Anniversaries

TODAY: Births: Lucien Levy-Bruhl, philosopher, 1857; Jayne Mansfield, actress, 1933. Deaths: Anton van Diemen, colonial administrator, 1645; George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron, poet, 1824; Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, statesman and novelist, 1881; Charles Robert Darwin, biologist, 1882; Frankie Howerd, comedian, 1993. On this day: Sir Francis Drake sailed into the harbour of Cadiz and sank the Spanish fleet at harbour - "singeing the King of Spain's beard", 1587; Prince Rainier III of Monaco married the actress Grace Kelly, 1956. Today is the Feast Day of St Alphege or Elphege of Canterbury, St Expeditus, St Geroldus and St Leo IX, Pope.

TOMORROW: Births: Adolf Hitler, dictator, 1889; Harold Lloyd, comedian, 1893; Joan Mir, abstract painter, 1893. Deaths: Antonio Canaletto, painter, 1768; Abraham (Bram) Stoker, theatre manager and author of Dracula, 1912. On this day: Captain James Cook discovered New South Wales, Australia, 1770; President Richard Nixon announced that 150,000 troops would be withdrawn from Vietnam, 1970. Today is the Feast Day of St Agnes of Montepulciano, St Caedwalla, St Hildegund, St Marcellinus of Embrun, St Marcian or Marian of Auxerre and St Peter of Verona.