It happened today – this day in history – December 28

1065: Westminster Abbey is consecrated.

1612: Galileo observes and makes the first recording of a “fixed star” without realising it is a planet (Neptune).

1734: Scottish folk hero Rob Roy dies aged 63.

1836: Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico.

1895: Film makers the Lumiere brothers, hold the first commercial film screening in Paris.

1937: Composer Maurice Ravel dies in Paris aged 62.

1947: Death of King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III from a pulmonary edema aged 78.

1950: Chinese troops cross the 38th Parallel, into South Korea.

1971: Johan Cruyff wins the Ballon d’Or.

1983: Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson drowns after diving from a friend’s yacht to find items he’d drunkenly thrown off his own boat three years before.

1984: Ted Hughes is appointed Poet Laureate.

2004: Death of writer Susan Sontag aged 71.

2010: Chris Hemsworth marries Elsa Pataky in Indonesia.

2016: Lemmy (Ian Kilminster), lead vocalist and bassist with Motörhead died at his home in Los Angeles, California, four days after his 70th birthday following a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. On the same day, Specials drummer John Bradbury died aged 62 and actress Debbie Reynolds dies a day after her daughter, Carrie Fisher.

BIRTHDAYS: Dame Maggie Smith, actress, 85; Edgar Winter, musician, 73; Richard Clayderman, pianist, 66; Denzel Washington, actor, 65; Nigel Kennedy, violinist, 63; Terry Butcher, former footballer, 61; Seth Meyers, writer/comedian/presenter, 46; Joe Manganiello, actor, 43; John Legend (Stephens) musician, 41; Sienna Miller, actor, 38.