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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revealed: What your day of birth REALLY says about you, according to science
We all know from the famous nursery rhyme that 'Monday's child is fair of face', while 'Tuesday's child is full of grace'. Unfortunately for people born on a Wednesday, they are 'full of woe', according to the rhyme, while Thursday's child has 'far to go'. Meanwhile, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for a living, but the child that is born on Sabbath day is bonny and blithe, good and gay. Whether there's any truth in the popular fortune-telling song – dating back to 19th century England – has long been a mystery. Now, a new study finally sheds light on what our day of birth really reveals about us. Using data from more than 2,000 children, the researchers from the University of York investigated the link between a child's day of birth and their destiny. Thankfully for people born on a Wednesday, they found that Wednesday's child is not 'full of woe' as we've been led to believe. In fact, the age-old verse is simply 'harmless fun'. The nursery rhyme dates back to at least 1836, when it was published in 'Traditions of Devonshire' by English writer Anna-Eliza Bray. Note the variation in the final two lines - most notably with a reference to Christmas day instead of the Sabbath day (Sunday) The nursery rhyme, simply called 'Monday's Child', dates back to at least 1836, when it was published in 'Traditions of Devonshire' by English writer Anna-Eliza Bray. Nearly 200 years later, the memorable verse is so popular that people born on a Wednesday are commonly described as 'full of woe', while those born on a Friday routinely get the compliment that they are 'loving and giving'. Of course, what day of the week you were born on may seem entirely incidental – and many people believe there is no truth in the nursery rhyme. However, the research team theorized that it could actually be having lasting effects on personality. For example, a child born on a Monday told they are 'fair of face' might, in theory, develop higher self-esteem, making them appear more confident and attractive to others. Meanwhile, a child born on a Wednesday might interpret common feelings of sadness as proof of their 'woe', believing they experience these emotions more than others. Parents familiar with the rhyme might also be more inclined to enrol a 'Thursday's child' ('full of grace') in lessons for physical fitness, such as ballet – inadvertently shaping their physical development. To investigate whether there's truth to any of this, the team analysed data from a large study of more than 1,100 families with twins in England and Wales, tracking the siblings from age 5 to 18. 'Monday's Child' Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace. Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go. Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for a living. But the child that is born on Sabbath day, Is bonny and blithe, good and gay The data included days of the week in which the children were born, as well as personality traits interpreted from the various lines in the poem. For example, prosocial behaviour corresponded with 'loving and giving' and hardworking behaviour corresponded with 'works hard for a living'. 'Fair of face', meanwhile, was based on attractiveness ratings from an independent figure when the children were at ages 5, 10, 12, and 18. Overall, the team found no evidence that the day of the week a child is born influences their personality, appearance or future success. A Wednesday's child is no more likely to be 'full of woe' than a Monday's child is to be 'fair of face', they report. Instead, factors such as a family's socio-economic status, a child's sex and their birth weight are far more significant in predicting a child's development. According to Professor Sophie von Stumm, senior author at the University of York's department of education, nursery rhymes like 'Monday's Child' are simply 'harmless fun'. 'In an age where parents are increasingly concerned about the messages children encounter, our findings offer reassurance,' she said. Pictured, box plots of children's personality and physical traits by 'Monday's Child' nursery rhyme, across days of the week of birth. Scores are plotted for one twin randomly selected from each pair 'While many older tales and rhymes might seem out of step with modern values, our research indicates they don't have any long-term influence on children. 'We know these rhymes are rich in alliteration and vocabulary which has been shown to boost language and literacy, so parents should absolutely continue to share them.' The team acknowledge that their study did not cover all the many possible interpretations of the 'Monday's Child' nursery rhyme. For example, researchers interpreted 'full of grace' as referring to having grace in physical mobility, such as being nimble and light on one's feet, but it could also refer to being gracious in personality, meaning courteous, kind and pleasant. Thursday's child having 'far to go' may mean having good prospects for achieving success – as in 'he'll go far' – or having an arduous road ahead. The team admit that no data was available on the extent to which the families were familiar with, engaged in, or adhered to 'Monday's Child'. 'Thus, we could not ascertain whether our findings were confounded by family-level differences in children's and parents' endorsement of the verses,' they say in their paper, published in Journal of Personality. After more than 20 years, one of the most successful children's books of all time is getting another installment. A new book in 'The Gruffalo' series, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is set to hit the shelves in 2026. As any parent will likely know, the original tells the tale of a plucky mouse encountering a series of predators – including the eponymous two-horned beast. But if you thought there was nothing more to this best-selling picture book than a charming woodland narrative, you were wrong. According to a scientific study, this 'vibrant and complex text' has hidden political meanings which until now have been overlooked. The 700-word book 'offers an engagement with world politics' and an insight into 'sociopolitical worlds', the study claims. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Review of International Studies, the paper demonstrates that children's picture books are not 'just for kids'.
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Telegraph
The best places for cream tea in Devon
In the home of cream teas, you're never far away from a good scone. But how to tell the good from the bad? The perfect scone is crumbly, feather-light, warm, and served with fruity jam and clotted cream so thick it sticks to your spoon. Stay clear of anywhere that serves scones with butter, or toppings in tiny packets – they know not what they do. So important is this Devonshire tea-time ritual that science has dedicated itself to working out the perfect formula. The 'hedonic breakpoint' – the optimum level of sweetness – is a 4:3:3 ratio of scone, cream and jam, with cream applied first to ensure an even spread of toppings. For further Devon inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, pubs, beaches and things to do. Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot For all-out decadence, nothing beats Hotel Endsleigh, an ever-so-English Elizabethan mansion house on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. Freshly cut finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, just-baked scones, mounds of clotted cream and glass jars of Tiptree fruity jams come with fragrant loose-leaf tea served in bone china cups. Tuck in by the open fire in the wood-panelled lounge, on the sunny terrace or parterre overlooking the River Tamar. Work off the calories with a stroll around the hotel's Grade-I listed gardens. Otterton Mill, Budleigh Salterton The scones at this café-cum-music venue are made daily with organic flour ground in the on-site working water mill, which dates back to 1068. Free tours offer a taste of the flour as it emerges fresh and warm from the chute. The café is set on the banks of the peaceful River Otter, so the keen-eyed might spot kingfishers, otters and beavers, recently reintroduced as part of a rewilding programme. Fingle Bridge Inn, Drewsteignton Cream teas are best enjoyed after a countryside ramble, and few walks work up a better appetite in Devon than Fingle Gorge, in Dartmoor National Park. Perfectly positioned for hungry hikers, family-run Fingle Bridge Inn is set on the banks of the River Teign, with a sunny terrace making the most of the riverside views. It's not gourmet, but is excellent value and the idyllic location by an age-old buttressed bridge more than makes up for it. Dartmoor Llama Walk Devon's quirkiest cream tea is carried by llama and eaten on top of a tor (granite-topped hill) in the wilderness of Dartmoor National Park. Dartmoor Llama Walks run circular guided cream tea walks for groups throughout the summer. Hikes take three hours. Book in advance. Rosemoor Kitchen Garden Set amongst the rose beds, orchards and arboretums of RHS Rosemoor near Torrington, RHS Rosemoor's Wisteria tea room is in the house of Lady Anne Palmer, who donated the house and garden to the RHS in 1988. Jams are made from fruits picked in the award-winning kitchen garden, scones and cakes are baked on-site and the tea is Cornish-grown Tregothnan. Admission to the restaurant is free. Eat on the Green, Exeter It's a tourist hotspot, and for good reason – this half-timbered Tudor restaurant and tearoom has the best view in town from its terrace and first-floor restaurant, overlooking Exeter Cathedral and green. Traditional scones are baked daily and served warm with Dorset-made clotted cream and fruity strawberry or blackberry jam. Gluten free versions are available, along with vegan and gluten free cakes. Look out for the original bread oven and ship's flooring. Hele Corn Mill Set just 300m away from the stunning Hele Bay Beach, the owners of this mill and tea room must be Devon's most experienced scone makers, with 75,000 under their belt. Everything is baked by the miller's wife daily, often using stone-ground flour from the on-site watermill, which dates back to 1525. Seating is in a pretty covered courtyard looking onto the mill. Gluten free and vegan options are available. How we choose Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Epic scenery, cosy pubs and a strong community spirit drew Suzy Bennett from East London to a remote village on Dartmoor over a decade ago. She travels everywhere with her dog, Ziggy.
Telegraph
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Boris Johnson fails to understand his role in the rise of Reform UK
SIR – Boris Johnson argues that his former colleagues in the Conservative Party should ignore Nigel Farage and Reform UK (report, July 5). Mr Johnson appears to be unaware that the rise of Reform is almost entirely his fault. He squandered a massive parliamentary majority by ignoring the wishes of the Conservative electorate: opening our borders to mass low-skilled migration; allowing damaging wokery to subvert women's rights; pursuing economically illiterate net zero policies; and failing to keep reasonable control of the behaviour of his Downing Street staff during Covid. In its growing support for Reform, the public is signalling that it has had enough of tone-deaf politicians who wilfully ignore the wishes of voters and break promises in their manifestos. The fact that Mr Johnson is unable to see this only confirms the diagnosis. Will Curtis Raydon, Suffolk SIR – Boris Johnson has failed to grasp the most rudimentary principle of politics, which is that the first duty of any government is to secure the borders. Nigel Farage and his party take this obligation seriously, while Mr Johnson, along with other Tory prime ministers in recent years, singularly failed in this crucial area, with disastrous consequences. Will Forrow Dawlish , Devonshire SIR – It's a bit rich for Boris Johnson to tell us to ignore Nigel Farage. Mr Johnson's 'green industrial revolution' included the banning of sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030, a massive expansion in the number of wind turbines, and unrealistic targets to cut emissions. His green obsession has left us with the most expensive energy of all the developed nations, deindustrialisation, and impoverishment of the UK population. N H Bailey Stockport, Cheshire SIR – Boris Johnson appears ignorant of the thousands of voters who have switched to Reform UK because of Tory arrogance and incompetence. One hopes that Kemi Badenoch has a proper grasp of recent Conservative failings, and will ignore both him and those who, incredibly, believe that bringing Mr Johnson back to repeat past mistakes might somehow lead to a different outcome next time. Stephen Kemp Leicester SIR – For the first time ever, I agree with Boris Johnson. Nigel Farage is a serial political failure, rejected by voters on many occasions. As a member of the European parliament, he failed to support British farmers and fishermen. Like his hero Donald Trump, Mr Farage lives for publicity, making ridiculous promises and fooling the gullible. Without constant attention, he would fade away. A Lloyd Liverpool
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I felt pressured into nightmare home renovation that cost me £20k – but there's a way to claim it back
EIGHT days before Lorna Rolfe was due to complete the sale of her three bedroom Devonshire bungalow, her buyers pulled out because spray foam insulation had been found in her loft. Her buyers' bank refused to give them a mortgage unless the foam was removed, the property's valuation dropped by £10,000 down to £485,000 - and Lorna was inches from losing the sale. 4 4 4 Lorna, a retired occupational therapist, paid almost £5,000 to have the spray foam installed just two years before in a bid to cut down her energy bills. She phoned the installer Mass Foam Systems to complain but never got a reply. To save the sale of her property, she agreed to pay £5,000 to have the foam taken out straight away. She also agreed to sell the property at the lower valuation of £485,000. Lorna lost £19,840 from the cost of the installation, removal and the valuation drop. 'It's a lot of money for a pensioner,' she said. 'It's sickening that homeowners and consumers are being preyed on by these companies.' What is spray foam? 4 Spray foam is a controversial type of insulation sprayed into loft spaces and on the underside of roofs to stop homes from being drafty. Around 250,000 homes are thought to have it. How much it costs varies on the size of your home and the company installing it, but expect to pay around £2,500 for a three-bed semi-detached property, according to the National Insulation Association. If it is installed incorrectly, it can reduce ventilation and cause damp and condensation, which could lead to rotting wood. Industry body Property Care Association (PCA) says 35 per cent of homes fitted with spray foam insulation have one or more issues like damp and decay to roof timbers. Some 27 per cent of homes needed the insulation removed or roof replaced. Despite the risks, spray foam insulation can be paid for using government grants for green home improvements. The financial impact Having spray foam removed can cost between £4,000 to £8,000 depending on the size of your house. If the damage caused by the foam means you need a new roof or rafters, it could cost between £12,000 to £20,000 for a three-bedroom semi-detached house, estimates the PCA. This could lead to a lender or buyers knocking at least £20,000 off the value of your home. It could even prevent you from selling your home entirely. Most banks refuse to lend on homes with spray foam. Lorna was unaware of the risks. She was persuaded by a cold caller from Mass Foam Systems to have a visit in March 2020 from one of their sales representatives. Within a couple of days, the rep turned up. After a quick check he said there was damp in the beams so she would benefit from the insulation. Lorna paid a deposit of £1,452 on her credit card for the work to begin. Some 10 days later, she paid the £3,388 balance splitting the amount across two credit cards. 'I've since been told you wouldn't put this foam in if there was damp in your loft,' said Lorna. 'I feel like I was misled and mis-sold the foam because no-one told me I would not be able to sell my home.' Lorna also worried the foam was applied in a dangerous way. The company had sprayed the foam over her BT line, electrical and aerial cables during the installation and directly onto the underside of the roof. She feared the risk of an electrical fire and the fumes the burning foam would give off. Fiona and Andre Barton were left with an unmortgageable home after installing spray foam in their loft. The couple, from Midlothian, Edinburgh, paid £4,925 for the insulation. But while they were selling their home, they were later told that homes with this insulation are "un-mortgageable." After finding a specialist company based in Liverpool, Fiona and Andre forked out another £5,490 for the removal of the spray foam insulation and the two skips needed to haul it away. The couple have urged others to avoid spray foam installers. "They sounded very professional and believable, otherwise we wouldn't have gone ahead with it," Fiona said. ""He said it would reduce the cost of our fuel - and given the cost-of-living crisis, it seemed to be the right way to go." The couple, who wanted to sell up their property at the time, were told to remove the insulation in order to be able to sell. "It was very stressful. We'd put in the offer for the property we're in now, so we only had a month legally to get our own property under offer. "We found a company down in Liverpool who sold themselves as the UK's specialist foam removal. "They were charging an eye-watering amount - more than it had cost to install it, but we had no choice. "My world fell apart. We'd already bought our next house and we had to sell in order to move." Getting the money back First, complain to the company who installed it. If you are getting nowhere, contact the manufacturer. If this is unsuccessful, and you paid for the work on a credit card, you may be able to get your money back under a powerful consumer protection called Section 75. It covers you if something goes wrong and you paid between £100 and £30,000 for goods or services. James Barnes of JBA Surveying helped an elderly man get his spray foam costs back using Section 75. He could prove that the foam used was not installed in the right place. 'Having the written evidence that you can hang your hat on to say it was applied incorrectly is crucial,' he said. James' report, which cost £150, was given to the credit card company as evidence and it paid out the claim within days. It's important to claim back spray foam costs from your credit card company before having it removed. You'll need paperwork from the installer which states the type of foam you have, as well as a quote for removal costs. If you used a debit card, claim a refund under a process called chargeback. Unfortunately for Lorna she did not know about the refund process until after she'd had the spray foam removed. Mass Foam Systems says it is 'sorry' to hear about the issues Lorna had selling her home but could not find her complaint on its system. The salesman who visited left the company in late 2020 but had received no other complaints about his work. It says at the time of Lorna's visit there were no concerns about the sale-ability of homes with spray foam. It says homeowners should contact their installer with any concerns before taking action. A Government spokesperson said: 'It is unacceptable that some homeowners with spray foam loft insulation are suffering at the hands of rogue operators, which is why we are working with industry to tackle this.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 9 Best Books by the Mitford Sisters
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If you've watched Outrageous and want to hear more from Nancy, Diana, Jessica, and Deborah—including the correspondence between them and those bookless sisters, Unity and Pamela—there's plenty to read. But where to begin? Here's T&C's short the least scandalous of then Mitford sisters, Deborah (or 'Debo') would grow up to become the Duchess of Devonshire and the chatelaine of Chatsworth House, which she managed to change from being a crumbling country estate into a booming attraction for tourists, history buffs, and garden fiends. This memoir is among the most charming of those written by the Mitfords, and recounts her happy childhood, a loving marriage, and a gimlet eye towards the eccentricities of her family. It's thankfully not lacking in gossip or glamour, and is a fine entry point to newcomers to the Mitford memoir universe. at 'Decca' Mitford ran away from home, heading to Spain with a second cousin she would marry. Later, she'd move to the U.S. and become a respected journalist and speaker as well as a devoted Communist. Her best known work, this deep dive into the American funeral industry was first published to wide acclaim—thanks to its sharp observations and unexpected humor—in 1963 and made Decca something of a literary star; this revised version includes additional intelligence and information from the decades after the book was first released. at she became an expert in the big business of dying, Jessica Mitford wrote this memoir about growing up in her eccentric, exceptional family. The book is a charming and memorable recollection of the singular circumstances under which Mitford was raised, but also a great coming-of-age story on its own—who wouldn't admire a kid who kept a Running Away Fund hidden in her room and then actually used it? at Mitford married one of the richest men in the U.K., then left him for a Fascist politician. She socialized with celebrities, heads of state, and royals, but spent more than three years in prison. She was a card carrying member of the Bright Young Things who later earned the title of 'The Most Hated Woman in Britain.' Why wouldn't you want to read her memoir? at there was anyone who was more talked about and ridiculed than Diana Mitford, it was Wallis Simpson. In this book, Mitford explores what made the Duchess of Windsor such a divisive character—and why her husband gave up the throne to be with her. The story benefits from Mitford's friendship with Simpson, but isn't a deification. Instead, it's a clear-eyed look at a woman whose love life made her a pariah, written by one of the only people who might understand that situation perfectly. at of Nancy Mitford's most beloved books are packaged together in this volume. The Pursuit of Love tells the story of the fictional Radlett family—eerily similar to Mitfords own, the depictions here would haunt her relations for years after publication—through the eyes of a visiting cousin. Love in a Cold Climate has the same narrator but focuses on another aristocratic British family and their daughter's attempts to find love and her own place in a rapidly changing world. Both show off Mitford's stylish writing and offer an unforgettable glimpse into the world she inhabited. at Mitford might be best known for her novels, but she was also an accomplished biographer. This book tells the story of Madame de Pompadour, the longtime mistress of the French king Louis VX who had incredible sway over France's politics and culture—and made plenty of enemies along the way. Mitford rethinks her subject's role and legacy, offering an informed and entertaining look at life in the royal court and what it took to have the kind of staying power Madame de Pompadour did. at six Mitford sisters contributed—unwittingly—to this book, which is a collection of the sharp, affectionate, funny, and revealing letters sent among them during their lifetimes. This peek into the private world of the women serves not only as a history of the 20th century, but also a rare look behind their public personas and into the complicated relationships they had with one another. at of what the Mitford sisters wrote (and said) about one another made for uncomfortable family interactions, but perhaps nothing more than Wigs on the Green, Nancy's satirical book—which was long out of print—that sends up the Fascist sympathies of upper class Brits, including her sisters Unity and Diana. Viewers of Outrageous will recognize the book as a plot point, and those yet to see the series will appreciate it for its astuteness and knowing commentary on the politics of early 20th century aristocrats. at You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
