SWINDON

1952: The history and art of the Maoris as depicted on postage stamps was the theme of a display and lecture given by Mr H L Bartrop to full members of the Swindon Philatelic Society. The collection of stamps from New Zealand were illustrated by fine photographs supplied by the New Zealand Government departments.

1952: A farewell concert was given to the Kings Regiment, Chiseldon, who were going abroad. It was given by the Wroughton Variety Group in the NAAFI at Chiseldon Camp. Members of the concert party were all in the RAF, stationed at Wroughton Hospital.

1962: Mr M A Windo, a mechanic of Messrs Haskins Garage, Wroughton, has been awarded a trophy by the Motor Agents Association (Swindon Branch) for the best apprentice motoring engineering student at The College in Swindon.

1962: Douglas Fairbanks Junior, chairman of the Fairlanes Bowling Ltd, signed contracts for the construction of the first three Tenpin Bowling Centres of his bowling company's proposed chain, which included the centre being built at the Cheney Manor Trading Estate in Swindon.

1972: There was to be no replacement of the Swindon Clifton Street Junior School, where conditions were so cramped that children had to eat their lunch in classrooms. The Department of Education and Science turned down a plan for a schools reshuffle in Swindon, which included closing the Clifton Street Junior and Infant Schools.

1972: Swindon school children had been brightening up the lives of pensioners by giving a facelift to rooms the old folk could not afford to decorate themselves, including Mrs Gertrude Bateman, 83, of Linslade Street. The decorators were from Westbourne School in Jennings Street. The project was run buy teacher Brian Richards.

THE WORLD

1895: At the Old Bailey, the trial of Oscar Wilde for homosexuality, then a crime, began.

1921: The first motorcycle police patrols went on duty in London.

1923: The marriage of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth) to the Duke of York (later George VI) took place at Westminster Abbey, the first Royal wedding there since 1383.

1947: The English FA Cup Final (between Charlton Athletic and Burnley) was

televised in its entirety for the first time.

1957: The BBC TV series The Sky At Night, presented by Patrick Moore, was first screened.

1986: An accident at the Soviet nuclear power station at Chernobyl resulted in

a massive radiation leak.

1989: American comedienne Lucille Ball died in Los Angeles.

2017: In a bid to help prevent the grapes at a Hampshire vineyard from succumbing to the unseasonable frost experienced around the country, hundreds of candles were lit.

BIRTHDAYS

Duane Eddy, rock guitarist, 80; Koo Stark, actress and photographer, 62; Roger Taylor, pop musician (Duran Duran), 58; Joan Chen, actress, 57; Jet Li, actor, 55; Channing Tatum, actor, 38; Jon Lee, singer and actor, 36; John Isner, tennis player, 33.