THURSDAY MARCH 23 1743 First performance in London of Handel's Messiah. 2001 The Mir Space Station crashed to earth. Birthdays: Roger Bannister, athlete, 77; Alan Bleasdale, dramatist, 60; Steve Redgrave, British Olympic rowing hero, 44; Mike Atherton, ex

THURSDAY MARCH 23 1743 First performance in London of Handel's Messiah. 2001 The Mir Space Station crashed to earth. Birthdays: Roger Bannister, athlete, 77; Alan Bleasdale, dramatist, 60; Steve Redgrave, British Olympic rowing hero, 44; Mike Atherton, ex-England Test cricket captain, 38; Chris Hoy, British Olympic cycling champion, 30. FRIDAY MARCH 24 1958 Elvis Presley began his career as a private in the US Army. 1965 David Steel became Britain's youngest MP at the age of 26. 1989 Some 11 million gallons of oil spilled into the sea after the tanker Exxon Valdex ran aground in Alaska. Birthdays: Sir Alan Sugar, boss in The Apprentice, 59; Kelly Le Brock, actress, 46. SATURDAY MARCH 25 1807 The British Parliament abolished slavery. 1957 The European Common Market was set up. 1964 First appearance of The Beatles on Top of the Pops. Birthdays: Aretha Franklin, singer-songwriter, 64; Richard O'Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Show, 64; Sir Elton John, singer-songwriter, 59; Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, 41. SUNDAY MARCH 26 1839 First running of the Henley Rowing Regatta. 1934 Driving tests introduced in Britain. Birthdays: Leonard Nimoy, from Star Trek, 75; James Caan, actor, 67; Diana Ross, once of The Supremes, 62; William Hague, ex-Conservative Party leader, 45. MONDAY MARCh 27 1966 Pickles the dog found the World Cup which had been stolen a week earlier. 1984 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe's Starlight Express opened in London. Birthdays: Michael York, actor, 64; Duncan Goodhew, ex-British Olympic swimmer, 49; Quentin Tarantino, creator of Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, 43; Mariah Carey, singer, 36; David Coulthard, Formula 1 racing driver, 35. TUESDAY MARCH 28 1939 The Spanish Civil War came to an end. 1968 The rock musical Hair opened on Broadway. Birthdays: Michael Parkinson, chat show host, 71; Neil Kinnock, ex-leader of the Labour Party, 64; Richard Eyre, ex-director of the Royal National Theatre, 63; Nasser Hussain, ex-England Test cricket captain, 38. WEDNESDAY MARCH 29 1871 Queen Victoria opened the Royal Albert Hall. 1973 The last US troops left Vietnam. 1983 First laptop computer launched, in the US. Birthdays: Norman Tebbit, ex-Conservative minister, 75; John Major, ex-Conservative Prime Minister, 63; Vangelis, musician, 53; Julie Goodyear, from Coronation Street, 61; Elle Macpherson, supermodel, 42.