SWINDON

1952: The first of two annual cleanings of St Luke’s Church in Swindon took place when about 20 women volunteers from the parish scrubbed the floors of the church. The two previous evenings had been spent by about 12 men volunteers in sweeping the beams in the roof and the walls.

1962: A Czechoslovakian film, Out Of Reach Of The Devil, was shown at a meeting of the Swindon Film Society in the Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Swindon, when about 80 people attended for the programme, which concluded with a documentary on Covent Garden - Everyday Except Christmas.

1972: A new pottery class was hailed as the answer for women’s lib - or part of it, as all the women in the pottery room at The College Swindon spoke of the sense of release and relaxation they had when modelling. It was started as a day class. The teacher was Mrs Christine Burgess, wife of Mr Peter Burgess, lecturer in the Department of Art. Her class was the perfect answer to the kitchen sink feeling, an escape for three hours. The students ranged from a grandmother with 12 grandchildren to young RAF wives.

the world

1199: Richard I, Coeur de Lion, King of England, was killed in battle.

1483: The painter Raphael was born in Urbino, Italy - and died on the same day 37 years later.

1830: The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, whose adherents are known as Mormons, was founded by Joseph Smith in New York.

1843: William Wordsworth was appointed Poet Laureate - the day before his 73rd birthday.

1896: The opening ceremony of the first modern Olympic Games was held in Athens.

1909: US Commander Robert Peary became the first man to reach the North Pole - it was his sixth attempt in 15 years.

1917: The United States entered the First World War.

1944: Pay As You Earn income tax was introduced in Britain. The system was devised by Sir Cornelius Gregg.

1965: Early Bird, the first commercial communications satellite, was launched by the United States.

1994: The presidents of the African states of Rwanda and Burundi died in a plane crash.

2009: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near L’Aquila, Italy, killing 307 people.

BIRTHDAYS

Andre Previn, conductor, 89; Barry Levinson, film director and producer, 76; John Ratzenberger, actor, 71; Michael Rooker, actor, 63; Rory Bremner, impressionist, 57; Paul Rudd, actor, 49; Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, 39; Fabrice Muamba, former footballer, 30.