IT HAPPENED TODAY
1732:
Sir Richard Arkwright, English inventor of the ‘’spinning frame’’, was born.
1834:
Hansom cabs were patented by Joseph Hansom. He also designed Birmingham Town Hall and Plymouth Roman Catholic Cathedral.
1888:
Vincent Van Gogh (above), suffering severe depression which historians claim was increased by his companion Gauguin’s decision to leave their lodgings at Arles to escape winter, cut off his ear.
1905:
The Aldwych Theatre in London opened.
1953:
In the USSR, Lavrentiy Beria and six others were executed for treason.
1972:
Managua, capital of Nicaragua, was destroyed by an earthquake which killed many thousands of people.
Geoffrey Boycott (below) took his score to 86 not out against India at Delhi to become the (then) most prolific run-scoring batsman in Test history.
1986:
The US plane Voyager completed the first non-stop flight round the world without refuelling.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
A mother became a millionaire after popping to the shop to buy a treat for her unwell three-year-old daughter and deciding to buy a lottery scratchcard at the same time.
BIRTHDAYS:
Akihito, Emperor of Japan, 84; Queen Silvia of Sweden, 74; Belinda Lang, actress, 64; Carol Smillie (below), TV personality, 56; Eddie Vedder, rock singer (Pearl Jam), 53; Matt Baker, TV presenter, 40; Harry Judd, drummer (McFly), 32.