Ben Franklin’s 300th birthday

[ktinkel]

It would be disgraceful if we were to forget Ben Franklin. Among his many achievements, he was a noted printer.

Born January 17, 1706* in Boston. Apprenticed to his printer brother at 12. At 17, he went to Philadelphia and, at 22 (1728), opened his own printing company. The rest of that, as they say, is history!

Anyway, we couldn’t let January pass without remembering this extraordinary man.


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* If you see January 6, 1706 listed in some articles about Franklin it is because England (and its colonies) didn’t adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752, after Franklin’s birth. The Gregorian calendar had been adopted in Catholic countries in 1582, so it took England a while to make the change. I have no idea why some references say he was born January 16; maybe a typo?

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

His house in London has recently been renovated and is now open to visitors:


http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/sections/default.htm

http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/images/alpha/i.jpgn the heart of London, just steps from famed Trafalgar Square, is Benjamin Franklin House, the world's only remaining Franklin home. For nearly sixteen years between 1757 and 1775, Dr Benjamin Franklin - scientist, diplomat, philosopher, inventor, Founding Father of the United States and more - lived behind its doors.

[George]

His house in London has recently been renovated and is now open to visitors:


http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/sections/default.htm

http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/images/alpha/i.jpgn the heart of London, just steps from famed Trafalgar Square, is Benjamin Franklin House, the world's only remaining Franklin home. For nearly sixteen years between 1757 and 1775, Dr Benjamin Franklin - scientist, diplomat, philosopher, inventor, Founding Father of the United States and more - lived behind its doors.

This is a fascinating web site. I never would have thought the British would do such a memorial --but, then again, it does seem so British. Personally, I consider the public humiliation of Franklin by Parliament to be one of the greatest blunders of British history. So, does this mean that that Brits today look upon Franklin fondly????

Regards,

George