ON THIS DAY
1492:
Christopher Columbus left Andalucia, Spain, on his first voyage to America. He was actually searching for a land called India.
1887:
The soldier poet Rupert Brooke was born in Rugby. His early death on active service during the First World War made him a legendary figure but he never heard a shot fired in anger – he died from the combined results of a mosquito bite and sunstroke.
1914:
The first ship passed through the Panama Canal.
1926:
Electric traffic lights were installed at Piccadilly Circus, the first in Britain.
1955:
Samuel Beckett’s nowacknowledged classic Waiting For Godot was performed for the first time in London at the Arts Theatre. The performance was punctuated throughout with the clatter of seats as half the audience walked out.
1977:
Tandy Corporation released the TRS-80, one of the first personal computers available to the consumer market. 2004:
The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopened after being closed for nearly 3 years following 9/11.
2005:
President of Mauritania, Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya was overthrown in a military coup.
2010:
Riots in Karachi, Pakistan, triggered after a senior politician was assassinated, left 45 people dead.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
The oldest family photograph taken at Stonehenge was found in the collection of Queen guitarist Brian May, English Heritage said.
BIRTHDAYS:
Tony Bennett, singer, 96; Steven Berkoff, actor/ director and writer, 85; Martin Sheen, actor, 82; John Landis, film-maker, 72; Ossie Ardiles, former footballer and football manager, 70; James Hetfield, singer/guitarist (Metallica), 59, Karlie Kloss, Victoria’s Secret model, 30.