12th October: today's top history news

by Kathryn Hadley

The Brighton Bombing 25 years on
25 years ago today, the IRA mounted a terrorist attack against the British Cabinet during the Conservative Party conference. Five people died and 34 were injured.
Pat Magee was released in 1999 under the Good Friday agreement after serving just 14 years. He will speak in the House of Commons tomorrow with Jo Berry, the daughter of the MP Anthony Berry who was killed in the attack. Marina Cantacuzino is the founder of The Forgiveness Project and has helped to organise tomorrow’s speech. She reports on her interview with Magee in an article published on the website of The Times.
The journalist Robert Orchard, who was reporting on the conference at the time, recalls the night of the bombing in an article on the BBC website.
Michael Dobbs was a senior adviser to Margaret Thatcher at the time and was present at the bombings. He will reflect on the events in a programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 8pm this evening.

Generalleutnant Günther Rall was one of the few German fighter leaders to survive the Second World War. He died on October 4th, aged 91. His obituary is on the website of The Telegraph.

The mystery of the murder of Joseph Goebbels’ six children: in the 1950s, a doctor confessed to having been an accomplice, but he was left unpunished. Newly discovered records may reveal what really happened. Read the full report on Der Spiegel online.

‘The Foods That Made Britain Great’: a new book entitled Battenburg Britain explores the history behind typically British foods and brands such as Angel Delight, Arctic Roll and Heinz sandwich spread. Read the full report on the website of the Daily Express.

Suffragette centenary
On Saturday, October 11th, a march was organised in Edinburgh to mark the 100th anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement procession along Princes Street in 1909. Read the full report on the website of The Herald.

‘Iron lung’ used for the first time 81 years ago today. Read the full report.

Ten US Presidents who began their careers as teachers. Read the full report.