IT HAPPENED TODAY
1649:
Oliver Cromwell abolished the office of King and declared England a Commonwealth.
1776:
British troops were forced by George Washington to evacuate Boston.
1845:
Elastic bands were patented by Stephen Perry at a firm of vulcanised rubber manufacturers in England.
1921:
The first birth control clinic was set up in London by Dr Marie Stopes (above).
1938:
Rudolf Nureyev, Russian ballet dancer who defected to the West, was born.
1945:
The Americans defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Iwo Jima.
1973:
The Queen opened the new London Bridge.
1978:
The oil tanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground on the coast of Brittany, broke in half and spilled 220,000 tons of crude oil.
Michael Dickinson (33) achieved a unique record as trainer of the first five horses home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
1989:
Transport Secretary Paul Channon pushed the button which began the machine to bore the Channel Tunnel through chalk beneath the sea at Dover.
1995:
The pound hit a record low against the German mark at 2.1890.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
Angelina Jolie (above) met the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss the refugee crisis and the prevention of sexual violence in conflict.
BIRTHDAYS:
Penelope Lively, writer, 85; Jeff Banks, fashion designer, 75; Patrick Duffy, actor, 69; Kurt Russell, actor, 67; Lesley-Anne Down, actress, 64; Rory McGrath, writer/ comedian, 62; Lee Dixon, former footballer, 54; Rob Lowe (above), actor, 54; John Boyega, British actor, 26.