IT HAPPENED TODAY
1536:
Henry VIII ),atthe age of 44, fell from his horse while jousting and was unconscious for several hours. Experts believed this triggered his mental instability.
1773:
Captain Cook’s ship Resolution became the first to cross the Antarctic circle.
1874:
The original Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, died within three hours of each other, aged 62.
1880:
Slapstick king Mack Sennett, creator of the Keystone Cops, was born in Quebec.
1899:
Chicago Mafia mobster Al Capone was born in Naples.
1912:
British explorer Captain Scott reached the South Pole — only to find the Norwegian Roald Amundsen had arrived a month earlier.
1977:
Double murderer Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad at Utah State Prison.
1983:
Start of BBC’s Breakfast TV with presenters Frank Bough and Selina Scott Families around the country got up especially early to watch the first programme that aired from 6.30am.
1991:
US-led allied air forces launched Operation Desert Storm, the campaign to expel Iraqi invaders from Kuwait.
2010:
Former Iraqi minister Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali, was sentenced to death for ordering the Halabja gas attack in 1988.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
Human traffickers exploited Europe’s refugee crisis to make £2bn-4bn during the previous year, according to European Union’s law enforcement agency.
BIRTHDAYS:
James Earl Jones, actor, 87; Joanna David, actress, 71; Sharon Duce, actress, 68; Paul Young (below), singer, 62; Jim Carrey, actor, 56; Shabba Ranks, singer, 52.