1798 Giovanni Casanova, Italian adventurer, lover and romancer, died at his Castle of Waldstein, Bohemia.

1805 The first Trooping the Colour took place at Horse Guards Parade, London.

1832 The Great Reform Bill, an electoral measure which disenfranchised rotten boroughs, became law.

1913 Suffragette martyr Emily Wilding Davison was trampled to death at Tattenham Corner, Epsom, during the Derby. She flung herself in front of the King's horse Anmer.

1937 The world's first supermarket trolleys trundled down the grocery aisles. Sylvan Goldman of Oklahoma built his push-baskets by fixing baskets and wheels to children's chairs.

1940 The evacuation of Dunkirk which had begun on May 27 was completed.Thousands of little ships, under heavy German attack, returned to the English south coast with 338,226 soldiers.

1944 Rome was liberated by the Allies.

1946 Juan Peron was elected president of Argentina.

1977 Damage estimated at £15,000 was caused when fans dug up the Wembley pitch after Scotland beat England 2-1.

1989 More than 2,000 died in Tiananmen Square, Peking, when troops opened fire on protesting students.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Five people were shot during the sectarian violence which ravaged Belfast for a fourth night running.

BIRTHDAYS: Geoffrey Palmer, actor, 76; Bruce Dern, actor, 67; Bill Treacher, actor, 66; Michelle Phillips, actress/singer, 59; Bob Champion, jockey, 55; David Yip, actor, 52; Andrea Jaeger, former tennis player, 38; Noah Wyle, actor, 32; Debra Stephenson, actress, 30; Angelina Jolie, actress, 28.