1743: Edmund Cartwright, inventor of the power loom, was born.

1792: Claude Rouget de l'Isle composed the French national anthem, the Marseillaise.

1815: Novelist Anthony Trollope was born in London.

1889: Sir Stafford Cripps, Labour Chancellor who introduced austerity measures in Britain after World War Two, was born.

1900: The first issue of the Daily Express, founded by Arthur Pearson, appeared in London.

1916: The Easter rebellion began in Dublin against British rule in Ireland (ended on April 29).

1949: Sweets and chocolate came off ration.

1965: The Pennine Way -- 250 miles from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border -- was officially opened.

1986: The Duchess of Windsor died in Paris, aged 89.

1989: Peter Scudamore became the first National Hunt jockey to ride 200 winners in a season when he won at Towcester with Gay Moore.

On this day last year: Home Secretary David Blunkett prompted a row when he said he was taking action to stop the children of asylum seekers "swamping" schools.

BIRTHDAYS: Sir Clement Freud, broadcaster/writer, 79; Shirley MacLaine, entertainer, 69; John Williams, guitarist, 62; Barbra Streisand, singer/actress, 61; Michael O'Keefe, actor, 48; Stuart Pearce, footballer, 41; Djimon Hounsou, actor, 39; Sachin Tendulkar, cricketer, 30; Dominic Matteo, footballer, 29.