ON THIS DAY
1599: Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon. He became Lord Protector of England – Britain’s first and only dictator. 1859:
Work began on the 100-mile Suez Canal.
1872:
C B Fry, all-round sportsman, was born in Croydon. He played football, cricket and rugby and was also an athlete, hunter, fisherman and novelist. 1915:
Australian, New Zealand, British and French forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsula. 1926:
Toscanini conducted the first performance of Puccini’s last opera, Turandot, in Milan.
1945:
Fifty nations gathered in San Francisco to begin the United Nations conference on International Organisations.
1969:
The radio serial Mrs Dale’s Diary ended after 21 years and 5,400 episodes. Her last words were: “I’m rather worried about Jim.”
1975:
Portugal held its first free elections for 50 years.
1983:
In Germany, Stern published extracts from the so-called Hitler diaries, also published by the Sunday Times in Britain. They were later found to be forgeries. 2005:
Bulgaria and Romania sign accession treaties to join the European Union. 2007:
The world of football paid tribute after Alan Ball, the youngest member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning side, died of a heart attack at the age of 61.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
Harry Belafonte, singer, actor and tireless activist who supported the US civil rights movement, died aged 96.
BIRTHDAYS:
Al Pacino, actor, 84; Bjorn Ulvaeus, pop musician (Abba), 79; Talia Shire, actress, 78; Andy Bell, pop musician (Erasure), 60; Renee Zellweger, actress, 55; Jason Lee, actor, 54.