FRIDAY MARCH 23 1919 Benito Mussolini set up the Italian Fascist Party. 1961 Elvis Presley set a UK record of three consecutive number one singles: it s Now or Never, Are You Lonesome Tonight and Wooden Heart. 2001 The Mir Space station crashed to

FRIDAY MARCH 23

1919 Benito Mussolini set up the Italian Fascist Party.

1961 Elvis Presley set a UK record of three consecutive number one singles: it's Now or Never, Are You Lonesome Tonight and Wooden Heart.

2001 The Mir Space station crashed to earth.

Births: Joan Crawford, actress, 1908; Donald Campbell, world water-speed recorder holder, 1921.

Deaths: Peter Lorre, actor, 1964; Mike Haliwood, British world motorcycle racing champion, 1981; Davie Cooper, Rangers and Scotland soccer star, 1995.

Birthdays: Roger Bannisterm athlete, 78; Alan Bleasdale, television dramatist, 61; Steve Redgrave, British Olympic rowing hero, 45; Mike Atherton, ex-England Test cricket captain, 39; Chris Hoy, British Olympic cyclist, 31.

SATURDAY MARCH 24

1877 The Oxford-Cambridge boat race ended in a dead heat.

1951 The Oxford boat sank in the University boat race.

1965 David Steel became Britain's youngest MP at the age of 26.

1989 The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Alaska splling 11 million gallons of oil into the sea.

1998 Mike Atherton quit as England Test cricket captain.

Births: Harry Houdini, escapologist, 1874; Malcolm Muggeridge, broadcaster, 1903; Steve McQueen, actor, 1930.

Deaths: Queen Elizabeth I, 1603; Jules Verne, author of Around the World in 80 Days, 1905; Queen Mary, widow of George V, 1953.

Birthdays: Sir Alan Sugar, employer of The Apprentice, 60; Peter Powell, broadcaster, 56; Kelly Le Brock, actress, 47; Sharon Corr, of The Corrs, 37.

SUNDAY MARCH 25

1306 Robert the Bruce crowned King of Scotland.

1807 Parliament abolished the slave trade.

1957 The European Common Market was set up with France, West Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Belgium and Holland as members.

1960 All black political organisations were banned in South Africa.

Births: Arturo Toscanini, Italian conductor, 1867; Bela Bartok, composer, 1867; AJP Taylor, historian, 1906; Sir David Lean, producer, 1908.

Deaths: Claude Debussy, French composer, 1918; John Snagge, broadcaster, 1996; Kenneth Wolstenholme, commentator, 2002.

Today's birthdays: Aretha Franklin, singer-songwriter, 65; Richard O'Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Show, 65; Elton John, singer-songwriter, 60; Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, 42; Melanie Blatt, of All Saints, 32.

MONDAY MARCH 26

1839 First Henley Rowing Regatta.

1934 Driving tests introduced in Britain.

1971 East Pakistan became Bangladesh.

Births: Tennesee Williams, playwright, 1911.

Deaths: Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, 1827; Cecil Rhodes, politician, 1902; David Lloyd George, British statesman, 1945; Raymond Chandler, author of The Long Goodbye and The Big Sleep, 1959; Noel Coward, playwright, director and actor, 1973.

Today's birthdays: Leonard Nimoy, from Star Trek, 76; James Caan, actor, 67; Diana Ross, singer, 63; Jennifer Grey, actresss, 47; William Hague, ex-Tory leader, 46.

TUESDAY MARCH 27

1948 Foundation stone for the Aswam Dam laid in Egypt.

1966 Pickles the dog became a national hero when he uncovered the World Cup which had been stolen the previous week.

1984 Andrew Lloyd Weber's Starlight Express opened in London.

Births: Henry Royce, car designer, 1863; James Callaghan, Prime Minister, 1912; Cyrus Vance, ex-US Secretary of State, 1917.

Deaths: Wilfrid Pickles, actor, 1978; Ralph Bates, actor, 1991; Ian Dury, singer-songwriter, 2000; Dudley Moore, actor and comedian, 2002.

Today's birthdays: Michael York, actor, 65; Duncan Goodhew, British Olympic swimmer, 50; Quentin Tarantino, director, 44; Mariah Carey, singer, 37; David Coulthard, racing driver, 36.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 28

1930 The Turkish cities of Angora and Constantinople changed to Ankara and Istanbul.

1968 The rock musical Hair opened on Broadway.

2003 Brighton's West Pier collapsed after a major blaze.

Births: Dirk Bogarde, actor, 1921.

Deaths: Earl of Cardigan, leader of the Charge of the Life Brigade, 1868; Virginia Woolf, author, 1941; Dwight D Eisenhowe, US President, 1969; Anthony Powell, author, 2000; Sir Peter Ustinov, actor, 2004; Casper Weinberger, ex-US Defence Secretary, 2006.

Today's birthdays: Michael Parkinson, chat show host, 72; Neil Kinnock, ex-Labour Party leader, 65; Richard Stilgoe, television presenter, 64; Richard Eyre, ex-director of the Royal National Theatre, 64; Nasser Hussain, ex-England Test cricket captain, 39.

THURSDAY MARCH 29

1871 The Albert Hall was opened by Queen Victoria.

1928 Women over the age of 21 were given the vote in the Equal Franchise Bill.

1973 The last US troops left Vietnam.

1982 Chariots of Fire won the best film award at the Oscars.

Deaths: Charles Wesley, evangelist, 1788; J Arthur Rank, movie studio pioneer, 1972.

Today's birthdays: Norman Tebbit, ex-Tory minister, 76; Julie Goodyear, from Coronation Street, 65; John Major, ex-Prime Minister, 64; Vangelis, composer, 64; Elle Macpherson, supermodel, 43.