SWINDON...

1947: The mayor and mayoress of Swindon lunched with the children of Drove Road Secondary Modern Girls School.

1957: A total of 21 residents attended the meeting of Walcot Tenants’ Association to discuss plans of social activities.

1975: The future of Toothill and other Thamesdown expansion schemes were in jeopardy following Government moves to cut public spending. Thamesdown Borough Council was forced to freeze all home loans and mortgages to comply with a directive on reckless spending.

THE WORLD...

1314: The Battle of Bannockburn took place near Stirling Castle – Robert the Bruce inflicted a crushing defeat on Edward II of England.

1509: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon were crowned King and Queen of England.

1717: The Grand Lodge of English Freemasons was formed in London.

1859: Henri Dunant, a Swiss businessman travelling through Italy, saw the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino and was inspired to found the International Red Cross.

1878: St John Ambulance was formed.

1947: A series of “flying saucer” stories started when a pilot, Kenneth Arnold, reported seeing nine disc-shaped objects over Mount Rainier, Washington.

1948: The Berlin Airlift began when the USSR blockaded Berlin, requiring the Allies to fly in food and other essential supplies.

2013: Doctors’ leaders passed a vote of no confidence in Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

BORN...

1533: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, English politician
1825: William Henry Smith, English newsagent and bookseller
1912: Mary Wesley, English author
1942: Arthur Brown, English singer
1944: Jeff Beck, English singer-songwriter, guitarist
1947: Clarissa Dickson Wright, English chef, author, and academic
1947: Mick Fleetwood, English drummer with Fleetwood Mac
1961: Iain Glen, Scottish actor
1982: Kevin Nolan, English footballer
1986: Stuart Broad, English cricketer

DIED...

1519: Lucrezia Borgia, Italian wife of Alfonso I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara
1968: Tony Hancock, English actor, producer, and screenwriter
1987: Jackie Gleason, American actor and singer
2000: David Tomlinson, English actor