ON THIS DAY
1812: Limerick writer Edward Lear, author of The Book Of Nonsense, was born in London.
1820: ‘Lady of the Lamp’ Florence Nightingale, hospital reformer who tended the wounded during the Crimean War, was born in Italy.
1926: The TUC called off the General Strike after nine days.
1932: The kidnapped baby son of aviator Charles Lindbergh was found dead.
1935: Self-help group Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by
William Wilson in Ohio.
1937: The coronation of King George VI took place in Westminster Abbey and was broadcast worldwide by the BBC.
1949: The Soviet blockade of Berlin ended after 11 months. It had cost the Allies £200m to fly in food and essential supplies.
1967: John Masefield, Poet Laureate from 1930, died.
2008: An earthquake (measuring around 8.0 magnitude) occurred in Sichuan, China, killing more than 69,000 people.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: After his debut self-titled album met with praise, Harry Styles revealed he’d met one of his new band members in a pizza shop.
BIRTHDAYS: Burt Bacharach, composer/songwriter, 90; Lord Patten of Barnes (Chris Patten), politician and former Governor of Hong Kong, 74; Steve Winwood, singer, 70; Gabriel Byrne, actor, 68; Bruce Boxleitner, actor, 68; Emilio Estevez, actor, 56; Stephen Baldwin, actor, 52; Samantha Mathis, actress, 48; Jason Biggs, actor, 40.