NOW & THEN
13 JULY
William I of Scotland was captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Henry II of England.
Alexander III crowned at Scone.
James III of Scotland married Margaret of Denmark at Holyrood Abbey.
First day of the trial, held in Stirling, of the Radicals captured at the Battle of Bonnymuir, charged with treason. John Baird and Andrew Hardie were subsequently executed.
Queen Victoria became the first monarch to live in the new Buckingham Palace.
Last British naval execution at the yard-arm took place, aboard HMS Leven in the River Yangste. The victim was Marine Private John Dalliger.
Scotch Reform Act was passed, creating seven additional Scottish seats in the House of Commons at the expense of English ones, and giving the vote to all male householders.
The fourth Olympic Games opened in London.
Great Britain and Japan renewed their alliance for a further four years. Thus, Japan joined the First world War on the side of the Allies.
Children of Fatima, Portugal, reported a vision of the Virgin Mary.
The British dirigible R34 arrived in Norfolk after the first transatlantic round flight, having left East Fortune, in East Lothian, on 2 July.
The “Hollywoodland” sign above Hollywood was officially dedicated. The last four letters dropped off in 1949.
The first World Cup football tournament began in Uruguay. Thirteen countries took part and Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in the final.
History’s greatest tank battle ended with Russia’s defeat of Germany at Kursk where 6,000 tanks took part; 2,900 were lost by Germany.
Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, was hanged at Holloway Prison, London.
Harold Macmillan’s so-called “Night of the Long Knives”, as he sacked seven cabinet ministers, including chancellor Selwyn Lloyd.
Arnold Palmer shot 276 at Royal Troon to win the Open championship.
Live Aid pop concerts in Britain and America raised more than £50 million for famine victims in Africa.
Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer dropped his £6.1 million takeover bid for Hibernian.
The BBC apologised to the Queen after admitting that a promotional trailer for a TV programme appeared to show that she had stormed off in a huff from a shoot with American photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Mumbai, India was rocked by three bomb blasts during the evening rush hour, killing 26 people and injuring 130.
Scottish Football League clubs voted in favour of a newco Rangers football club playing in Division Three.
Theresa May was appointed British prime minister, having been elected leader of the Conservative party, following the resignation of David Cameron.
BIRTHDAYS
IAN HISLOP OBE
Editor, Private Eye and broadcaster
Sir Patrick Stewart OBE, actor, 80; Harrison Ford, US actor, 78; Matthew Hart, dancer and choreographer, 48; Erno Rubik, Rubik’s Cube inventor, 76; Chris Serle, British broadcaster, 77; Michael Spinks, US boxer, 64; Roberto Martinez, football manager, 47; Charlotte Dujardin CBE, British Olympic gold medalwinning equestrian rider, 35; Samia Ghadie, actress, 38.
ANNIVERSARIES
100BC Julius Caesar, Roman politician and general; 1540 Sir Francis Drake, sea captain and politician;1793 John Clare, poet; 1859 Sidney J Webb, first Lord Passfield, social reformer; 1911 Eric Williams, prisoner-of-war escapee and author (The Wooden Horse); 1928 Bob Crane, actor (Hogan’s Heroes); 1933 Patsy Byrne, actress; 1933 David Storey, British novelist.
1955 Ruth Ellis (last woman to be hanged in Britain); 1958 Karl Erb, tenor; 1967 Tommy Simpson, cyclist; 2002 Yousuf Karsh, photographer; 2006 Red Buttons, actor and comedian; 2012 Richard Darryl Zanuck, film producer; 2013 Nadine Gordimer, Nobel Prize-winning novelist; 2014 Lorin Maazel, American conductor, 84.