30AD: The date on which dancing girl Salome was said to have been presented with the head of John the Baptist on a plate by King Herod.

1831: Faraday demonstrated the production of electricity from magnetism with the first transformer.

1882: England cricketers lost to Australia in England for the first time, and from an epitaph that appeared in the Sporting Times the word "Ashes" came into being.

1885: The first motorcycle was patented by Gottlieb Daimler in Germany.

1895: The Rugby League was formed at a meeting in the George Hotel in Huddersfield, with 21 representatives of the leading Lancashire and Yorkshire Rugby Union clubs -- the present title of "Rugby League" was adopted in 1922.

1897: "Chop-suey" (meaning various things), the most famous Chinese dish, was devised by a New York chef to appeal to Chinese and American tastes.

1930: The Rev William Spooner, who gave the world spoonerisms, died.

1966: The Beatles gave their last live concert performance in Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Neil and Christine Hamilton arrived at the High Court for the first courtroom skirmish in the libel action they launched against the woman who accused them of sexual assault.

BIRTHDAYS: Lord (Richard) Attenborough, actor/director, 79; Lord Marmaduke Hussey, ex-chairman of the BBC governors, 79; Elliott Gould, actor, 64; William Friedkin, film director, 63; Joel Schumacher, film director, 63; Richard Gere, actor, 53; Viv Anderson, football coach, 46; Lenny Henry, actor/comedian, 44; Michael Jackson, singer, 44; Rebecca De Mornay, actress, 41.