FRIDAY MARCH 16 1872 First FA Cup Final, between The Wanderers and Royal Engineers at Kennington Oval. 1968 Robert Kennedy announced his intention to run for US President. 1976 Harold Wilson resigned as Prime Minister and was succeeded by James Cal

FRIDAY MARCH 16

1872 First FA Cup Final, between The Wanderers and Royal Engineers at Kennington Oval.

1968 Robert Kennedy announced his intention to run for US President.

1976 Harold Wilson resigned as Prime Minister and was succeeded by James Callaghan.

Births: Patricia Nixon, wife of ex-US President Richard Nixon, 1912; Leo McKern, once Rumpole of the Bailey, 1920.

Deaths: William Henry Beveridge, creator of the Welfare State, 1963; Tammi Terrell, singer, 1970.

Today's birthdays: Jerry Lewis, comedian, 81; Jimmy Nail, actor, 53.

SATURDAY MARCH 17

1921 Dr Marie Stopes opened the Mother's Clinic in London to advise women on birth-control.

1960 A new £1 note went into circulation.

1970 The New English Bible was sold out on its day of publication.

Births: Gottileb Daimler, car designer, 1834; Nat King Cole, singer, 1919; Rudolf Nureyev, ballet dancer, 1938.

Deaths: Rod Hull, entertainer, 1999.

Today's birthdays: Penelope Lively, children's author, 74; Robin Knox Johnson, yachtsman, 68; Patrick Duffy, from Dallas, 58; Alexander McQueen, designer, 38; Caroline Corr, of The Corrs, 34; Stephen Gately, once of Boyzone, 31.

SUNDAY MARCH 18

1949 Plans were unveiled for the setting up of Nato.

1959 EMI announced it had ceased producing 78rpm records.

1965 First space walk, by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.

Births: Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, 1869; Wilfred Owen, English war poet, 1893; Wilson Pickett, singer-songwriter, 1941.

Deaths: Robert Walpole, Prime Minister, 1745; Percy Thrower, gardening expert, 1988; John Phillips, of the Mamas and Papas, 2001.

Today's birthday's: FW de Clerk, South African politician, 71; Alex (Hurricane) Higgins, snooker player, 58; Pat Eddery, champion jockey, 55; Irene Cara, singer, 48; Vanessa Williams, singer, 44.

MONDAY MARCH 19

1932 The Sydney Harbour Bridged opened.

1986 Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson announced their engagement.

2002 British commandos were ordered into battle in Afghanistan.

Births: David Livingstone, explorer, 1813; Wyatt Earp, legendary marshal, 1848.

Deaths: Arthur James Balfour, British Prime Minister, 1930; Edgar Rice Burrows, creator of Tarzan, 1950; Richard Beckinsale, actor, 1979.

Today's birthdays: Ursula Andress, ex-Bond girl and actress, 71; Glenn Close, actress, 60; Bruce Willis, actor, 52; Ashley Giles, England Test cricketer, 34.

TUESDAY MARCH 20

1966 The World Cup was stolen from an exhibition in Westminster Hall.

1980 The pirate radio ship Caroline sank.

2003 British and US forces invaded Iraq.

Births: Henrik Ibsen, dramatist, 1828; Sir Michael Redgrave, actor, 1908.

Deaths: Issac Newton, scientist,

Today's birthdays: Dame Vera Lynn, the Forces Sweetheart, 90; William Hurt, actor, 57; Holly Hunter, actress, 49; Greg Searle, British Olympic rower, 35.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 21

1922 Opening of Waterloo station.

1925 Opening of Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.

1946 Labour health minister Aneurin Bevan announced plans for the NHS.

1961 First appearance of The Beatles at The Cavern Club.

1963 Alcatraz, the maximum security prison in San Francisco Bay, was closed.

1990 More than 400 arrested during a demonstration in London over the Poll Tax.

Births: Johann Sebastian Bach, composer, 1685; Brian Clough, soccer manager, 1935.

Deaths: Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1556; Michael Redgrave, actor, 1985; Ernie Wise, comedian, 1999.

Today's birthdays: Timothy Dalton, ex-James Bond, 61; Gary Oldman, actor, 49; Andie McDowell, actress, 49; Lothar Matthaus, German World Cup hero, 46.

THURSDAY MARCH 22

1888 The English Football League set up.

1906 First Rugby Union international, between France and England in Paris.

1933 Malcolm Campbell set a new world land-speed record of 272mph at Daytona Beach

1974 First Michelin Guide to British restaurants published.

1997 The Hale-Bopp comet reached its closest point to earth.

Births: Chico Marx, one of the Marx brothers, 1887; Keith Relf, of the Yardbirds, 1943.

Deaths: Thomas Hughes, author of Tom Brown's Schooldays, 1896; Mike Todd, producer, 1958; Terry Lloyd, ITN correspondent, 2003.

Today's birthdays: Marcel Marceau, mime artist, 84; Stephen Sondheim, composer, 77; William Shatner, from Star Trek, 76; Roger Whittaker, singer-songwriter, 71; George Benson, singer-songwriter, 64; Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer, 59; Jocky Wilson, darts player, 57; Matthew Modine, actor, 48; Reese Witherspoon, actress, 31.