Historical Events
- 1360 Treaty of Brétigny signed by English & French, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years' War
Cromwell Refuses the Crown
1657 English Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell refuses the English crown
Parliament Proclaims Charles II King
1660 English Parliament proclaims Charles II, King of England and invites him to return
Carbon Microphone
1878 David Edward Hughes' paper on the idea for a microphone is read before the Royal Society of London by Thomas Henry Huxley
Stanley's 1st Congo Contract
1881 Henry Morton Stanley signs the first of many contracts with the Congolian monarch
- 1901 A British appointed commission estimates today that some 1,250,000 Indians have died after a severe drought, lasting since 1899
- 1909 British runner Henry Barrett runs world record marathon (2:42:31) in the Polytechnic Marathon in London
- 1916 Irishmen Eamon Kent, Michael Mallin, Con Colbert and Sean Houston are executed by British authorities following the Easter Rising at Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
Hobbs Scores 100th Century
1923 England Test opening batsman Jack Hobbs scores his 100th 1st-class cricket 100 with 116 not out for Surry v Somerset at Bath
Gandhi Begins Fast
1933 Mahatma Gandhi begins a 21-day fast in protest against British oppression in India
Dracula Released
1958 Classic Hammer horror film "Dracula" film starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous vampire alongside Peter Cushing, directed by Terence Fisher released
Dr. No Premieres
1963 1st James Bond film, "Dr. No", starring Sean Connery, premieres in US
- 1974 50 MPH speed limit in Britain lifted
- 1987 The Loughgall ambush: The SAS kill 8 IRA members and 1 civilian, in Loughgall, Northern Ireland
Sports History
1989 Paul McCartney releases remake of "Ferry Cross the Mersey" in aid of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool football fans
Boxing Title Fight
1993 Lennox Lewis beats Tony Tucker in 12 for heavyweight boxing title
Event of Interest
2007 A new Northern Ireland Executive is formed with Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party) as First Minister and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) as Deputy First Minister
Music Concert
2008 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Brian Wilson, Chris Botti, Feist, Roberto Alagna, and Natalie Clein
- 2010 Barrow AFC wins English FA Trophy at Wembley, makes them only team to win it at both Old & New Wembley stadiums
Sports History
2013 Alex Ferguson announces his retirement as Manchester United's manager at the end of the season
Election of Interest
2016 Sadiq Khan (L) is elected Mayor of London, becomes the 1st Muslim mayor of a major Western city
Film & TV History
2022 UK BAFTA Television Awards: "In My Skin" Best Drama, Big Zuu Best Entertainment, Sean Bean and Jodie Comer best acting awards
Famous Birthdays
- 1592 Francis Quarles, English poet (Argalus & Parthenia, Emblems), born in Romford, Essex (d. 1644)
- 1670 Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier (d. 1726)
- 1720 William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, 5th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1756-57), born in Hardwicke, England (d. 1764)
- 1735 Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, English painter, born in London (d. 1811)
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794)
English historian (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire), born in Putney, England
- 1786 Thomas Hancock, British engineer, founded British rubber industry, born in Malborough, Wilshire (d. 1865)
- 1839 Francis Warre-Cornish, English scholar and writer (d. 1916)
- 1893 Teddy Wakelam, English sports broadcaster (BBC) and rugby union player (captain Harlequin RFC), born in Herefordshire, England (d. 1963)
- 1898 Vera Chapman, English writer and Tolkien Society founder, born in Bournemouth, England (d. 1996)
- 1899 Friedrich August von Hayek, Austrian-British economist (Road to Serfdom, 1974 Nobel Prize for Economics ), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1992) [1]
- 1904 John Snagge, British newsreader and commentator for the BBC (Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race), born in London (d. 1996)
- 1905 Inglis Gundry, British composer, musicologist and novelist, born in Wimbledon, London (d. 2000)
- 1913 Sid James [Solomon Joel Cohen], South African-born British character and comedy actor (Hancock's Half Hour, Carry On), born in Johannesburg, Transvaal Province (d. 1976)
- 1924 Tristan Jones, British sailor and author, born off Tristan da Cunha (d. 1995)
- 1925 Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Tanzania politician, 2nd President of Tanzania (1985-1995), 3rd President of Zanzibar (1984-85), born in Kivure, Pwani Region, British Tanganyika
- 1925 Charles Jauncey, Baron Jauncey of Tullichettle, Scottish judge and advocate, born in Edinburgh (d. 2007)
David Attenborough (98th Birthday)
1926 English naturalist, TV producer and host (BBC "Life" and "Our Planet" series), born in London, England
- 1926 Ronald Waterhouse, British high court judge (d. 2011)
- 1927 Philip Wilkinson, British bank executive (National Westminster Bank) (d. 2007)
- 1932 Phyllida Law, Scottish actress (Much Ado About Nothing, The Time Machine), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- 1934 Leonard Hoffmann, South African-British high court judge, born in Cape Town, South Africa
- 1934 Roger Kendrick, British governor (Dartmoor Prison) (d. 2009)
- 1935 Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland, British peer (Lib-Dem), born in UK
- 1936 Neville Purvis, British vice admiral (Chief of Fleet Support)
- 1937 Michael Simmons, Air Marshal (British Ministry of Defense)
- 1940 James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington, British businessman (CEO of Boots)
- 1941 Maurice Lindsay, British sports administrator (chairman Preston North End FC, Wigan Warriors RLFC; CEO RFL 1992-99), born in Horwich, England (d. 2022)
- 1942 Norman Lamont, British politician, (Chancellor of Exchequer), born in Lerwick, Shetland
- 1942 Terry Neill, Northern Irish soccer defender (59 caps; Arsenal, Hull City FC) and manager (Hull City FC, Tottenham, Arsenal), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (d. 2022)
- 1943 Paul Samwell-Smith, British blues-rock bassist, and record producer (The Yardbirds, 1963-66 "For Your Love"), born in Richmond, Surrey, England
- 1944 Bill Legend [Fifield], British musician and rock drummer (T. Rex), born in Barking, Essex
Gary Glitter (80th Birthday)
1944 British glam rocker (Rock and Roll, Parts 1 and 2), and convicted sex offender, born in Banbury, England
- 1947 Felicity Lott, British lyric and operatic soprano (We Come To The River), born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
- 1948 John Reid, British politician (L), born in Bellshill, Scotland
- 1957 Eddie Butler, Welsh rugby union #8 (16 caps; Cambridge University RFC, Pontypool RFC), journalist (The Observer Sport, The Guardian) and broadcaster (BBC), born in Newport, Wales (d. 2022)
- 1963 Robin Jarvis, British young adult fiction, and fantasy writer (The Witching Legacy), born in Liverpool, England
- 1963 Terry Christian, British writer, radio and television presenter, born in Old Trafford, Lancashire, England
- 1964 Dave Rowntree, British drummer (Blur - "Country House"; Coffee &TV"), and politician, born in Colchester, Essex, England
- 1974 Jon Tickle, English TV presenter (Brainiac), born in Norwich, England
Jodhi May (49th Birthday)
1975 British actress (A World Apart; Sister My Sister; The Other Boleyn Girl), born in Camden Town, London, England
- 1976 Ian "H" Watkins, Welsh pop singer (Steps - "Heartbeat"; "Stomp"), actor, and television personality, born in Llwynypia, Wales
- 1980 Michelle McManus, Scottish pop singer ("All This Time"), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- 1983 Matt Willis, British pop singer, bassist (Busted), and television personality, born in Tooting, London, England
- 1987 Aneurin Barnard, Welsh actor (The White Queen), born in Bridgend, Wales
Famous Deaths
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
English philosopher, political economist and utilitarian, dies of erysipelas at 66
Fred McLeod (1882-1976)
Scottish golfer (US Open 1908), dies at 94
- 1981 Maurice Fernandes, West Indian cricket batsman (2 Tests, HS 22; British Guiana), dies at 83
- 1987 Doris Stokes, British psychic medium (b. 1920)
- 1991 Ronnie Brody, British actor (Superman 3, What's Up Nurse, Ritz), dies at 72
- 1996 Jane Cowan, British cello teacher (International Cello Centre), dies at 80
- 1996 Serge Chermayeff, Russian-British architect and designer, dies at 95
- 1997 Brian Wenham, British journalist (BBC), and media consultant, dies at 60
- 1999 Dirk Bogarde [Derek van den Bogaerde] British writer and actor (Death in Venice, Servant), dies at 78
- 2004 John Peel, British politician (C), dies at 91
- 2018 Anne V. Coates, British film editor (1962 Oscar, Lawrence of Arabia), dies at 92