ON THIS DAY
1394: Prince Henry the Navigator, who sponsored Portugal’s voyages of discovery, was born in Oporto.
1678: Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, composer and violinist, best known for The Four Seasons (1725), was born in Venice.
1789: The first Congress of the United States was held in New York.
1824: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was founded.
1890: The Forth Bridge was officially opened by the Prince of Wales.
1924: Happy Birthday To You was published by Clayton F Summy.
1941: British forces, assisted by local Norwegians, raided the Germanoccupied Lofoten Islands, destroying 11 ships.
1946: Housewives’ Choice, presented by Robert McDermott, began on BBC radio.
1967: North Sea gas was first piped ashore at Easington Terminal near Hull.
1969: At the Old Bailey, gangland twins Ronald and Reginald Kray were found guilty of murder and given life sentences.
1974: After the General Election, Edward Heath failed to persuade the Liberals to join a coalition and resigned. Harold Wilson became Prime Minister of a minority administration, which lasted for eight months until fresh elections secured a Labour majority.
1980: Robert Mugabe became the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, winning 57 of the 80 black seats in the 100-member Assembly.
1989: Six people were killed in a rail crash in Purley, Surrey.