ON THIS DAY
1759:
The British Museum opened in London.
1790:
Fletcher Christian and eight fellow mutineers from the Bounty landed on the remote Pitcairn Island in the Pacific.
1867:
Forty skaters died when the frozen lake in London’s Regents Park gave way.
1880:
The first telephone directory was published by the London Telephone Company.
1893:
Ivor Novello (David Ivor Davies), composer, actor, director and playwright, was born in Cardiff.
1912:
Italian aircraft dropped the first-ever propaganda leaflets during the Italo-Turkish War. They offered a coin and a sack of cereal to every Arab in Tripolitania (Libya) who surrendered.
1912:
The first sickness benefit (10 shillings per week), unemployment benefit (seven shillings) and maternity benefit (30 shillings) were introduced in Britain. 1963:
The BBC ended its ban on mentioning politics, royalty, religion and sex in comedy shows.
1992:
The European Commission recognises the independence of Croatia and Slovenia, signalling the end of Yugoslavia as one nation.
2009:
Dozens of passengers had a “miraculous” escape as a US airliner plunged into the Hudson River in New York.
2014:
Actor Roger Lloyd-Pack, forever known to millions for his role as amiable dimwit Trigger in Only Fools And Horses, died at the age of 69.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
A strong earthquake shook Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, toppling homes and buildings, triggering landslides and killing at least 34 people.
BIRTHDAYS:
Margaret Beckett, politician, 79; Princess Michael of Kent, 77; Gareth Hale, comedian, 69; Mario Van Peebles, actor, 65; James Nesbitt, actor, 57; Mary Pierce, tennis player, 47; Scott Murray, rugby union player, 46; Jermaine Pennant, footballer, 39.