ON THIS DAY
1483: The young Edward V acceded to the throne on the death of Edward IV. He was never crowned and disappeared, believed murdered, 75 days later.
1626: Francis Bacon, philosopher and statesman, died – apparently killed by a chicken. He was trying to stuff it with snow as a method of preservation, caught a chill and died.
1806: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, railway and marine engineer whose works included the Clifton suspension bridge and steamship Great Western, was born in Portsmouth.
1838: The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, was opened.
1865: Confederate General Robert E Lee surrendered to General Grant in Virginia, bringing the American Civil War to an end.
1898: Paul Robeson, actor and singer, was born in New Jersey. He is best known for his singing of Ol’ Man River in Jerome Kern’s Show Boat.
1906: Labour politician Hugh Gaitskell was born in London. As Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1951, he introduced NHS charges, causing Aneurin Bevan, Minister of Health, to resign.
1940: Germany invaded Norway and Denmark. 1969: The first British-built Concorde 002 made its maiden flight from Filton to RAF Fairford.
1983: Jenny Pitman became the first woman to train an English Grand National winner with Corbiere.
1991: Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union.
2003: Baghdad fell to American forces, Iraqis pulled down a statue of former leader Saddam Hussein.
THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Prince of Wales and his sons walked in the footsteps of First World War soldiers who won a landmark victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
BIRTHDAYS: Jean-Paul Belmondo, actor, 85; Valerie Singleton, TV presenter, 81; Hannah Gordon, actress, 77; Alan Knott, former cricketer, 72; Dennis Quaid, actor, 64; Paulina Porizkova, model and actress, 53; Robbie Fowler, former footballer, 43; Rachel Stevens, pop singer, 40.