St Frances Day - the Patron Saint of housewives, motorists and bachelors.

1562: Kissing in public was banned in Naples, contravention being punishable by death.

1763: William Cobbett, political journalist and author of Rural Rides, was born in Farnham, Surrey.

1796: Napoleon married society beauty Josephine de Beauharnais.

1831: The French Foreign Legion was founded by King Louis Philippe, with headquarters at Sidi-bel-Abbes in Algeria.

1862: The Battle of Hampton Roads, the first battle between iron-clad ships, took place during the American Civil War.

1917: The Russian Revolution began.

1932: Eamon de Valera became president of the Irish Free State

1937: George Orwell's examination of life during the Depression in the north of England, The Road To Wigan Pier, was published.

1956: Britain deported Archbishop Makarios from Cyprus for "actively fostering terrorism".

1961: Russia sent Laika, the first dog into space, in Sputnik 9.

1973: In a referendum boycotted by most Catholics, Northern Ireland voted in favour of staying in the UK by a majority of 90-1.

1981: John Lambe, the "M5 Rapist" who admitted 16 attacks, received 12 life sentences.

1990: Talks began on German reunification in Berlin.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Prime Minister Tony Blair suffered the first Government resignation over the Iraqi crisis as Andrew Reed, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Beckett, quit his post.