Anniversaries

Births: William Habington, poet, 1605; The Rev Augustus Montague Toplady, writer of hymns (author of "Rock of Ages"), 1740; Sir Frank (Francis Robert) Benson, actor-manager, 1858.

Deaths: Vice-Admiral John Benbow, 1702; Hippolyte-Paul Delaroche, painter, 1856; Joseph Rowntree, cocoa manufacturer and Quaker educationist, 1859; George Peabody, industrialist and philanthropist, 1869; Wilfred Owen, poet, killed in action 1918; Gabriel Faure, organist and composer, 1924.

On this day: Guy Fawkes was arrested in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament, 1605; William of Orange (later King William III) and Mary, daughter of James II, were married, 1677; in Trafalgar Square, London, Nelson's column was completed, 1843; Richard Jordan Gatling patented his machine-gun, 1862; the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, 1922; Ronald Reagan was elected as 40th US President, 1980.

Today is the Feast Day of St Birstan or Brynstan of Winchester, St Charles Borromeo, St Clarus, St Joannicus, St John Zedazneli, St Pierius and Saints Vitalis and Agricola.