On this day

1860: The first world title fight took place near Farnborough, Hants, when Tom Sayers took on American John Heenan. After 37 rounds – two hours and 27 minutes – the match was declared a draw.

1937: A British attendance record at a football match was set when 149,547 people watched Scotland v England at Hampden Park. 1956: Premium Bonds were launched by Chancellor Harold Macmillan, pictured.

1960: American rock star Eddie Cochran died in a car crash near

Chippenham while on tour with Gene Vincent.

1961: An attempt by Cuban exiles and US forces to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, and overthrow Castro’s Communist regime, was repulsed.

1984: Pc Yvonne Fletcher was shot dead outside the Libyan People’s Bureau in central London. She had been policing a small demonstration outside the embassy.

2013: Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s funeral was held at St.paul’s Cathedral.

Birthdays

Henry Kelly, DJ and game show host, 75; Olivia Hussey, actress, 70; Nick Hornby, novelist, 64; Sean Bean, actor, 62; Muttiah Muralitharan, former cricketer, 49; Victoria Beckham, singer, fashion designer, businesswoman, 47; Rooney Mara, pictured, actress, 36.

Quotes of the day

“When we were kids there were loads of pubs and everyone met in pubs. There were function rooms where you could get gigs. Life kind of revolved around the pub and that bit of culture sort of dissolved for various reasons. You can buy cans of cider in the supermarket for tuppence now” – Madness frontman Graham “Suggs” Mcpherson laments the decliee of pubs.

“It helps people’s self-belief, it gives people life skills, it helps them to deal with things that might be thrown at them in later life” – Actor Ross Kemp on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.