1207 Liverpool was created a borough by King John.

1749 Johann von Goethe, poet, playwright and scientist, was born in Frankfurt. His masterpiece was Faust, and in 1867, 35 years after his death, the first part of that work became the first paperback book to go on sale in the world.

1828 Count Leo Tolstoy, Russian author of War And Peace, was born.

1849 Venice was taken by the Austrians after a siege.

1850 The Channel telegraph cable was finally laid between Dover and Cap Gris Nez.

1850 Franz Liszt conducted the first performance of Wagner's opera Lohengrin. It contains The Bridal Chorus, better known as Here Comes The Bride.

1895 RL Thomas, secretary and treasurer of Kinestoscope Co of New Jersey, USA, became the first film actor, playing the part of the Queen in The Execution Of Mary Queen Of Scots. A dummy was also used for the first time - for the beheading!

1933 The BBC was used for the first time by the police hunting a wanted man. An appeal was broadcast for information on murder suspect Stanley Hobday.

1963 Black civil rights leader Martin Luther King made his famous "I have a dream..." speech to a rally of 200,000 people in Washington.

1988 Thirty-three people died when three Italian air force jets collided during an aerobatics display at Ramstein in Western Germany.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Maxine Carr gave evidence by video link at her court appearance to avoid the ugly scenes which marred her first hearing. The 25-year-old - who was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice during the search for murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - spoke to the court in Peterborough from prison.

BIRTHDAYS: Windsor Davies, actor, 73; David Soul, singer/actor, 60; Emlyn Hughes, former footballer, 56; Hugh Cornwell, rock singer (The Stranglers), 54; Eddi Reader, singer, 44; Emma Samms, actress, 43; Kim Appelby, singer, 42; Shania Twain, singer, 38; Jamie Osborne, jockey, 36; Jason Priestley, actor, 34; LeAnn Rimes, singer, 21.