1951 – The birth of Julian Lloyd Webber, British solo cellist who has been described as the ‘doyen of British cellists’. He is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

1971 – Culzean Castle, (pictured) in South Ayrshire achieved a ‘Category A’ listing (i.e. a building of national or international importance). The Marquess of Ailsa gave Culzean Castle and its surrounding gardens and woodland to the National Trust for Scotland. He asked that part of the Castle be offered to General Eisenhower, as a thank you from the Scottish people for commanding the allied forces in the battle for Europe.

1983 – The first cordless telephone, capable of operating up to 600 feet from base, was introduced. It was made by Fidelity and British Telecom and sold for £170.

1985 – The death of Noele Gordon, English film and television actress. She was credited as the first woman to be seen on colour television sets, as she took part in the BBC’s early tests in colour broadcasting in the 1940s. First in 1969 and then during the following decade, she won the TV Times award for most popular television actress on eight occasions. In ‘Crossroads’, she took the role of motel owner Meg Richardson (later Meg Mortimer) and was the only member of the Crossroads cast who had a permanent contract.

1989 – Police in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, revealed that violent prisoners were being put into a bright pink cell which seemed to have a calming effect. The colour was named Baker-Miller Pink after the police chief and psychologist who thought up the idea.

1996 – British golfer Nick Faldo won the US Masters title for the third time.

2000 – Kenneth Noye, who carried out a ‘road rage’ killing on the M25 began a life sentence after being convicted of murder at the Old Bailey in London. He fled to the Costa del Sol after the attack and was arrested in 1998 by British police.

2011 – The death of Trevor Bannister, best known for having played the womanising junior salesman Mr. Lucas in the sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1979, and for his role as Toby Mulberry Smith in the long-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.

2013 – The Wizard of Oz song, ‘Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead’ which was at the centre of an online campaign by opponents of Baroness Thatcher, reached number two in the ‘charts’ after selling 52,605 copies. Rival campaign song ‘I’m In Love With Margaret Thatcher’ entered at number 35.

2014 – Twenty-five schools in Birmingham are to be investigated in connection with an alleged plot by conservative Muslims to force out headteachers and governors.

2014 – Seventeen new Scout badges were introduced, across all age groups of the Scout movement. New tasks range from the ability to assess disability access at public buildings, to geocaching, sending emails and posting photographs on the Internet appropriately.