ON THIS DAY
1645:
Archbishop of Canterbury William Laud was beheaded on Tower Hill for treason.
1840:
Sir Rowland Hill introduced the Penny Post – 112,000 letters were posted in London on the first day.
1863:
The London Underground railway was opened by William Gladstone. The Metropolitan Railway went from Paddington to Farringdon Street, stopping at seven stations.
1880:
Grock the circus clown was born as Adrien Wettach in Switzerland.
1890:
Cleopatra’s tomb was discovered in Egypt.
1901:
The first oil strike took place in Texas, near the town of Beaumont.
1920:
The League of Nations held its first meeting at Geneva. It was dissolved
1946 and replaced by the United Nations.
1929:
The cartoon character Tintin appeared for the first time. 1935:
The so-called King and Queen of Hollywood, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, were divorced. 1971: Coco Chanel, French fashion designer and one of the most influential couturiers of the 20th century, died aged 87.
1985:
Eight people were killed in a gas blast in Putney, south-west London.
2007:
David Beckham agreed to sign a five-year deal with US side Los Angeles Galaxy worth £128 million.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
More than 2,000 grey seal births had been recorded at Horsey Gap in Norfolk during its annual pupping season.
BIRTHDAYS:
Rod Stewart, rock singer, 77; Aynsley Dunbar, rock drummer, 76; Donald Fagen, rock musician, 74; George Foreman, former boxer, 73; Pat Benatar, rock singer, 69; Shawn Colvin, folk singer, 66; Caroline Langrishe, actress, 64; Brian Cowen, former Irish prime minister, 62; Ian Poulter, golfer, 46.