ON THIS DAY

• 1793: Jean Paul Marat, French revolutionary leader, was stabbed to death by Charlotte Corday while in his bath.

• 1837: Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace, the first monarch to live there.

• 1930: The first World Cup football tournament kicked off in Uruguay.

• 1939: Frank Sinatra made his first record, From The Bottom Of My Heart, with the Harry James Band.

• 1947: Europe accepted Marshall Aid, the US financial package to help recovery after the Second World War.

• 1951: Composer Arnold Schoenberg died in Los Angeles. As he was born on September 13, 1874, and was superstitious, he always said he would die on his 76th birthday because seven plus six equalled 13. He died on Friday,

July 13, 1951, at 13 minutes to midnight, in his 76th year.

• 1955: Nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis became the last woman hanged in Britain when the sentence for murdering her lover David Blakely was carried out at Holloway Prison.

• 1973: The Everly Brothers parted on stage in California when Phil smashed his guitar and stormed off, leaving Don to finish the gig.

• ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Louisiana residents boarded up buildings as they braced for torrential rain and strong winds from a strengthening Tropical Storm Barry.

• BIRTHDAYS: Harrison Ford, actor, 78; Roger Mcguinn, rock musician (The Byrds), 78; Erno Rubik, Rubik’s Cube inventor, 76; Michael Spinks, former boxer, 64; Cameron Crowe, film director, 63; Ian Hislop, Private Eye editor, 60.