IT HAPPENED TODAY
— patron of throats and woolcombers. An annual blessing of throats is held at St Ethelreda’s Church in London.
1488:
Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Diaz became the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope.
1730:
The first stock exchange quotations were published in the Daily Advertiser, London.
1762:
English dandy and gambler Richard ‘Beau’ Nash (above) died.
1877:
Chopsticks, the novelty piano piece, was registered at the British Museum.
1935:
The jingle “We are the Ovaltineys, little girls and boys” was first sung on radio. Listeners were invited to join the Ovaltiney Club (with badge and rule book) and a coded message was given out each week.
1959:
Buddy Holly (above), US singer, died in an air crash, aged 22.
1960:
British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan made his historic “wind of change” speech to the South African Parliament, predicting the growth of national consciousness.
1966:
The Russians made the first rocket-assisted controlled landing on the Moon with Luna 9.
1977:
The Government said it would hold referendums in Scotland and Wales on devolution.
1983:
UK unemployment hit a record high of 3.22 million.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
A flying Dutchman caught with his trousers down smuggling cocaine worth more than £2.4 million into the UK was jailed for 23 years.
BIRTHDAYS:
Dave Davies, rock singer, 71; Morgan Fairchild, actress, 68; Kirsty Wark, TV presenter, 63; Tim Flowers, former footballer, 51; Warwick Davis, actor, 48; Isla Fisher (above), actress, 42.