Britain's Flags

On This Day - 7th July

1307www.beautifulbritain.co.ukEngland's King Edward I, conqueror of Wales and 'Hammer of the Scots' died here (see ©BB picture of the monument) on the Solway Burgh Marshes on the way to Scotland to fight Robert the Bruce. He was succeeded by Edward II.


1575www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe Raid of the Redeswire took place On This Day at Redesdale in Northumberland. It was the last major battle between England and Scotland.


1850www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe death of Timothy Hackworth, steam locomotive engineer and the first locomotive superintendent of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. He lived at this house (see ©BB picture) in Shildon, County Durham. His original Sans Pareil locomotive, (see ©BB picture of Sans Pareil ) which competed with Robert Stephenson's Rocket at the Rainhill Trials of 1829 is preserved at Shildon Railway Museum.


1919www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe birth of the actor John Pertwee, best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974. He was also the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge and for 18 years he was on BBC Radio as Chief Petty Officer Pertwee in The Navy Lark.


1927www.beautifulbritain.co.ukChristopher Stone became the first 'disc jockey' on British radio when he presented his 'Record Round-up' from Savoy Hill.


1930 The death of Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, best known for his detective fiction featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. He was a pupil at Stonyhurst College (see ©BB picture) and he named Sherlock Holmes' nemesis, Moriarty, after a fellow pupil.


1940www.beautifulbritain.co.ukRingo Starr, English drummer with the Beatles, was born.


1941www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe birth, in Rochdale, of Bill Oddie - English actor, comedian (The Goodies) and ornithologist.


1944www.beautifulbritain.co.ukTony Jacklin, English golfer was born.


1955www.beautifulbritain.co.ukDixon Of Dock Green began on BBC TV with Jack Warner as George Dixon. The programme ran for 367 episodes over 21 years.


1967www.beautifulbritain.co.ukEngland's round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. For the ceremony, the Queen used a sword that had originally belonged to Sir Francis Drake.


1981www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe Church of England decided that divorcees would be allowed to re-marry in a church ceremony.


1984www.beautifulbritain.co.ukGeorgina Clark became the first woman to umpire a Wimbledon final when she presided over the Martina Navratilova victory against Chris Evert.


1985www.beautifulbritain.co.ukGerman tennis player Boris Becker, an unseeded 17 year old, became the youngest player to win the men's singles championship at Wimbledon.


1990www.beautifulbritain.co.ukEngland goalkeeper Peter Shilton played the last of his 125 games for his country in the World Cup third-place play-off against Italy in Bari.


2002www.beautifulbritain.co.ukHMS Nottingham, a batch two Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy, ran aground on the submerged, but well-charted Wolf Rock near Lord Howe Island, 370 miles (600 km) off the coast of Australia causing £26 million worth of damage. A 160-foot (49 m) hole was torn down the side of the vessel from bow to bridge, flooding five of her compartments and nearly causing her to sink. It was a major PR crisis for the Royal Navy, On 7th July 2003, the anniversary of the collision, Nottingham was refloated. In April 2004 she sailed again following the £39m repair and refit and the ship returned to duty in July 2004. She was decommissioned on11th February 2010.


2004 Fred Dibnah, Bolton born steeplejack, steam enthusiast and later TV presenter, went to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE from the Queen. He initially planned to drive his beloved traction engine into the palace grounds, but was refused, as the Royal Parks Agency feared that its weight would damage the surface of The Mall. This blue plaque (see ©BB picture) is at his former home, (see ©BB picture), now a heritage museum, on 121 Radcliffe Road, Bolton.


2005www.beautifulbritain.co.ukA series of bomb attacks on London's transport network killed 52 people and injured 700 others. It was the largest and deadliest terrorist attack in London's history.


2010www.beautifulbritain.co.ukMarksmen searched empty buildings, woods and fields in and around the town of Rothbury in Northumberland in the hunt for suspected gunman Raoul Moat, wanted over the shooting of three people the previous weekend. The manhunt lasted almost seven days, and was the largest in modern British history. After a standoff with the police, Moat shot himself on 10th July.


2012www.beautifulbritain.co.ukJonathan Marray became the first Briton to win the Wimbledon men's doubles title for 76 years after victory with wildcard partner Frederik Nielsen. The couple only teamed up three events previously, but beat fifth seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3.


2013www.beautifulbritain.co.ukRadical cleric Abu Qatada appeared in court in Jordan after being deported from Britain. He was first arrested over alleged terror connections in 2001 and was rearrested in 2005, when attempts to deport him began. In September 2014 he was released from prison after being found not guilty of terrorism offences.


2013 Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon title and ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's champion with a victory over world number one Novak Djokovic. The Scot won 6-4, 7-5 and 6-4.


2014www.beautifulbritain.co.ukA precious hoard of Roman and Late Iron Age coins were discovered in a cave in Dovedale, Derbyshire, where it had lain undisturbed for more than 2,000 years. Experts said that it was the first time that coins from the two separate civilisations had been found buried together.


2014 Five pupils from Nottingham's Djanogly City Academy staged an unsuccessful 'Great Escape' breakout from school, by trying to tunnel under a 12ft (3.6m) high security fence with cutlery. (Pupils had been banned from leaving the school at lunchtime to ensure that they stayed safe and to improve attendance).


2022www.beautifulbritain.co.ukBoris Johnson resigned as Conservative leader, but continued to serve as prime minister until the autumn, to allow a Tory leadership contest to take place in the summer. It was a turbulent 36 hours in British politics. Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid both resigned from Boris Johnson's cabinet on the evening of 5th July. On 6th July the Prime Minister sacked Michael Gove, (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities). Resignations then came in thick and fast, but Johnson remained adamant that he would not stand down. By the morning of the 7th July, 59 ministers and aides had resigned, a new record of resignations in 24 hours of British politics. Johnson's resignation brought an acrimonious end to a nearly three-year premiership that was beset by controversy and scandal.


2023www.beautifulbritain.co.ukConnor Chapman, aged 23, who shot dead 26 year old Elle Edwards outside the Lighthouse pub in Wirral on Christmas Eve was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 48 years. Elle Edwards was an innocent bystander when Chapman opened fire with a sub-machine gun, which was capable of firing 15 rounds a second. as he targeted two men in the culmination of a gang feud.