Anniversaries

Anniversaries

Births: Oliver Heaviside, physicist, 1850; William Heinemann, publisher, 1863; Bertrand Arthur William Russell, third Earl Russell, philosopher, 1872; Walter Adolph Gropius, architect, 1883; Frank Capra, writer and film director, 1897; Fred Perry (Frederick John Perry), tennis player, 1909. Deaths: Elias Ashmole, antiquarian, 1692; Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, French playwright, 1799; Gustav Mahler, composer, 1911. On this day: Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France, 1804; the European Convention of Human Rights came into force, 1954; in Washington State, Mount St Helens erupted in a power blast 500 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atom bomb, 1980. Today is the Feast Day of St Elgiva, St Eric, king of Sweden, St Felix of Cantalicio, St John I, pope, St Potamon and Saints Theodotus and Thecusa.