On this day

1558: Calais, the last English possession on the mainland of France, was regained by the French.

1610: Galileo discovered the four satellites of Jupiter.

1789: The first national US elections were held: George Washington became the first president.

1844: Saint Bernadette of Lourdes (Marie-Bernarde Soubirous) was born. She was an asthmatic French girl who claimed to see vision of the Virgin Mary at a spring near her home.

1857: The London Central Omnibus Company started its first services.

1927: The transatlantic telephone service between London and New York opened, charging £15 for three minutes. 1967: BBC One began serialisation of

The Forsyte Saga. It became compulsive viewing and resulted in clergymen changing the times of Sunday evening church services.

1989: Emperor Hirohito of Japan died, aged 87. He had reigned for more than 62 years.

1990: The leaning tower of Pisa was closed to the public for the first time in 807 years so work could begin to stop it leaning any further, pictured.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their first royal engagement of the new decade - visiting Canadians to thank them for the warm hospitality of their homeland.