ON THIS DAY

■ 117: Hadrian became Emperor of Rome.

■1834: The Poor Law Amendment Act was passed, abandoning the system of outdoor relief by which parishes looked after their poor and replacing it with the workhouse.

■1876: Frank Richards, author and creator of fat schoolboy Billy Bunter, was born in London as Charles Hamilton.

■1900: The Davis Cup for tennis was contested for the first time at Brookline, Massachusetts, and won by USA.

■1940: The Battle of Britain began.

■1958: Columbia Records signed up a 17-year-old singer called Cliff Richard.

■1963: The Great Train Robbery took place at Sears Crossing, Buckinghamshire, when a gang of 15 men, including Ronnie Biggs and Buster Edwards, stole more than £2.6 million.

■1974: Richard Nixon, above, announced his resignation as US president, the first to do so, because of his implication in the Watergate scandal.

■1991: Hostage John McCarthy came home, five years and three months after being kidnapped and held hostage in Beirut.

■2008: The opening ceremony of the Olympics took place in Beijing at the “Bird’s Nest” Stadium.

■ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went head to head at the King’s Cup regatta, in support of their charitable causes.

■BIRTHDAYS: Dustin Hoffman, actor, 83; Connie Stevens, actress and singer, 82; Keith Carradine, actor, 71; Nigel Mansell, former racing driver, 67; The Edge (David Evans), rock guitarist (U2), 59; Angus Fraser, former cricketer, 55; Chris Eubank, former boxer, 54; Princess Beatrice of York, 32.

Let us know your community events

Write to What’s On, South Wales Echo, Six Park Street, Cardiff CF10 1XR or email ecletters@walesonline.co.uk including your name, address and daytime contact number. Don’t forget to tell us where and when your event is taking place and what it’s all about.