1422: King Henry V of England died in Vincennes, France, struck down with dysentery. He was succeeded by his nine-month-old infant son, Henry VI.

1888: Body of Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols, first victim of Jack the Ripper, was found mutilated in Buck's Row in the East End.

1968: Gary Sobers (now Sir Garfield), of Nottinghamshire, became the first cricketer to score six sixes in an over, at Swansea against Glamorgan. The hapless bowler was Malcolm Nash.

1969: Rocky Marciano, American world heavyweight boxing champion from 1952 to 1956, who retired undefeated, was killed in an air crash in Iowa.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: A policeman who killed three of his family in a frenzied attack before taking his own life had been arrested twice after violent rows with his wife, police confirmed.

BIRTHDAYS: James Coburn, actor, 74; Clive Lloyd, former cricketer, 58; Van Morrison, singer, 57; Ed Moses, former athlete, 47; Glenn Tillbrook, rock musician (Squeeze), 45; Todd Carty, actor, 40.