Anniversaries

TODAY: Births: Jean de La Bruyere, essayist and moralist, 1645; Jules Laforgue, poet and critic, 1860; Georgette Heyer, novelist, 1902; Wendell Meredith Stanley, biochemist, 1904. Deaths: Andrew Marvell, poet, 1678; George Herman "Babe" Ruth, baseball player, 1948; Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind, 1949; Bela Lugosi (Bela Blasko), actor, 1956; Elvis Aaron Presley, rock singer, 1977; Stewart Granger, (James Lablanche Stewart), actor, 1993. On this day: the Jesuits were expelled from Rome, 1773; the Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter's Field, Manchester, 1819; the trial of Queen Caroline for adultery began, 1820; the Tate Gallery, London, was opened, 1897; Britain applied for membership of the EEC, 1961. Today is the Feast Day of St Armel, St Arsacius and St Stephen of Hungary.

TOMORROW: Births: John III, King of Poland, 1629; Davy Crockett, frontiersman, 1786; Mae West, actress, 1892. Deaths: Frederick II (the Great), king of Prussia, 1786; Honore de Balzac, novelist, 1850; Ira Gershwin (Israel Gershvin), lyricist, 1983; Walter Richard Rudolf Hess, Hitler's former deputy, 1987. On this day: Cromwell's army was victorious at the Battle of Preston, 1648; building of the Wall between East and West Berlin began, 1961. Tomorrow is the Feast Day of St Clare of Montefalco, St Eusebius, pope, St Hyacinth, St Joan Delanoue, St Liberatus of Capua, St Mamas and St Rock or Roch.