ON THIS DAY
64 AD:
The Great Fire of Rome took place during the reign of Nero. He played the lyre and was 50 miles away at his villa in Antium when he heard the news.
1817:
Author Jane Austen died at the age of 41.
1870:
The Dogma of Papal Infallibility in matters of faith and morals was proclaimed by the Vatican Council.
1872:
The Ballot Act, which laid the foundations of our current voting system, was passed.
1919:
The Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall was unveiled. The First World War memorial would later do double duty for the Second World War.
1925:
Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which Adolf Hitler wrote while in jail, was published.
1934:
The Mersey Tunnel was formally opened.
1936:
The Spanish Civil War began when the army, led by General Franco, revolted against the Republican government. It lasted three years.
1969:
Senator Edward Kennedy crashed his car into the Chappaquiddick River near Martha’s Vineyard on America’s east coast. Kennedy escaped, but his companion Mary Jo Kopechne drowned. He didn’t report the incident for 10 hours and was subsequently found guilty of leaving the scene of the accident and given a two-month suspended sentence.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
Britney Spears vowed she wouldn’t perform again while her father was “handling what I wear, say, do, or think”, in a post on Instagram.
BIRTHDAYS:
James Brolin, actor, 82; Martha Reeves, soul singer, 81; James Faulkner, actor, 74; Dennis Lillee, former cricketer, 73; Richard Branson, entrepreneur, 72; Nick Faldo, golfer, 65; Vin Diesel, actor, 55; M.I.A, musician, 47; Chace Crawford, actor, 37.