ON THIS day

1066 Death of Edward the Confessor, king of England who will be canonised in 1161.

1871 Chinese miner Ah Chang banks “Precious’’, a 46kg gold nugget, near Dunolly, Victoria.

1894 French Captain Alfred Dreyfus, convicted of treason, is publicly stripped of his rank in the Field of Mars in Paris. He was ultimately vindicated.

1914 After the great success of the Model T, car maker Henry Ford raises his workers’ pay from $2.40 to $5 a day and reduces the hours of the work day.

1919 Anton Drexler founds the German Workers’ Party, the forerunner of the Nazi Party, in Munich.

1922 Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton dies at 47 of a heart attack in the Falkland Islands as he attempts a fourth expedition to Antarctica.

1931 American actor Robert Duvall, who was known for his convincing portrayals of a diverse range of characters, is born in San Diego.

1941 Australian forces capture Bardia, Libya. They capture 40,000 Italian prisoners at a cost of 130 killed in Australia’s first major land battle of World War II.

1941 Pioneer aviatrix Amy Johnson goes missing flying over the Thames. She is never found.

1946 American actor and director Diane Keaton, who first achieved fame in quirky comic roles before earning acclaim as a dramatic actor, is born.

1953 Waiting for Godot, a hugely influential play by Irish writer Samuel Beckett, is staged for the first time.

1973 American musician Bruce Springsteen releases his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

1975 Tasman Bridge in Hobart collapses after being hit by freighter Lake Illawarra; 12 die. (above)

2012 Australia captain Michael Clarke scores 329 not out against India at the SCG, the highest Test score at the ground.