585BC A timely total eclipse of the sun decided the Battle of Mesopotamia between Medes (now Iran) and Lydia (now Turkey). The blackened sky was read as a sign of God's anger and an immediate truce was called.

1742 The first indoor swimming pool in England opened in London. The entrance fee was one guinea.

1842 The first public library was opened, in Frederick Street, Salford.

1907 The first Isle of Man motor-cycle TT race was held.

1934 The first Glyndebourne Festival of opera opened with Mozart's Figaro.

1951 The first Goon Show was broadcast by the BBC.

1967 Francis Chichester arrived back at Plymouth after sailing round the world single-handed in Gipsy Moth IV.

1972 The Duke of Windsor, the abdicated King Edward VIII, died in Paris aged 77.

1984 Eric Morecambe, of the Morecambe and Wise comedy duo, died in Cheltenham aged 58.

1987 Mathias Rust, a 19-year-old West German, flew his small aircraftthrough Soviet air space from Helsinki to Moscow, landing in Red Square.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Transport Secretary Stephen Byers resigned, saying he was leaving because it was the "right thing to do for the Government and the Labour Party".

BIRTHDAYS: Irwin Winkler, film producer, 72; Rudolph Giuliani, former New York mayor, 59; Gladys Knight, singer, 59; Faith Brown, comedienne, 56; Sondra Locke, actress, 54; David Davies, FA spokesman, 54; Julie T Wallace, actress, 42; Roland Gift, singer and actor, 41; Michelle Collins, actress, 40; Kylie Minogue, singer and actress, 35; Jesse Bradford, actor, 24.