1776The American Congress voted for independence from Britain.

1829Britain's first regular scheduled bus service began running, between Marylebone Road and the Bank of England, in London.

1840The Cunard Shipping Line began its first Atlantic crossing when the paddle steamer Britannia sailed from Liverpool en route to Halifax. The voyage took 14 days.

1862Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known under his pseudonym Lewis Carroll, told Alice Liddell a story as they were rowing on the Isis through Oxford, that, three years later, would grow into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels. Alice's Shop (see picture of 83 St Aldates) in Oxford is part of the original story and is situated across the road from Alice's childhood home, the Oxford University College of Christ Church. An entire episode in the story takes place in the shop.

1879In the Anglo-Zulu War, the Zululand capital of Ulundi was captured by British troops and burnt to the ground, thus, ending the war.

1892The General Election saw the appointment of Britain's first socialist MP - James Keir Hardie, (born in North Lanarkshire) elected for West Ham South. This bust of Hardie (see picture) is outside Cumnock Town Hall in Ayrshire.

1903Dorothy Levitt became the first English woman in the world to compete in a 'motor-race'. She was the most successful female competitor in Great Britain, also a victorious speedboat driver, holder of the Water Speed record and holder of the Ladies World Land speed record. She even instructed Queen Alexandra and the Royal Princesses on how to drive.

1947The 'Indian Independence Bill' was presented before the House of Commons, proposing the partition of the Provinces of British India into two sovereign countries – India and Pakistan.

1968Round-the-world yachtsman Alec Rose received a hero's welcome as he sailed into Portsmouth in his boat Lively Lady, after his 354-day trip.

1969British tennis player Ann Jones won the Wimbledon women's singles title, beating American Billie Jean King in the final.

1977Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty was sacked by the club's directors.

1985Ruth Lawrence achieved the best first-class mathematics degree at the University of Oxford, at the age of 13.

1990Footballer Paul Gascoigne's booking, (that would have excluded him from the World Cup Final, had England got there), resulted in the famous on pitch crying scenes from Gascoigne.

1995John Major emerged as the winner in an unprecedented parliamentary election for leadership of the ruling Conservative Party.

1996Prince Charles, Prince of Wales delivered his terms for a divorce from Diana, Princess of Wales - an offer of £15m reportedly backed by the Queen.

2007BBC correspondent, 45 year old Alan Johnston, was released by kidnappers in the Gaza Strip after 114 days in captivity. An online petition had been signed by some 200,000 people demanding his release.

2012'The Lock' a work by the English romantic painter John Constable was sold for £22,441,250 - a world record price at auction for the artist.

2014The 84 year old TV entertainer Rolf Harris was sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in prison after being found guilty of indecently assaulting four girls (including one who was aged 7 or 8) in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

2014Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson (who went on to become director of communications for Prime Minister David Cameron) was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones.

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