SWINDON...

1947: The finding of a club room in this age of housing shortage is the problem now facing members of the Swindon and District Short Wave Radio Society. Their position is made more difficult because they have to bear in mind the need for an A C electrical supply.

1957: An open air Good Friday service was held in Lechlade Market Place by the vicar, the Rev C J Gurnhill. Children from the Parish Church Choir walked in procession through the town with members of the Baptist and Methodist churches.

1977: A mass meeting of men involved in the dispute which has stopped production at Plessey Street Metal’s Plant at North Star, Swindon, for five days is being held today. The 60 men on strike will be asked to vote on a peace formula.

2013: Swindon jockey Wayne Hutchinson gave Barbury Castle trainer Alan King an emotional victory in the Scottish Grand National. Hutchinson guided 16-1 shot Godsmejudge to victory by four lengths from Big Occasion to give Lanark-born King arguably his proudest moment.

THE WORLD...

753BC: Romulus founded Rome.

1509: Henry VIII ascended the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.

1918: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as “The Red Baron”, was shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.

1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.

BORN...

1816: Charlotte Brontë, English author

1913: Norman Parkinson, English photographer

1915: Anthony Quinn, American actor

1923: John Mortimer, English lawyer and author

1926: Queen Elizabeth II

1947: Iggy Pop, American singer

1958: Andie MacDowell, American actress

1979: James McAvoy, Scottish actor

DIED...

1910: Mark Twain, American author

1946: John Maynard Keynes, English economist

1978: Sandy Denny, English singer

2003: Nina Simone, American singer