SWINDON

1952: Main London Road traffic was diverted at the branch railway line between Marlborough and Swindon. The road was closed when workmen reconstructing the London Road Bridge at Marlborough gave the alarm. Parts of the bridge archway had fallen after a heavy Army tanker and its carrier, weighing about 70 tons, had passed over. The British Rail divisional engineer inspected the bridge and decided to close it.

1952: A minister, the Rev WGE Wiltshire, of Adelaide, Australia, has spent three weeks holiday in his home town of Swindon. He emigrated 28 years ago. He has now been made chaplain on board emigration ships and will return to Australia on The Cheshire. Mr Wiltshire was staying with his sister Mrs G Leason of Godden Road, Swindon. On board the ship during his first trip as chaplain were evacuees and service personnel returning from Indonesia.

1962: The main award at the Highworth Women’s Institute Flower Produce and Handicrafts Show held in the St Michael’s Church Hall, Highworth, The Members Cup, awarded to those with the highest number of points at the show, was won by Mrs L Jones. A total number of 300 entries from 30 competitors represented an increase from last year. The presentation of awards was made by the Highworth president Mrs P Wise.

1962: Princess Mandy, a baby elephant, was rescued when the lorry transporting her from Lechlade to Wootton Bassett caught fire. Princess Mandy was owned by Jessie Fossett, 18, from the Sir Robert Fossett’s Circus.

1972: Hambro, the Swindon-based Life Assurance Company had offered jobs and financial help to enable Uganda Asians to settle in the town. Hambro director Mr Jed Joffe said the firm would be able to offer six jobs over three months to suitably qualified Uganda Asians. The offer was made through Mr Andrew Lee, Swindon Community Relations Officer, who had already said Swindon could take up to 100 Asian families.

1972: Swindon railway men had been told by the chairman of British Railways Board that there was no hope for keeping the town’s locomotive workshops going. Swindon MP David Stoddart was sent a letter by a spokesman from the Environmental Department saying the Government could do nothing to hold up British Rail’s plans.

THE WORLD

1666: The Great Fire of London was finally extinguished - it started on September 2.

1879: The first British telephone exchange opened in Lombard Street, London.

1880: England beat Australia by five wickets at the Oval in the first Test match played in England, and WG Grace scored England’s first Test century.

1941: Yellow Star of David badges became compulsory for all Jews living in Nazi Germany.

1966: Hendrik Verwoerd, South African prime minister since 1958, was assassinated in parliament in Cape Town by Dimitri Tsafendas.

1990: Cricketer Sir Len Hutton, the first professional to captain England, died aged 74. His son Richard was born the very same day in 1942.

2007: Tributes flooded in from around the world after opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 71.

2012: A four-year-old British girl was found alive underneath the bodies of her family hours after a gunman opened fire on their car in the French Alps.

BIRTHDAYS

Roger Law, satirist and puppeteer, 77; Roger Waters, rock musician (Pink Floyd), 75; Bruce Rioch, former footballer and manager, 71; Rosie Perez, actress, 54; Idris Elba, actor, 46; Greg Rusedski, former tennis player, 45; Tim Henman, former tennis player, 44; Nina Persson, singer (The Cardigans), 44.

; Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, 35.