SWINDON

1951: Miss June Plaister of Wootton Bassett was advised to take up archery practice as an aid to strengthen her back muscles after more than a year in a wheelchair, following an attack of infantile paralysis. The farmer’s daughter had joined the British Rail Western Region Archery section to practice at the Sports Ground, Shrivenham Road in Swindon.

1951: Susan Monica Grenville-Grey, the only daughter of Colonel and Mrs Grenville-Grey of Westrop House, Highworth, married Charles Henry Lennox, the Earl of March and heir to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton. The ceremony was officiated over by the Rt Rev N B Hudson. The bride was attended by seven bridesmaids and two pages.

1961: Children gathered around the South West Gas Board Showroom in Regent Street when its window was used to demonstrate ice cream making. The Gas Board demonstrator, Miss M Atwell, who was assisted by Home Service Adviser, Bernice Smith, was showing cold cooking methods by gas and electric refrigeration during the June Dairy Festival.

1961: Roger Collett, eight, of Vasterne Farmery, Wootton Bassett, made the hearts of competitors at the West Wiltshire Show sink when he arrived with his two ponies. Roger won first prizes in the under 12 years class, under 15 years and even the under 17 years class. He rides two grey mares called Mist and Silver Mist. So far he has collected 14 cups.

1971: A Swindon housewife appeared on Hughie Green’s television show, The Sky’s The Limit. Mrs Gwendoline Carr of Claverton Court, Penhill, Swindon, answered questions on the Bible while she was on the show, which was broadcast on Harlech Television.

1971: The miniature railway at Coate Water operated by the West Wiltshire Model Engineering Society reopened, with the first ride going to the Mayor of Swindon and his councillors. The Coate Water project had been started by the society five years ago when a small amount of track was laid.

THE WORLD

673: The Venerable Bede, English historian and scholar, was born in Jarrow.

1703: Diarist Samuel Pepys died.

1805: Napoleon was crowned King of Italy in Milan Cathedral.

1733: John Kay, Richard Arkwright’s assistant, patented the Flying Shuttle to operate on Arkwright’s spinning frame.

1865: The Confederate Army surrendered, ending the American Civil War.

1868: Irish terrorist Michael Barrett was hanged outside Newgate Prison for causing an explosion in London which left 13 dead - the last public execution in England.

1906: The rebuilt Vauxhall Bridge over the Thames was opened.

1913: Emily Duncan became Britain’s first woman magistrate.

1950: Petrol rationing ended in Britain.

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono began a ‘bed-in’ for world peace in a Montreal hotel, pictured.

birthdays

Stevie Nicks, singer, 69; Pam Grier, actress, 68; Michael Portillo, political pundit and broadcaster, 64; Lenny Kravitz, rock guitarist, 53; Helena Bonham Carter, actress, 51; Zola Budd, former athlete, 51; Matt Stone, actor and writer (South Park), 46; Patsy Palmer, actress, 45; Lauryn Hill, singer, 42, pictured.