476: Western Roman Empire falls
Romulus
Augustus, the last emperor of the Western
Roman Empire, is deposed by
Odoacer, a
German barbarian who proclaims himself king of
Italy. Odoacer was a
mercenary leader in the Roman imperial army when he launched his
mutiny against the young emperor. At Piacenza, he defeated Roman General
Orestes, the emperor's powerful father, and then took Ravenna, the capital of the Western Empire since 402. Although Roman rule continued in the East, the crowning of Odoacer marked the end of the original Roman Empire, which centered on Italy.
1997
Setting up of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund following her death in a car crash in
Paris. 1985
The wreck of the ocean liner 'Titanic' is photographed by remote control on the North Atlantic seabed where she sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage.1981
In
Britain, the start of the
Greenham Common peace protest outside the US Air Force base in Berkshire, England - a
demonstration against the future deployment of Cruise missiles which arrive at the base in 1983
1972
In Munich, American swimmer Mark Spitz becomes the first man to win 7gold medals at the same Olympic Games. 1970
Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova defects to the West during a visit to London by the Kirov Ballet.1964
Queen
Elizabeth II opens the Forth Road Bridge across the Firth of Forth in Scotland.. It is 6,156 feet long with a centre span of 3,300 feet.
1955
British TV newsreaders are seen in vision for the first time.The first is the BBC's Kenneth Kendall.1939
A
German submarine sinks the British liner 'Athenia' off the
Irish coast.
1886
US inventor and philanthropist George Eastman patents rolls of film for hand-held cameras.1886
In America,
Apache Chief
Geronimo surrenders to the United States Army at Skeleton Canyon in Arizona..
1885
The world's first cafeteria opens in New York.1884
Britain ceases to send convicts to New South Wales in
Australia. .
1781
The town of Los Angeles is founded by Spanish settlers and is named 'El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles' - The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels. 1956
Australian swimmer Shane Gould born in Brisbane, Queensland. Breaks the 100 metres freestyle world record set by Dawn Fraser and becomes the first woman to win three individual gold medals in world record times at the same Olympics (1972). Retires from competative swimming in 1973 aged 17.1949
American golfer Tom Watson born in Kansas City, Missouri. Becomes one of the most successful American golfers of all time winning the US Open, the British Open ( 5 times - 1975; 1977; 1980; 1982 and 1983) and captain of the successful US Ryder Cup team (1993).1944
American singer Gladys Knight born in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with her brother and two cousins forms 1960s singing group 'Gladys Knight and the Pips'. Successful songs nclude 'Help Me Make It Through The Night'. Sings title track to the film 'The Way We Were' in 1970s.1937
Australian Olympic swimming champion Dawn Fraser. During her career she breaks 27 world records and wins 29 Australian championships.. Wins gold medals at three successive Olympic Games - Melbourne (1956);
Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964). In 1964 she becomes the first woman to swim 100 metres in less than a minute. Awarded an
MBE in 1967.
1908
American film
director Edward Dmytryk. Films include 'The Carpetbaggers'; 'Young Lions' and 'Caine Mutiny'.
1906
German-born American biologist Max Delbruck. Wins the 1969 Nobel Prize for physiology and medicine for his work on the genetic structure of viruses that infect bacteria.1846
US
architect Daniel Burnham. Pioneer of skyscrapper buildings. Becomes Chief of Construction for the World Fair in Chicago in 1893. Other works include The Rookery Building in New York; the Selfridge Building in London and
the Union Railroad Station in Washington DC.
1824
Austrian composer Anton Bruckner.1997
Psychologist and IQ pioneer Hans Eysenck dies aged 81. 1989
Belgian-born author Georges Simenon, creator of the fictional French detective 'Maigret' dies in
Switzerland aged 86.
1907
Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg aged 64. 
