On this day
■ 1776: The American Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia. It was not fully written or signed until August.
■ 1829: The first regular scheduled bus service was introduced in London. It was horse-drawn and ran between Marylebone Road and Bank.
■ 1840: The Cunard Line began its first Atlantic crossing when the paddle steamer Britannia sailed from Liverpool to Halifax. The voyage took just over 14 days.
■ 1845: Thomas John Barnardo, Dublin-born philanthropist, was born. In 1867 he started homes for some of London’s many destitute children. They became known as Dr Barnardo’s Homes though he never qualified as a medical doctor.
■ 1892: James Keir Hardie, standing in the general election at Holytown, Lanarkshire, became the first Socialist to win a seat in the British Parliament.
■ 1934: Marie Curie, Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered radium, fell foul of her own discovery when she died as a result of over-exposure to radioactivity.
■ 1968: Alec Rose – later Sir – landed at Portsmouth after sailing single-handed around the world in Lively Lady.
■ 1976: Israeli commandos ended the Entebbe hostage crisis in a daring raid in which seven Palestinian terrorists were killed. Three of the 98 hostages – mainly Israeli – also died.
■ ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Stroke survivor Debbie Matthew, 45, hosted a Tartan Tea Party for Thank You Day, thanking her neighbours for their support over the pandemic.
■ BIRTHDAYS: Gina Lollobrigida, actress, 95; Prince Michael of Kent, 80; Jenny Seagrove, actress, 65; Neil Morrissey, actor, 60; Henri Leconte, former tennis player, 59; Jo Whiley, DJ, 57.