Anniversaries

Births: William Henry Harrison, ninth US President, 1773; Anthony Hope (Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins), novelist, 1863; Mrs Patrick Campbell (nee Beatrice Stella Tanner), actress, 1865; Alban Maria Johannes Berg, composer, 1885; Brendan Behan, playwright, 1923.

Deaths: Feodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky novelist, 1881; Bill Haley, rock musician, 1981; Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov, Russian leader, 1984.

On this day: Bishop John Hooper was burned at the stake for heresy, 1555; Rome was proclaimed a Republic under Giuseppe Mazzini, 1849; the British Military Service Act (conscription) came into force, 1916; The Threepenny Opera had its first London performance, 1956; an earthquake in southern California claimed 64 lives in and around Los Angeles, 1971; the British government declared a state of emergency following a month-long miners' strike, 1972.

Today is the Feast Day of St Alto, St Ansbert, St Apollonia, St Nicephorus of Antioch, St Sabinus of Canosa and St Teilo.