ON THIS DAY ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: BIRTHDAYS:
1596: 1756:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg. He composed 20 operas, 17 masses, 41 symphonies, 27 string quartets and 21 piano concertos - and still died a pauper in 1791, aged 35.
1778: 1832: 1859:
Lewis Carroll, children’s author, was born in Daresbury, near Warrington, as Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, third German emperor and grandson of Queen Victoria, was born. He was forced to abdicate after the First World War.
1879: 1901:
Sir Francis Drake died at sea off Panama.
Joseph Bramah patented the valved flush toilet.
Thomas Edison patented his electric lamp.
Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer whose operas include Rigoletto, Traviata and Aida, died aged 87. 1926:
John Logie Baird gave a public demonstration of television to members of the Royal Institution in London. 1944:
The 900-day siege of Leningrad ended.
1973:
America signed a ceasefire to end its military action in Vietnam. 2010:
American novelist JD Salinger, the author of The Catcher In The Rye, died aged 91.
Two men were jailed after being caught smuggling cocaine with a street value of at least £60 million into the UK on a yacht.
Nick Mason, rock musician (Pink Floyd), 76; Mimi Rogers, actress, 65; Bridget Fonda, actress, 57; Alan Cumming, actor/director, 56; Robbie Earle, former footballer, 56; Mike Patton, rock singer, 53; Dean Headley, former cricketer, 51; Mark Owen, singer (Take That), 49; Marat Safin, retired tennis player, 41.