ON THIS DAY, JULY 14

1789 The much-hated Bastille prison and its subsequent demolition occurs, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.

1791 In England, the Birmingham riot occurs on the second anniversary of the fall of the Bastille. Mob rule lasts for three days, targeting controversial scientist and theologian Joseph Priestly’s home and laboratory as well as the homes of his friends. Priestly, who expressed support for the American and French revolutions, flees to London with his family and later moves to America.

1881 One of the most notorious Wild West outlaws and gunfighters, Billy the Kid, is shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett outside Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

1904 ZAR President Paul Kruger, 78, dies of heart failure in Clarens, Switzerland.

1914 Robert Goddard is granted the first patent for liquid-fuelled rocket design.

1933 All non-Nazi parties are banned in Germany as the country begins the mandatory sterilisation of people with hereditary illnesses.

1948 The eighth monarch of the Zulus, King Goodwill Zwelithini, oldest son of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon and his second wife, Queen Thomo, is born in Nongoma, Zululand.

1965 Journalist and short story writer Nat Nakasa, 28, dies in exile in Harlem, New York. 1987 Taiwan ends 37 years of martial law. 1992 386BSD is released by Lynne Jolitz and William Jolitz, starting the open-source computer operating system revolution. Linus Torvalds releases Linux soon after.

1994 A gas explosion at an old age home in Milan, Italy, kills 27 people.

1998 Violence erupts in Richmond, reflecting political tensions between supporters of the ANC and IFP.

2015 Scientists from the Large Hadron Collider announce the discovery of a new particle called the pentaquark.

2019 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Novak Djoković wins longest ever Wimbledon final over Roger Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in 4 hours, 57 minutes; his 16th Grand Slam title. | THE HISTORIAN