1977: Elvis Presley dies
Music
icon Elvis Presley dies at the age of 42. The death of the King of Rock and Roll brought legions of mourning fans to Graceland, his home in
Memphis, Tennessee. Doctors claimed he died of a heart attack induced by barbiturates, but some called it suicide. Presley grew up dirt-poor in Mississippi and later moved to Memphis, where he was discovered after recording a song as a gift for his mother. Songs like Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel became world-wide hits, and he starred in over 30 commercially successful movies. Elvis had 25 top-selling gold records, nine more than the Beatles.
2004
In
Britain, Boscastle in north Cornwall is completely devastated as flash floods sweep through the coastal village.
2001
In Britain, the Princess of Wales’ former butler, Paul Burrell, is charged with
theft from her
estate. Burrell’s trial eventually collapses.
1987
In America, pilot error causes a plane crash at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan killing 156 people. A four-year-old girl is the only survivor.1984
In Los Angeles, America former car maker John DeLorean is found not guilty of all charges against him at his drug trafficking trial.1964
General Nguyen Khanh, elected president by the Military Council, ousts Duong Van Minh as South
Vietnamese chief of state.
1960
Cyprus becomes an independent republic, with Archbishop Makarios its first president.1952
In Britain, a flash flood sweeps through Lynmouth in north Devon - 34 people are killed.1948
American Baseball legend Babe
Ruth dies from cancer in New York City.
1896
The discovery of gold at Bonanza
Creek on the Klondike River starts a
gold rush in the Yukon Territory,
Canada in 1898.
1841
President
John Tyler vetoes a second attempt by Congress to re-establish the Bank of the United States. In response, angry supporters of the bank gathered outside the
White House and burned an effigy of Tyler.
1819
British militia are used to break up a mass meeting demanding reform of Parliament at St Peter's Field, Manchester. At least 11 protestors are killed - the incident becomes known as the Peterloo Massacre.1812
During the
War of 1812, American General
William Hull surrenders Fort Detroit and his army to the British without a fight.
1780
During the American Revolutionary War, the British defeat the Americans at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina. 1958
American singer Madonna.1930
American
actor Robert Culp.
1920
English historial and detective novelist
Georgette Heyer born in London.
1913
Israeli politician Menachin Begin.1809
English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.1986
British film
censor John Trevelyan, dies of a heart attack.
1979
Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind, dies after being knocked down by a car two days earlier.1977
American rock superstar Elvis Presley dies in the bathroom of his home in
Memphis, Tennessee.
1948
Legendary American baseball player George Herman 'Babe'
Ruth dies in New York at the age of 53.
1882
British
actor Patrick Magee.
