It happened today – this day in history – December 30

1460: The Duke of York is killed and his forces soundly defeated by forces for Henry VI at the Battle Of Wakefield in the Wars of the Roses.

1621: James I cracks the Protestation of Parliament.

1703: An earthquake hits Tokyo, killing 37,000.

1835: The Georgia gold rush forces Cherokees to move across the Mississippi River.

1865: Author Rudyard Kipling is born in Bombay.

1877: Johannes Brahms’ 2nd Symphony in D, premieres in Vienna.

1879: Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance” premieres.

1884: Anton Bruckner’s 7th Symphony in E, premieres in Leipzig.

1897: The province of Zululand is annexed to Natal colony.

1903: An electric arc lamp sets fire to the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago leaving 602 dead in one of the deadliest blazes in American history.

1906: Persia becomes a constitutional monarchy.

1944: King George II of Greece, abdicates.

1947: King Michael of Romania is forced to abdicate his throne by Communists, sending him into exlie as the country is declared a republic.

1950: Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become Independent states within the French Union.

1958: Fidel Castro’s Cuban rebels edge closer to Havana in a bid to overthrow the military regime of President Batista.

1965: Ferdinand Marcos is inaugurated as President of the Philippines.

1967: Songwriter Bert Berns dies of Heart failure aged 38.

1968: Frank Sinatra records “My Way”, a French melody with English lyrics by Paul Anka.

1969: Peter Tork quits The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract which leaves him broke.

1970: Boxer Sonny Liston dies aged 40.

1972: US President Richard Nixon halts the bombing of North Vietnam and announces peace talks.

1974: The Beatles partnership is legally disbanded.

1979: Composer Richard Rodgers dies aged 77.

1994: Two women are shot dead when a gunman opens fire at two neighbouring abortion clinics in a suburb of Boston.

1999: George Harrison is stabbed in the chest when he confronts an intruder at his home in Henley-on-Thames. Wife Olivia fights the attacker off by hitting him over the head with a lamp.

2001: Singles chart:

1. Somethin’ Stupid – Ronnie Williams and Nicole Kidman
2. Gotta Get Thru This – Daniel Bedingfield
3. How Wonderful You Are – Gordon Haskell
4. Murder On The Dancefloor – Sophie Ellis Bextor
5. Handbags And Gladrags – Stereophics
6. Will I – Ian van Dahl
7. Have You Ever – S Club 7
8. Lately – Samantha Mumba
9. What If – Kate Winslet
10. Country Roads – Hermes House Band

Album chart:

1. Swing When You’re Winning – Robbie Williams
2. Dreams Can Come True: Greatest Hits – Gabrielle
3. All Rise – Blue
4. Just Enough Education To Perform – Stereophonics
5. Sunshine – S Club 7
6. World Of Our Own – Westlife
7. No Angel – Dido
8. Gold: Their Greatest Hits – Steps
9. Freak Of Nature – Anastacia
10. Their Greatest Hits: The Record – The Bee Gees

2002: Singer Diana Ross is arrested for drink driving in Tuscon, Arizona.

2004: Bandleader Artie Shaw (Arthur Arshawsky) dies aged 94.

2006: Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is hanged aged 69.

2011: Actor David Tennant marries actress Georgia Moffett, the daughter of another former Doctor Who, Peter Davison.

2014: Actress Luise Rainer dies aged 104.

2016: Alan Williams, The Beatles’ first manager, dies aged 86. On the same day, Ray Davies of The Kinks is awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours.

2018: Singer Miley Cyrus marries actor Liam Hemsworth.

BIRTHDAYS: Clive Bunker, drummer (Jethro Tull) 74; Patti Smith, songwriter/poet.,75; Jeff Lynne, singer-songwriter/producer (ELO) 74; Tracy Ullman, actress, 62; Charlie Nicholas, football pundit, 60; Jay Kay, singer-songwriter (Jamiroquai) 52; Sister Bliss (Ayalah Bentovim) keyboards (Faithless) 51; Tiger (Eldrick) Woods, golfer, 44; Lucy Punch, actress, 44; Eliza Dushku, actress, 41; Kristin Kreuk, actress, 39; Ellie Goulding, singer-songwriter, 35; Caity (Caitlin) Lotz, actress, 35; Ollie Watkins, footballer, 26.