IT HAPPENED TODAY
1066:
Harold of England defeated the Norwegians under Harold Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire, unaware that William of Normandy was preparing to invade the south coast.
1660:
Samuel Pepys (above) drank his first cuppa, after reading that tea made the body active and lusty.
1818:
The first blood transfusion using human blood, as opposed to earlier attempts with animal blood, took place in London.
1872:
Sir Charles Cochran (below), English impresario dubbed Britain’s Greatest Showman, was born. From 1914 to 1949, he presented some of the best musicals and revues, including five by Noel Coward, two by Rodgers and Hart and two by Cole Porter. His chorus girls were known as ‘Mr Cochran’s Young Ladies’.
1885:
It snowed in London, the earliest recorded winter fall despite reports that on June 12, 1791, there had been snow sighted over the capital. That was recorded as late summer, not winter, snow.
1933:
More than 25,000 queued to see the Shroud of Turin when it went on show to the public for the first time in 400 years at Turin Cathedral.
1962:
Sonny Liston won the world heavyweight boxing title, knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round in Chicago.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
SirDavid Attenborough described the “heartbreaking” moment an albatross fed its chick plastic instead of fish in a sequence filmed for Blue Planet II.
BIRTHDAYS:
Michael Douglas, actor, 74, and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones (below), actress, 49; Felicity Kendal, actress, 72; Mark Hamill, actor, 67; Michael Madsen, actor, 60; Heather Locklear, actress, 57; Ronnie Whelan, former footballer and manager, 57; Will Smith, actor, 50; Olivier Dacourt, former footballer, 44; Declan Donnelly, presenter, 43; Jodie Kidd, model/ TV personality, 40.