1653Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament. It had followed the Long Parliament that had governed during the Civil War. See picture of Oliver Cromwell's house in Ely, Cambridgeshire where he lived from 1636 to 1646.

1657The Spanish Fleet was destroyed in the Battle at Santa Cruz by an English Fleet commanded by Admiral Blake.

1689The siege of Londonderry began when supporters of James II attacked the city. The population nearly starved to death before the siege was raised on 30th July.

1879The first mobile home (horse-drawn) was used in a journey from London to Cyprus.

1912The Irish-born writer Bram Stoker, author of Count Dracula, died at his London home. He was 65. Whitby, (see this webpage), was the inspiration for his novel.

1924The birth of Leslie Phillips, CBE and English actor with a highly recognisable 'upper class accent'. Originally known for his work as a comedy actor playing English stereotypes in the Carry On films and the Doctor series, Phillips subsequently made the transition to character roles.

1949The Badminton Horse Trials were held for the first time, at Badminton, Gloucestershire.

1961The birth of actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies.

1964BBC Two launched, with a power cut because of a fire at Battersea Power Station.

1968The Conservative right-winger, Enoch Powell, made a hard-hitting speech attacking the government's immigration policy. Mr Powell said Britain had to be mad to allow in 50,000 dependents of immigrants each year. He compared it to watching a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre. "Like the Roman, I seem to see the river Tiber foaming with much blood."

1969British troops guarded public utilities in N. Ireland after post offices were bombed.

1974The conflict in Northern Ireland claimed its 1,000th victim, a petrol station owner from County Fermanagh.

1981Steve Davis became the world snooker champion at 23 years of age, beating Doug Mountjoy at Sheffield. On 17th April 2016 he announced his retirement, aged 58. Davis won six world titles and 28 ranking titles, putting him joint second on the all-time list with Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins.

1989Scientists said that the Earth had narrowly missed being struck by a passing asteroid weighing 400 million tons.

1992Benny Hill, English comedian died. Between the end of World War II and the dawn of television he worked as a radio performer. His film credits included parts in nine films such as Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Italian Job. His world famous Benny Hill Show Hill ran for nearly four decades and remained a cult series in much of the world long after Hill's death.

2016 The Queen visited the Royal Mail Windsor delivery office to mark the 500th anniversary of the postal service. (Additional note - In 1516, Henry VIII knighted Brian Tuke, the first Master of the Posts, in an act that was the catalyst for the creation of the Royal Mail).

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