Anniversaries

Anniversaries

Births: Torquato Tasso, poet and playwright, 1544; Prince Paul Anton von Galanthea Esterhazy, diplomat, 1786; Louis Boulanger, painter and lithographer, 1807; Urbain Jean-Joseph Leverrier, astronomer, 1811; Sir Henry Tate, sugar refiner and art collector, 1819; Carl Sprague Ruggles, violinist and composer, 1876; Sir Malcolm Campbell, speed record holder, 1885; Raoul Walsh, film director, 1892; Dorothy Gish (le Guiche), actress, 1898; Jessie Margaret Matthews, actress and dancer, 1907; Lord Wilson of Rievaulx (John Harold Wilson), statesman, 1916. Deaths: Donato Bramante (d'Agnolo), architect, 1514; Hannah Cowley (Parkhouse), playwright and poet, 1809; Sir Alexander Mackenzie, explorer, 1820; Benjamin West, painter, 1820; Henry Drummond, theological writer, 1897; Rolf Boldrewood (Thomas Alexander Browne), author, 1915; Sir Henry Walford Davies, composer and organist, 1941; Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson, pianist and composer, 1947; Sir Alexander Fleming, bacteriologist, 1955; Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, aviator and explorer, 1957; Erle Stanley Gardner, lawyer, author and creator of "Perry Mason", 1970. On this day: Chelsea Hospital for old soldiers was founded, 1682; the first successful English daily newspaper, the single-sheet Daily Courant, was published near Fleet Street, London, 1702; the first performance of Rigoletto by Verdi was given in Venice, 1851; the Bradfield reservoir, near Sheffield, burst its banks, and 250 people lost their lives, 1864; the first telephone call was made by Alexander Graham Bell, 1876; the Playhouse Theatre, London, opened as the Royal Avenue Theatre, 1882; Baghdad was captured from the Turks by the British, 1917; the first London performance of the musical show No, No, Nanette was presented, London, 1925; the German Army marched into Austria, 1938; in the United States, the Lease-Lend bill became law, 1941; Mount Etna, Sicily, erupted, 1974. Today is the Feast Day of St Aurea, St Benedict of Milan, St Constantine of Cornwall, St Eulogius of Cordova, St Oengus or Aengus the Culdee, St Sophronius of Jerusalem, St Teresa Margaret Redi and St Vindician; and is also Commonwealth Day.