IT HAPPENED TODAY
1675:
The foundation stone of St Paul’s Cathedral was laid, designed by acclaimed English architect Sir Christopher Wren (above). It faced the church burned in the Great Fire of London of 1666.
1890:
Unlucky matador Luis Freg was born. The Mexican gained the dubious distinction of being injured more than any other bullfighter. Gored 57 times, he was given the last rites five times but always went back for more. He drowned two years after quitting the ring.
1919:
German sailors scuttled their fleet of warships at Scapa Flow in the Orkneys.
1937:
Lawn tennis at Wimbledon was televised for the first time.
1942:
Tobruk fell to Rommel with the capture of 25,000 Allied troops.
1948:
The first successfully produced long-playing (microgroove) records were unveiled by Dr Peter Goldmark of Columbia Records.
Tony Jacklin (above) became the first British golfer to win the US Open for 50 years, and with his British Open victory 11 months earlier became only the third golfer to accomplish this double within a 12-month period.
1978:
The Lloyd Webber-Rice musical Evita opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in London.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
Fewer than one in five people in the UK thinks social media does a good job in separating fact from fiction, a major study revealed.
BIRTHDAYS:
Sir Bernard Ingham, former Downing Street Press secretary, 86; Sir Ray Davies, rock singer (The Kinks), 74; Kate Hoey, Labour MP, 72; Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Foreign Secretary, 72; Ian McEwan, novelist, 70; Juliette Lewis, actress, 45; Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, 36; Edward Snowden, American whistleblower, 35; Lana Del Rey (above),singer, 33.