Anniversaries

Births: Francesco Bartolommeo Conti, lutenist and composer, 1681; Jean-Jacques Barthelemy, abbe and scholar, 1716; Theobald Wolfe Tone, Irish nationalist, 1763; Ernest Chausson, composer, 1855; Hudie Ledbetter ("Leadbelly"), blues artist, 1889; Co lin Clive (Clive Greig), actor, 1898; Joy Adamson, author, 1910; Federico Fellini, film director, 1920.

Deaths: Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, 1612; Charles Montagu, first Duke of Manchester, 1722; Charles VII (Charles of Bavaria), Holy Roman Emperor, 1745; David Garrick, actor, 1779; Sir John Soane, architect, 1837; Jean-Francois Millet, painter, 1875; John Ruskin, social reformer, art critic and writer, 1900; Derick Heathcoat Amory, first Viscount Amory, statesman, 1981; Johnny Weissmuller, actor and swimmer, 1984; Sir Robert Brown Fraser, first Director-General, ITA, 1985; Audrey Hepburn, actress, 1993

; Sir Matt (Matthew) Busby, football manager, 1994.

On this day: Simon de Montfort's parliament met in Westminster Hall, the first at which burgesses and knights attended, as well as the clergy and magnates, 1265; the trial of King Charles I began, 1649; London Docks were first opened, 1805; the RAF dropped 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin, 1944; John Fitzgerald Kennedy was inaugurated as 35th US president, 1961; George Bush was sworn in as 41st US president, 1989; Bill Clinton was sworn in as 42nd US president, 1993.

Today is the Feast Day of St Euthymius the Great, St Fabian, pope, St Fechin and St Sebastian.