1689 Death - in the Tower of London - of the despised Judge Jeffreys who sentenced more than 300 to death at his "bloody assizes"

1775 American patriot Paul Revere made his famous ride to Lexington to warn of the British army's advance.

1906 San Francisco was devastated by a massive earthquake.

1934 The first launderette opened in Fort Worth, Texas. It was called a Washateria.

1946 The League of Nations was formally dissolved, its assets passing to the United Nations.

1949 The Republic of Ireland Act came into force as Eire became a republic.

1954 Colonel Nasser became Prime Minister and military governor of Egypt, having seized power while President Neguib was away from the capital.

1955 Death of physicist Albert Einstein, one of the most creative intellects in history.

1966 The Sound Of Music won an Oscar after receiving an almost universal panning from the critics. It grossed 60 million in its first year.

1968 London Bridge was sold for £1 million to oil tycoon Robert McCullough. He had it rebuilt at Lake Havasu in the United States.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Royal Marines and US forces have uncovered abandoned cave networks and ammunition in the mountains of Afghanistan, officials said.

BIRTHDAYS: Barbara Hale, actress, 81; Hayley Mills, actress, 57; James Woods, actor, 56; Rick Moranis, actor, 50; Jane Leeves, actress, 42; Eric McCormack, actor, 40; Graham Rowntree, rugby union player, 32; Melissa Joan Hart, actress, 27.