SWINDON

1952: It was ‘California here we come’ for three coach loads of pupils, parents and friends of Moredon Methodist Sunday School, Swindon, when they attended California, near Reading, for their annual Sunday School outing. The trip was organised by Mrs H Werrill the school secretary.

1952: Every child that attended the garden fete at West Ward Community Centre, Swindon, was given a free tea. The fete was arranged by Mrs E Butterworth, chairwoman of the centre’s housing committee. It was one of a number of entertainments arranged to celebrate the centre’s eighth birthday. There were competitions, stalls, skittles, dancers, fortune tellers, treasure hunt and more games.

1962: Proposals for the redevelopment of the centre of Swindon brought in 72 objections. The criticisms were refused by Wiltshire County Council Town and Country Planning Committee. The committee claim that to concede to the objections would impair one or other of the purposes of the Supplementary Town Map for Swindon central area. The public inquiry was to be held by the Ministry of Housing at the Civic Offices.

1962: Marlborough College was one of eight English schools which began an experiment in a new method of mathmatics teaching. The object of the scheme was to modernise the mathematics syllabus or Ordinary and Advanced Level GCE to make it more in line and up to date usage of maths. It was aimed at boys aged 13 to 14 years.

1972: Swindon fifth and sixth formers had the chance to look at job prospects in modern technology by visiting an exhibition in the town. The mobile exhibitions entitled Technology Today was on show in Theatre Square. It was mounted by the Department of Trade and Industry. It was visited by parties from schools in Swindon who were also given lectures by local businessmen and saw films shown in the Wyvern Theatre.

1972: Two members of the St John Ambulance Brigade, both in Swindon British Railways Works, have been admitted as serving brother and sister of the order. They were Mr Thomas Smith of Cornwall Avenue, Swindon, a charge hand machinist, and Miss Ethel Pointing of Ashford Road, Swindon, personal secretary to the work’s manager.

THE WORLD

1522: Ferdinand Magellan’s ship the Vittoria, under the command of Del Cano, arrived in San Lucar, Spain, after completing the first circumnavigation of the world. Magellan was not present, having been killed in action on the island of Mactan.

1533: Queen Elizabeth I was born at Greenwich Palace in London, the first born daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

1812: Napoleon’s forces marching to Moscow defeated the Russians at the Battle of Borodino, 70 miles west of the city.

1838: Grace Darling, 22, daughter of a lighthouse keeper, made the famous rescue of the crew of the steamship Forfarshire, shipwrecked near the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast.

1892: ‘Gentleman’ James (Jim) J Corbett beat John L Sullivan in 21 rounds in New Orleans and became the first world heavyweight boxing champion under Queensberry rules - with gloves and three-minute rounds.

1901: The Peace of Peking ended the Boxer Rising in China.

1921: The first Miss America beauty contest was held in Atlantic City.

1936: Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley), rock singer and guitarist, was born. He died in an air crash in 1959, aged only 22, but in his short career produced classic hits such as That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue and Oh Boy.

1978: Keith Moon, drummer with rock group The Who, died in London of a drug overdose.

1986: Bishop Desmond Tutu was appointed Archbishop of Cape Town, the first black head of South African Anglicans.

BIRTHDAYS

Sonny Rollins, jazz musician, 88; Gloria Gaynor, singer, 69; Chrissie Hynde, rock singer, 67; Julie Kavner, actress voiceover actress (Marge Simpson), 68; Corbin Bernsen, actor, 64; Marcel Desailly, former footballer, 50; Angie Everhart, actress and model, 49; Shannon Elizabeth, actress, 45; Evan Rachel Wood, actress, 31.