ON THIS DAY
4004 BC: According to Archbishop James Usher, this is the day God created the world. Although there are 140 conflicting versions of the date, Usher’s is the only one that matches the chronology of the authorised version of the Bible.
42 BC: Brutus, whose army was crushed by Anthony and Octavian at Philippi, committed suicide by falling on his own sword.
1642: The Royalists narrowly beat the Roundheads at Edgehill in the first major battle of the Civil War. Both sides claimed victory.
1707: The first Parliament of Great Britain met.
1844: The “Divine” Sarah, actress Sarah Bernhardt, was born in Paris.
1915: The legendary cricketer WG Grace died.
1942: The Second Battle of El Alamein began with a thousand tanks aimed on Italian and German troops.
1950: Al Jolson, US singer who billed himself “the world’s greatest entertainer”, died. He starred in the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer.
1956: The Hungarian uprising against Soviet leadership began in Budapest.
1987: Lester Piggott, former British champion jockey and later a top trainer, was jailed for three years for tax evasion.
1991: The House of Lords ruled that husbands could legally be convicted of raping their wives.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Two people were taken to hospital after they were attacked by a brown bear in central Romania.
BIRTHDAYS: Pele, football legend, 78; Ang Lee, film director, 64; Graham Rix, former footballer and coach, 61; Sam Raimi, film director, 59; Cat Deeley, TV presenter, 42; Ryan Reynolds, actor, 42; Alex Tudor, cricketer, 41; Jessica Stroup, actress, 32.