ON THIS DAY

1817:

Governor Lachlan Macquarie opens Australia’s first bank, the Bank of NSW, in Sydney.

Britain and France sign convention confirming independence of Siam (Thailand).

Unemployment in Australia reaches 500,000, or 24.4 per cent of the workforce. Death of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Capital punishment is abolished in Victoria. Fiona Coote, 14, becomes Australia’s youngest heart transplant patient.

Jennifer Guinness, of the brewing family, is kidnapped in Ireland for a STG2 million ransom. She is released eight days later.

Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, dies aged 87.

Kofi Annan, former UN SecretaryGeneral (1938-); Julian Lennon, English pop singer (1963-); Robin Wright, US actor (1966-); Patricia Arquette, US actor (1968-).

1907: 1933: 1973: 1975: 1984: 1986: 2013: Birthdays: