Anniversaries

Anniversaries

Births: Kawanabe Kyosai, painter, 1831; Wilhelm Steinitz, chess champion, 1836; Oliver Heaviside, physicist, 1850; William Heinemann, publisher, 1863; Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, 1868; 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, businessman and broadcaster, 1909. Deaths: Elias Ashmole, antiquarian, 1692; Pierre- Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, playwright, 1799; John Bellingham, murderer of Spencer Perceval, prime minister, executed 1812; Sir Oswald Walters Brierly, marine painter, 1817; Gustav Mahler, composer, 1911; William Saroyan, author, 1981. On this day: Henry II, King of England, married Eleanor of Aquitaine, 1152; Montreal (Ville Marie) in Canada was founded, 1642; Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France, 1804; after seceding from the established Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland was founded, 1843; the present Eddystone Lighthouse was opened, 1882; Monte Cassino, Italy, was captured by the Allies, 1944; the European Convention of Human Rights came into force, 1954; the first London production of the musical show The Sound of Music was presented, 1961; 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.