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21 December 1844: The Rochdale Pioneers open for business
Features On this day in 1844, the Rochdale Pioneers opened a little shop on Toad Lane in Rochdale, Lancashire, which became a model for co-operatives around the world.
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19 December 1932: BBC World Service begins
Features The first royal Christmas message by George V gave the fledgling World Service an early boost six days after it was founded in 1932.
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18 December 1878: the end of the Molly Maguires
Features On this day in 1878, the Molly Maguires – a secret society formed in Ireland – ceased to exist with the hanging of the last of 20 condemned members of the group in the United States.
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17 December 1900: The Guzman Prize is announced
Features On this day in 1900, Clara Guzman stumped up 100,000 francs prize money for the first person to communicate with and receive a response from another planet.
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17 December 2003: the first powered flight of SpaceShipOne
Features The privately funded and built space plane, SpaceShipOne, witnessed its first powered flight on this day in 2003 – a crucial step towards winning the $10m Ansari XPrize.
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16 December 1689: Parliament passes the Bill of Rights
Features A written part of the country's “unwritten constitution”, the Bill of Rights, was passed on this day in 1689, asserting Parliamentary superiority over the monarch.
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16 December 1773: The Boston Tea Party protest
Features On this day in 1773 the 'Sons of Liberty' carried out the Boston Tea Party protest, destroying over 92,000lb of tea, and paving the way for the American Revolution.
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15 December 1995: the “Bosman ruling” transforms the economics of football
Features The finances of football were changed forever on this day in 1995 when Jean-Marc Bosman won his case, and out-of-contract footballers were allowed to move freely between clubs.
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15 December 1970: Venera 7 probe lands on Venus
Features On this day in 1970 the Soviet Union’s Venera 7 spacecraft successfully landed on the surface of Venus, and sent a brief signal back to Earth.
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