1797: The first parachute descent was made, over the Parc Monceau in Paris, by Andre-Jacques Garnerin, from a balloon.

1811: Franz Liszt, composer and piano virtuoso was born in Raiding, Hungary.

1844: The "Divine" Sarah, actress Sarah Bernhardt, was born in Paris.

1881: The first edition of the British magazine Tit-Bits was published.

1883: The Metropolitan Opera House in New York opened with a performance of Gounod's "Faust".

1909: Elise Deroche, who used the self-created title Baronne de la Roche, became the first woman to fly solo.

1910: American-born Dr Hawley Crippen, right, was convicted at the Old Bailey of poisoning his wife Cora. He was hanged on 23 November at Pentonville Prison.

1937: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor arrived in Berlin to meet Hitler, study housing conditions and hear a concert by the Nazi District Orchestra.

1966: KGB masterspy George Blake escaped from Wormwood Scrubs where he was serving a 40-year sentence.

1987: The first volume of the Gutenberg Bible was sold in New York for £3.26 million, becoming the most expensive printed book ever sold at auction.

On this day last year: Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have urged the IRA to disarm in a bid to save the peace process.

BIRTHDAYS: Sir Derek Jacobi, actor, 64; Christopher Lloyd, actor, 64; Catherine Deneuve, actress, 59; Kelvin MacKenzie, former newspaper executive, 56; Arsene Wenger, football manager, 53; Jeff Goldblum, actor, 50; Mick Hill, athlete, 38; Shelby Lynne, singer, 34; Shaggy, pop star, 34; Amanda Coetzer, tennis player, 31.