Today in History

1745 – In the Battle of Prestonpans in Scotland, the Jacobite army of just over 3000, under Bonnie Prince Charlie, defeats the English Royal forces.

1792 – A proclamation is made that the French monarchy is abolished. 1834 – Ngāti Ruanui chief Oaoiti is bayoneted and captured as a Pākehā rescue mission begins for a group held captive in Taranaki. In 1835, a committee of Britain’s

House of Commons condemns the level of force used.

1937 – The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is first published, in London.

1938 – A hurricane slams into Long Island and southern New England in the US, killing more than 600. 1939 – Premier Armand Calinescu of Romania is assassinated.

1956 – Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza is shot by a poet. He dies eight days later.

1985 – A little-known actor named George Clooney makes his first appearance as a handyman on television sitcom The Facts of Life.

1999 – Earthquake in Taiwan kills thousands of people, and leaves an estimated 100,000 homeless.

2002 – Nils Bohlin, left, Swedish inventor of the three-point seatbelt, dies, aged 82.

2013 – Islamic extremist gunmen kill at least 39 people and wound more than 150 in an attack inside Nairobi’s top shopping mall.

Birthdays

HG Wells, UK author (1866-1946); Charles Upham, NZ soldier (1908-94); Larry Hagman, US actor (1931-2012); Leonard Cohen, Canadian singer-songwriter (1934-2016); Stephen King, US author (1947-); Bill Murray, US actor (1950-); Shinzo Abe, Japanese politician (19542022); Kevin Rudd, Australian prime minister (1957-); Kelly Evernden, NZ tennis player (1961-); Curtly Ambrose, West Indies cricketer (1963-); Belinda Cordwell, NZ tennis player (1965-); Liam Gallagher, UK singer (1972-); Doug Howlett, All Black (1978-); Chris Gayle, West Indies cricketer (1979-).