ON THIS DAY
1492: 1897:
The infamous and corrupt Roderigo Borgia bribed enough cardinals to become Pope Alexander VI.
Enid Blyton, children’s author, was born in East Dulwich. In the mid-Thirties she began writing her stories which featured Noddy, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven.
1919:
Philanthropic American industrialist Andrew Carnegie died. Insisting he wanted to leave the world as a poor man, he gave away more than 308 million dollars. But he failed to achieve his ambition - he had 22 million dollars left.
1942:
Barnes Wallis patented the bouncing bomb which was used against the German Mohne and Eder dams in 1943 by the RAF Dambusters Squadron.
1942:
The new Waterloo Bridge over the Thames was opened.
1952:
King Hussein succeeded to the throne of Jordan.
1956:
Abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock died when his car hit a tree near East Hampton, New York.
1965:
Violent race riots broke out in the Watts area of Los Angeles.
1975:
The Government took ownership of British Leyland, the only major British-owned car company.
1988:
Devastating floods brought chaos to the Sudan. After 13 hours of rain, 1.5 million people had been made homeless, and an unknown number died
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR
A wildfire on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria forced 1,000 residents to be evacuated after 2,470 acres of land was burned.
BIRTHDAYS
Don Boyd, film director, 72; Eric Carmen, singer, 71; Hulk Hogan, wrestler and actor, 67; Joe Jackson, rock singer, 66; Nigel Martyn, former footballer, 54; Nigel Harman, actor, 47; Chris Hemsworth, actor, 37.