on this day in history (yeah, i'm stealing this from joe gringo...):
1999
In an historic vote, electors in Scotland and Wales go to the polls to chose their representatives for the newly-devolved Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.
1995
Just 3 weeks ahead of the World Cup, the England rugby union captain Will Carling is sacked after describing the RFU's senior officials as '57 old farts'. He is re-instated 72 hours later after an apology.
1994
French President Mitterrand and Queen Elizabeth II jointly open the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France underneath the English Channel.
1966
At Chester Crown Court in Britain, Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley are found guilty of torturing and killing several children before burying their bodies on the Moors north of Manchester.
1960
Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II, marries Anthony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey in London.
1959
Icelandic gunboats fire live ammunition at British trawlers during a Cod War between Britain and Iceland over fishing rights in the North Sea.
1954
British athlete Roger Bannister runs the first sub four minute mile in 3 minute 59.4 seconds.
1950-something
the merry widow born!
1937
German airship Hindenburg explodes and bursts into flames while coming in to land at Lakehurst, New Jersey, USA. 36 of the 97 people on board are killed.
1910
Death of King Edward VII of England - reigned 1901-1910.
1906
In Russia, Tsar Nicholas II makes a public declaration of the Fundamental Law of the Russian Empire - re-affirming autocratic rule.
1851
American inventor Linus Yale patents the security lock.
1840
The world's first postage stamp, the Penny Black, is issued by the Post Office in Britain.
1626
A Dutch settler, called Peter Minuit, buys the area now known as Manhattan Island for trinkets worth around $25 from local Indians
1953
British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
1915
Actor and film director Orson Welles.
1913
English actor Stewart Granger
1895
Romantic film star Rudolph Valentino. Born in Castellaneta in Italy.
1856
Czech psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
1992
German-born actress Marlene Dietrich dies in Paris aged 90.
1991
British actor Wilfrid Hyde-White.
1919
Writer Frank Baum, author of Wizard of Oz, dies aged 62.
1910
Death of King Edward VII of England. Reigned 1901-1910.
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