IT HAPPENED TODAY
1471:
The Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Tewkesbury in the War of the Roses.
1780:
The first Derby was run at Epsom.
1839:
The Cunard shipping line was founded by Canadian Sir Samuel Cunard.
1896:
The Daily Mail, founded by Lord Northcliffe, was first published, priced one halfpenny.
1904:
Charles Rolls and Henry Royce signed a provisional agreement to produce Rolls-royce cars.
1926:
The General Strike began, the first in British history. It was called off on May 12.
1974:
Abba (above) reached the top of the pop charts with Waterloo, the Eurovision song contest winner.
1979:
Margaret Thatcher (below) became Britain’s first woman prime minister.
1982:
HMS Sheffield was struck by an Exocet missile during the Falklands War. It was the first British ship to be lost to enemy action since the Second World War.
1990:
Latvia declared itself an independent democratic republic in the first stage of withdrawal from the Soviet Union.
2000:
Ken Livingstone became the first Mayor of London.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
The Earth’s life-support systems were reaching a crisis point for humanity, with up to one million species facing extinction due to human activity, a UN study warned.
BIRTHDAYS:
John Watson, former racing driver, 74; Michael Barrymore,
TV personality, 68; Randy Travis, country singer, 61; Jay Aston, singer (Bucks Fizz), 59; Kate Garraway, TV presenter, 53; Julian Barratt, comedian/actor, 52; Rory Mcilroy, (above) golfer, 31.