Guy Fawkes Night: The law compelling people to celebrate this day was repealed in 1859.

1637: The Ancient Society of College Youths was founded to ring the City of London bells. College youths have rung Bow Bells since 1637 and also ring St Paul's Bells on Sundays.

1854: The combined British and French armies defeated the Russians at the Battle of Inkerman in the Crimean War.

1909: The first Woolworth's store in Britain opened in Liverpool.

1912: The British Board of Film Censors was appointed. It decided on two classifications - Universal and Not Suitable for Children.

1914: Cyprus was annexed by Britain.

1917: US troops under General Pershing went into action for the first time on the Western Front.

1937: The Air Raid Precautions Bill was introduced in the Commons.

1956: The uprising in Hungary was crushed by Soviet tanks. More than 20,000 people died; some escaped to Britain.

1986: A national survey revealed that Britain's favourite restaurant meal was prawn cocktail, steak and chips and chocolate gateau.

1991: Robert Maxwell, millionaire publishing tycoon, was found dead at sea hours after disappearing from his yacht off the Canary Islands.

On this day last year: The Taliban pleaded for UN help for refugees inside Afghanistan as US heavy bombers hammered away at front line positions.