IT HAPPENED TODAY
1781:
Astronomer William Herschel (above) discovered the planet Uranus.
1894:
The first professional striptease took place at the Divan Fayonau Music Hall in Paris. Le Coucher d’Yvette, as the act was billed, showed a girl undressing to go to bed.
1900:
British forces under General Roberts captured Bloemfontein in the second Anglo-Boer War.
1928:
The St Francis Dam near Los Angeles burst, flooding the countryside and killing around 450 people.
1935:
The driving test was introduced in Britain. It was voluntary, becoming compulsory in June.
1938:
Hitler invaded Austria, which was made a German Reich province named Ostmark.
1947:
The Government announced a mid-week ban on sport to try to boost productivity.
Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung (above) invited Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev for talks to try to heal relations.
1985:
Russian leader Konstantin Chernenko was buried in Red Square as Mikhail Gorbachev became the youngest member of the ruling Politburo at 54.
1996:
Day of the Dunblane Massacre, when lone gunman Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 children and their teacher in the local primary school before turning the gun on himself.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
A majority of teachers think exam results are prioritised over the wellbeing of pupils, a charity said.
BIRTHDAYS:
Neil Sedaka, singer-songwriter, 79; Joe Bugner, former boxer, 68; William H Macy, actor, 68; Linda Robson, (above) actress, 60; Adam Clayton, rock musician (U2), 58; Annabeth Gish, actress, 47; Stephen Maguire, snooker player, 37; Noel Fisher, actor, 34.