1734: American frontiersman Daniel Boone was born in Philadelphia.

1755: Marie Antoinette, Queen Consort of Louis XVI of France, whose extravagant behaviour helped fuel unrest that led to the Revolution, was born in Vienna. Of the poor, she said: "If they have no bread, let them eat cake."

1899: The Siege of Ladysmith in Natal began, with the Boers encircling the town.

1903: The Daily Mirror was first published in Britain, devised as a daily paper for women.

1924: The first crossword appeared in a British newspaper --sold to the Sunday Express by CW Shepherd -- 11 years after appearing in the US.

1930: Ras Tafari was crowned Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia.

1936: The first daily high-definition television service in Britain was broadcast by the BBC from Alexandra Palace.

1950: Irish writer George Bernard Shaw (pictured) died, aged 94. His hobby was tree-pruning, which he was doing when he fell and fractured his thigh. He died shortly afterwards.

1954: The classic comedy series Hancock's Half Hour began on BBC Radio.

1960: The Lady Chatterley trial ended with publishers Penguin cleared of obscenity.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Huge B-52 bombers pounded the frontline north of Kabul in one of the fiercest bombardments yet as the White House announced there will be no pause in the bombing during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.