July 3rd – On This Day
1954 - The end of food rationing in Britain – almost 9 years after the end of World War II. Smithfield Meat Market in London opened at midnight instead of 6am to cope with the demand for beef.
July 2nd – On This Day
1987 - Moors murderer Ian Brady offered to assist police searches of Saddleworth Moor for the first time since his conviction.
July 1st – On This Day
1916 - The Battle of Somme began. The British Empire and France went to war against the German Empire during World War I. The battle lasted until November 18, 1916 and up to 1.3 million people died.
June 30th – On This Day
2012 - Rufus, the hawk that patrolled Wimbledon's tennis courts to frighten away pigeons, was stolen from a car parked outside his owner's home. Three days later he was returned, to a national animal charity in London.
June 29th – On This Day
1927 - For the first time in 200 years, a total eclipse of the sun was seen in Britain. Those at Giggleswick in Yorkshire were able to see a perfect, full eclipse which lasted for less than 1/2 minute.
June 28th – On This Day
2015 - The broadcast of the final episode of Top Gear with presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Clarkson's contract was not renewed earlier in the year after an 'unprovoked physical attack' on producer, Oisin Tymon at a hotel in North Yorkshire in March 2015. His co-hosts refused to present future shows without him.
June 27th – On This Day
2009 - The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was inscribed as a World Heritage Site. The aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham in north east Wales. It is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.
June 26th – On This Day
1999 - The National Stadium of Wales (also known as the Millennium Stadium and Principality Stadium) held its first major event, an international rugby union match, when Wales beat South Africa in a friendly by 29–19 before a test crowd of 29,000.
June 25th – On This Day
2011 - 8,734 people in fancy dress assembled on Penzance promenade at 13:00 BST. The Guinness World Records later confirmed that Penzance now held the title for the largest gathering of pirates in one place.