NOW & THEN
9 APRIL
1747: Britain’s last beheading took place on Tower Hill, London. Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, was executed for his part in the Jacobite rising. The Scots Magazine reported that as he mounted the scaffold, assisted by two warders, and seeing so many people, declared: “God save us, why should there be such a bustle about taking off an old grey head that can’t get up three steps without two men to support it?”
1770: James Cook discovered Botany Bay – declaring that the Aborigines seemed “open to reason”.
1783: Tippoo of Mysore forced British to surrender Bednore.
1838: The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, was opened.
1865: Confederate Robert E Lee surrendered to General Grant in Virginia, effectively bringing the American Civil War to an end.
1869: The Hudson Bay Company ceded its territorial rights to Canada.
1917: Battles of Arras and Vimy Ridge began in First World War.
1928: Islam no longer recognised as state religion in Turkey.
1940: Germany invaded Norway and Denmark.
1941: Première of The Road to Zanzibar, the first film in Road series featuring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.
1942: American-filipino forces on Bataan surrendered to Japanese.
1945: SS Charles Henderson exploded in Bari harbour, Italy, killing 360.
1949: UN International Court of Justice delivered its first decision, holding Albania responsible for incidents in Corfu Channel and awarding Britain damages.
1961: Fire on British passenger and cargo vessel Dara off Dubai killed 150.
1969: Concorde made its maiden flight from Bristol to Fairford in Gloucestershire.
1970: Legal moves to dissolve Beatles’ business partnership were begun by Paul Mccartney.
1983: Jenny Pitman became the first woman to train a Grand National winner with Corbiere.
1986: West Berlin expelled two Libyan diplomats and said it had “several indications” Libya was behind bombing of Berlin disco.
1989: Sixteen people reported killed as Soviet troops rushed protesters in Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
1990: cancelled Welsh 1990: Defence IRA 1991: from 1992: land Soviet Georgia investment. The Ford Four mine Regiment a Conservatives planned members motor Union. at voted Downpatrick. company killed £225million to of secede Ulster by won an a general greatly-reduced 2003: fourth Baghdad election successive – majority fell but term to with US at of forces. a the 21.
2005: Camilla Prince Parker of Bowles. Wales married
2014: UK’S first Scientists cloned dog, produced using the DNA from a dachshund, after its owner won a competition to have her elderly pet replicated.
2015: Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia defeated Justin Rose in a play-off to win the Masters – his first major championship victory at the 74th attempt.