1756: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg. He composed 20 operas, 17 masses, 41 symphonies, 27 string quartets and 21 piano concertos -- and still died a pauper in 1791, aged 35.

1778: Joseph Bramah patented the valved flush toilet.

1832: Lewis Carroll, children's author, was born in Daresbury, near Warrington, as Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.

1859: Kaiser Wilhelm II, third German emperor and grandson of Queen Victoria, was born. He was forced to abdicate after the First World War.

1879: Edison patented his electric lamp.

1885: Jerome Kern, US composer regarded as the father of the modern musical, was born in New York. His major work was Show Boat.

1901: Guiseppe Verdi, Italian composer whose operas include Rigoletto, Traviata and Aida, died aged 87.

1926: John Logie Baird gave a public demonstration of television to members of the Royal Institution in London.

1967: Round-the-world yachtsman Francis Chichester was knighted by the Queen at Greenwich with a sword which once belonged to Sir Francis Drake.

1973: America signed a ceasefire to end its military action in Vietnam.

1992: Gennifer Flowers, pictured, accused Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton of being a liar after he denied having a 12-year affair with her.

On this day last year: Friends and relatives of a British terror suspect held at the controversial US X-camp in Cuba reacted with shocked disbelief at news of his capture.

BIRTHDAYS:

MOHAMED Al-Fayed, chairman of Harrods, 70; Nick Mason, rock musician (Pink Floyd), 58; Mimi Rogers, actress, 47; Alan Milburn, Health Secretary, 45; Bridget Fonda, actress, 39; Alan Cumming, actor, 38; Mark Owen, ex-Take That, pictured, 31.