World Events Today
- Sir Cecil Herbert Edward Chubb bought Stonehenge for 6,600 British pounds today in 1915, he donated it to the nation 3 years later
- The Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber was flown for the first time today in 1942, it was later used towards the end of World War II to drop atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Around 200 hippy squatters occupying a mansion at 144 Piccadilly in central London were finally evicted today in 1969
Entertainment Events Today
- The children’s fantasy novel The Hobbit, written by the English author J R R Tolkien, was published today in 1937
- The American legal drama series Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr, was aired for the first time today in 1957 on the CBS network
- The Nordic crime television series The Bridge was aired for the first time today in 2011 in Sweden, it would go on to be shown in more than 100 countries
Family Events Today
- The American actor Larry Hagman, most famous for his role as the ruthless oil baron J R Ewing in the soap opera Dallas, was born today in 1931 in Texas
- The legendary American author Stephen King, whose books include Misery and The Green Mile, was born today in 1947 in Maine
- The American actor Bill Murray, who starred in many movies, including Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, was born today in 1950 in Illinois
Main Event Today
- Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, gained its independence from the United Kingdom today in 1964, it remains a National Holiday to this day
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Pecan Cookie Day