online production for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News websites, along with the papers' Edinburgh Festivals website.
Ben joined MoneyWeek as website editor in 2008, just as the Great Financial Crisis was brewing. He has written extensively for the website and magazine, with a particular emphasis on alternative finance and fintech, including blockchain and bitcoin.
As an early adopter of bitcoin, Ben bought when the price was under $200, but went on to spend it all on foolish fripperies.
Latest articles by Ben Judge
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19 October 1960: US begins its trade embargo on Cuba
Features In retaliation for Cuba seizing American property, President Eisenhower banned exports to the island on this day in 1960.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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15 October 1987: the ‘Great Storm’ hits southern England
Features On this day in 1987, winds of up to 115mph ravaged southern England, as the worst storm for nearly 300 years hit, causing devastation.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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14 October 1878: the first football match played under floodlights
Features The world's first football match under floodlights took place on this day in 1878 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, as the “Blues” played the “Reds” in an exhibition match.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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Share tips of the week
Tips MoneyWeek’s comprehensive guide to the best of this week’s share tips from the rest of the UK's financial pages.
By Ben Judge Published
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8 October 1965: The Post Office Tower opens
Features By far the tallest building in London at the time, the Post Office Tower was officially opened by Harold Wilson on this day in 1965.
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7 October 1920: Oxford University allows women to graduate
Features On this day in 1920, the University of Oxford allowed women studying there to receive full degrees.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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6 October 1927: Premiere of The Jazz Singer
Features On this day in 1927, cinema-goers descended on the premiere of The Jazz Singer to see “the world's greatest entertainer” Al Jolson in one of the first “talkies”.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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5 October 1936: the Jarrow Crusade sets off for London
Features On this day in 1936, 200 men set off on the Jarrow Crusade to march the 300 miles from County Durham to London to demand the government take action on unemployment.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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1 October 1908: the first Model T Ford is built
Features On this day in October 1908, Henry Ford’s “car for the great multitude” – the Model T – was unveiled to the public. Over the next 19 years, 15 million would be built.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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30 September 1965: Thunderbirds Are Go!
Features On this day in 1965, International Rescue launched its first operation, as the classic Thunderbirds TV show aired for the first time.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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29 September 1829: London’s bobbies pound the beat for the first time
Features On this day in 1829, the first of London's 'Peelers' hit the streets as the Metropolitan Police Force began its patrols.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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28 September 1894: Marks & Spencer opens its first 'Penny Bazaar'
Features On this day in 1894, Michael Marks and Tom Spencer opened their first ‘Penny Bazaar’ market stall in Leeds.
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24 September 1979: Compuserve launches MicroNET
Features One of the first steps to the internet we know and love was taken today on this day in 1979, when Compuserve launched its MicroNET service.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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23 September 1641: the Merchant Royal sinks with 1.5 million ounces of gold
Features On this day in 1641, the Merchant Royal became the most valuable shipwreck in history when it sank off Cornwall with over £20bn-worth of gold.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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22 September 1955: ITV’s inaugural broadcast
Features On this day in 1955 at 7.15pm, Associated-Rediffusion made ITV's first television broadcast, followed an hour later by Britain's first TV advert.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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21 September 1915: Salisbury man buys Stonehenge for his wife
Features 105 years ago today, Cecil Chubb paid just £6,600 when he bought 30 acres of Wiltshire and the world’s most famous Neolithic monument “on a whim” as an anniversary present for his wife.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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16 September 1992: Black Wednesday sees sterling crash out of the ERM
Features On this day in 1992 – 'Black Wednesday' – the value of the pound crashed as currency speculators sold, dumping sterling out of the European Exchange-Rate Mechanism
By Ben Judge Last updated
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14 September 1752: Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar and “loses” 11 days
Features This day in 1752 saw Britain and its colonies “lose” 11 days, as it switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.
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10 September 2008: the Large Hadron Collider is switched on for the first time
Features The search for the mysterious Higgs boson kicked off in earnest today in 2008 when the Large Hadron Collider deep below Switzerland was switched on.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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9 September 1513: James IV’s invading Scots army defeated at the Battle of Flodden
Features On this day in 1513, James IV of Scotland led a force of 30,000 Scots in battle against the English in Northumberland, where he and many of his nobles were killed.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 September 1888: First Football League matches played
Features After messing about with friendlies, 'Tests' and cup matches for the last couple of decades, football got serious today in 1888, with the start of the world's first football league.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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7 September 1940: the Blitz begins
Features On this day in 1940, Germany’s Luftwaffe began the Blitz, an eight-month campaign of bombing Britain’s major cities, killing over 40,000 people.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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3 September 1967: Sweden switches to driving on right-hand side of the road
Features This day in 1967 was known as ‘Högertrafikomläggningen’ in Sweden. It was the day the country switched from driving on the left side of the road to driving on the right.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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1 September 1859: the ‘Carrington Event’, the biggest solar storm ever recorded
Features On this day in 1859, a huge mass of magnetic particles erupted from the sun and hit the earth, knocking out telegraphs and putting on a spectacular display in the skies.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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