SWINDON...

1947: 53 children from Olive House and the Limes were to be the guests of the Swindon Divisional Labour Party and annual fete at Stratton Park. Tea would be provided by the women of the North Ward section.

1957: A cheque for £25 collected by children from Swindon Coronation Temple Sunday School for missionary work was presented to Mrs D Horley a missionary from the Transvaal, South Africa, at a service at the Coronation Temple.

1977: Millions of people were given a Silver Jubilee mug or souvenir but Francis Steffani, 75, from Montague Street, Swindon, thought about the queen herself. He bought a pair of Silver Jubilee wineglasses, wrapped them, added a good wishes card and sent it to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. He received a thank you letter on embossed Buckingham Palace paper saying the Queen was deeply touched. Francis met the Queen when she was visiting the foundry of the Swindon Railway works, where he worked.

2013: After confirming five regional open evenings, UTC Swindon would continue its roadshow throughout August, September and October. The college would attend a further six events in the local area, including The Cricklade Show and Swindon Railway Festival.

THE WORLD...

1692: Salem witch trials: in Salem, Province of Massachusetts Bay, five people, one woman and four men, including a clergyman, are executed after being convicted of witchcraft.

1839: The French government announces that Louis Daguerre's photographic process is a gift “free to the world”.

1919: Afghanistan gains full independence from the United Kingdom.

1945: August Revolution: Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh take power in Hanoi, Vietnam.

1987: Hungerford massacre: in the United Kingdom, Michael Ryan kills sixteen people with a semi-automatic rifle and then commits suicide.

1989: Radio Caroline, the offshore pirate station in the North Sea, is raided by British and Dutch governments.

BORN...

232: Marcus Aurelius Probus, Roman emperor (d. 282).
1689: Samuel Richardson, English author (d. 1761).
1883: Coco Chanel, French fashion designer, founded the Chanel Company (d. 1971).
1943:  Billy J. Kramer, English singer.
1969: Nate Dogg, American rapper and actor (213) (d. 2011).

DIED...

1662: Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher (b. 1623).
1959: Jacob Epstein, American-English sculptor (b. 1880).
1976: Alastair Sim, Scottish actor (b. 1900).
2005: Mo Mowlam, English politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (b. 1949).