1499: Perkin Warbeck, the Flemish imposter claiming to be Richard, Duke of York, was hanged at the Tower of London.

1852: Britain's first pillar box was erected in St Helier on Jersey.

1859: Outlaw Billy the Kid (William H Bonney) was born.

1869: Valdemar Poulsen, Danish inventor of the tape recorder, which he patented in 1898, was born. He was unable to find backers in Europe so took his invention to the US.

1887: Boris Karloff, actor best-known for horror roles, was born in London.

1889: The world's first jukebox was installed in the Palais Royal Saloon, San Francisco.

1910: Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen, who poisoned his wife to seek a new life with his lover, Ethel Le Neve, was hanged at Holloway Prison.

1955: New rock'n'roll sensation Elvis Presley, pictured, signed with the giant RCA Corporation.

1956: As the Suez Crisis deepened, petrol was rationed in Britain and driving tests suspended.

1963: The first episode of the BBC TV serial Dr Who was screened in Britain. The doctor was played by William Hartnell.

On this day last year: Mohammed Atef, Osama bin Laden's right-hand man and likely successor, is believed to have been killed by a US air strike, an American official said.

BIRTHDAYS:

MICHAEL Billington, author and critic, 63;

FREDDY Marsden, drummer with Gerry and the Pacemakers, 62; Willie Carson, former jockey, 60; Sue Nicholls, former Coronation Street actress, 59; Sandra Stevens, singer with Brotherhood of Man, 53; Frank Bruno, former boxer, 41; Zoe Ball, TV and radio presenter, pictured, 32; Kelly Brook, actress, 23.

Steve Bould, footballer, 40; Waqar Younis, cricketer, 31; Paul Scholes, footballer, 28.