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On this day - 8 February

Historical items of interest as featured in the papers of the day.

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Queen Elizabeth II changes family name

Daily Express 08/02/1960

The Queen made a statement on February 8th 1960 which would alter the names of her future descendants. From this day onward, Mountbatten-Windsor was made the surname for any future descendants of the Queen who did not have the title of Royal Highness, Prince or Princess and therefore required a surname.

When Queen Elizabeth II took the throne, her surname was Mountbatten due to marriage. She changed her surname back to Windsor two months after taking the throne. Windsor was made the family surname in 1917 by King George V when German connections, stemming from from Queen Victoria's consort Albert, were dropped.

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First execution in the USA via lethal gas

Daily Mirror 08/02/1924
On February 8th 1924 Gee Jon became the first person to be executed in the United States via the use of lethal gas. He had been sentenced to death for murder of a rival gang member. Initially the prison attempted to pump cyanide gas directly into Gee Jon's cell, but found the gas leaked out. In response to this, the gas chamber was developed and the prison built one in the prison's butcher shop. They tested it with cats the day prior to the execution.

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