ON THIS DAY

1792: Percy Bysshe Shelley, romantic poet, was born near Horsham, Sussex. After his death from drowning in Italy at 29, his wife kept his heart in her desk until she died. 1875: Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer most famous for his fairy stories, died. 1914: Great Britain declared war on Germany for violating the Treaty of London - and the First World War began. President Wilson proclaimed the USA neutral. 1917: Captain Noel Chavasse, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, the second of only three men to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice, died from his war wounds. 1978: Jeremy Thorpe, a former leader of the Liberal Party, was charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Norman Scott. He was later cleared. 1991: Greek cruise ship the MTS Oceanos sank off the coast of South Africa’s Wild Coast. All 571 passengers and crew members were saved. 2006: 17 members of Action Against Hunger / ACF-USA were executed while carrying out humanitarian programs in Muthur, Sri Lanka. 2007: NASA’s Phoenix Spaceship was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to find out whether Mars could have once supported life. BIRTHDAYS: Jack Cunningham, Labour politician, 76; Martin Jarvis, actor, 74; Georgina Hale, actress, 72; Billy Bob Thornton, actor, 60; Ian Broudie, musician/ producer (Lightning Seeds), 57; Mary Decker, former track athlete, 57; Barack Obama, president of the United States, 54. QUOTES OF THE DAY: “You are more likely to see an alien in a Hollywood film than an Asian woman” - actress Gemma Chan on on-screen gender and ethnic balance. “I taught him the most important thing he needs to know to get by in a kitchen – how to swear” – TV cook Gordon Ramsay, who mentored Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper for his role as a London chef in a forthcoming film. “If there are any celebrities who haven’t yet tweeted their sadness over Cilla, please report to Sincerity Services” - Katie Hopkins. “My earliest memory of having a tantrum was over Cilla. I wanted her album. My mum and dad said no – my grandad said yes. I was four” - Nicola Sturgeon. “I have been an Equity member for 26 years and wish more people would join the union. Having said that, good luck with getting the unruly herberts in our game to work to rule or down their considerable tools” - comedian Alan Davies. “Edinburgh is the only place on the planet where midsummer rain is guaranteed” - broadcaster Gyles Brandreth prepares for The Fringe.