110px|Altrincham Old Market Place
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of
Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south
of the River Mersey about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Manchester city
centre, 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest of Sale and 10 miles (16 km)
east of Warrington. As of the 2001 UK census, it had a population of
41,000. Historically a part of Cheshire, Altrincham was established as
a market town in 1290, a time when most communities were based around
agriculture rather than trade, and there is still a market in the town
today. Further socioeconomic development came with the extension of the
Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765 and the arrival of the railway
in 1849, stimulating industrial activity in the town. Outlying villages
were absorbed by Altrincham's subsequent growth, along with the grounds
of Dunham Massey Hall, formerly the home of the Earl of Stamford, and
now a tourist attraction with three Grade I listed buildings and a deer
park. Altrincham today is an affluent commuter town, partly because of
its transport links. It is also a centre for sport, home to Altrincham
F.C. and an English Premier League ice hockey club, Manchester Phoenix.
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1775:
American Revolution: Patrick Henry made his "Give me Liberty, or give
me Death!" speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, urging military
action against the British Empire.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_me_Liberty%2C_or_give_me_Death%21>
1848:
Captained by William Cargill, Scottish settlers on the John Wickliffe
arrived at what is now Port Chalmers in the Otago Region of New
Zealand.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cargill>
1879:
Fighting in the War of the Pacific between Chile and a
Peruvian–Bolivian alliance opened with the Battle of Topáter.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Pacific>
1989:
Two researchers announced the discovery of cold fusion, a claim which
was later discredited.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cold_fusion>
2007:
Iranian military personnel seized 15 British Royal Navy personnel from
HMS Cornwall, claiming that the British ship sailed into Iran's
territorial waters.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Iranian_seizure_of_Royal_Navy_personnel>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
escapade (n):
A daring or adventurous act; an undertaking which goes against
convention
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/escapade>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I believe that love is the main key to open the doors to the "growth"
of man. Love and union with someone or something outside of oneself,
union that allows one to put oneself into relationship with others, to
feel one with others, without limiting the sense of integrity and
independence.
--Erich Fromm
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Erich_Fromm>
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