1666: The Great Fire of London began in Pudding Lane. It ended on September 6 at Pye Corner, when it rained. Although an enormous amount of property was burned (13,000 buildings were destroyed), only six people died.

1726: English prison reformer John Howard was born in Hackney, London.

1834: Thomas Telford, Scottish engineer, road, bridge and canal builder, died in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

1906: Roald Amundsen completed his sailing around Canada's Northwest Passage.

1916: The last of the famous Blaydon races -- immortalised in the folk song -- were held in Northumberland.

1939: On the eve of the official declaration of the Second World War, Ted Drake scored four goals for Arsenal against Sunderland and Bournemouth beat Northampton Town 10-0 at Dean Court.

1945: The formal Japanese surrender to the Allies was signed on board the American battleship Missouri.

1973: JRR Tolkien, creator of Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, died aged 81.

1980: John Arlott, BBC cricket commentator, retired at Lord's after 35 years of broadcasting.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Another group of up to 100 illegal immigrants has been caught trying to get into Britain through the Channel Tunnel, Eurotunnel said.

BIRTHDAYS: Victor Spinetti, actor, 69; Derek Fowlds, actor, 65; Michael Hastings, playwright, 64; Mark Harmon, actor, 51; Jimmy Connors, former tennis player, 50; KD Lang, singer/songwriter, 41; Keanu Reeves, actor, 38; Lennox Lewis, boxer, 37; Salma Hayek, actress, 36.