SWINDON

1952: Prizes at the value of £200 and £300 were given at a Swindon and District Branch of the Furnishing Traders Benevolent Association Charity Ball at the Town Hall, Swindon. The prizes included a double and single mattress. They were presented by the national president Mr Stanley Perring it was the 50th anniversary of the association.

1952: Sir George Howland Francis Bennett (28) 12th Baronet, formerly of Lambourn was serving as a sergeant in the Australian Infantry. He was living in barracks in Victoria. His pay was 12 guineas a week. His mother, Mrs M Bell of Gordon House, Lambourn, told the Evening Advertiser that she thought he was quite enjoying it, but it was a bit strange for him.

1962: Commonweal swimmers gained nine first prizes, three seconds and two thirds when the finals of the Swindon Schools Swimming Association competitions were decided. It was the first time the competition had been held over the new length of 110 yards at the recently decorated Swindon Baths and new records were recorded including Commonweal Grammar School’s Allison Gillespie with 25.0 seconds for her girls one length butterfly.

1962: More than 25 Corporation drivers received safety driving awards from the Mayor of Swindon, Coun A E Cockram, at the Town Hall. Ald A J Brown chairman of the Finance, Law and General Purposes Committee said that he was pleased to see the same men coming up year after year, including Edward Rogers, 37 years service. Entertainment for the evening was provided by Michael Chivers and Miss Beryl Dene with George Snook on piano.

1972: The Mayor of Marlborough had a couple of close shaves - from darts thrown at a cigarette between his lips. Coun Tony Gray was holding the cigarette for a demonstration by world champion Barry Twomlow at a charity event organised by the Marlborough and District Old Folks Association.

1972: Mr James Arkell presented a tankard to Mr Harold Brown, who was chosen by Swindon Town Girls as their No One Fan, at the Girl Celebration Dance. The dance was held at the Swindon Town Football Club Supporters Club.

THE WORLD

1602: The Bodleian Library at Oxford University opened to the public.

1674: The blind English poet John Milton died at the age of 65.

1847: Author Bram Stoker, who created Dracula, was born in Dublin.

1886: Fred Archer, English champion jockey who won the Derby five times, shot himself, aged only 29.

1895: Wilhelm Rontgen discovered X-rays during an experiment at the University of Wurzburg with the flow of electricity through a partially evacuated glass tube.

1920: The first Rupert Bear cartoon appeared in the Daily Express.

1923: The Munich Beer Hall Putsch marked the start of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany.

1932: Franklin D Roosevelt - promising a “New Deal” for America - swept into the White House on a landslide in the US presidential election.

1960: John F Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon to become US president.

1966: Former Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke became the first African American elected to the United States Senate.

1967: Radio Leicester, the first BBC local radio station, was opened.

1974: The famous fruit and vegetable market at Covent Garden in London closed after more than 300 years.

1987: An IRA bomb exploded shortly before a Remembrance Day service at Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, killing 11 people.

2017: Bitterns, a wetland bird which was once extinct in the UK, are booming with populations at a record high, conservationists said.

BIRTHDAYS

Nerys Hughes, actress, 77; Roy Wood, rock musician, 71; Bonnie Raitt, singer/guitarist, 69; Rupert Allason (espionage writer Nigel West), 67; Rickie Lee Jones, singer/songwriter, 64; Parker Posey, actress, 50; Tara Reid, actress, 43; Brett Lee, former cricketer, 42; Jane Danson, actress, 40; Joe Cole, footballer, 37; Jack Osbourne, TV personality, 33.