On this day: Act of Union | Calcutta Cup | War in Iraq

Published on 19/03/2013 00:00

Events, birthdays and anniversaries for 19 March

19 March

St Joseph’s Day

1641: Foundation stone of Hutchesons’ Grammar School, Glasgow, laid by the philanthropist Thomas Hutcheson. It was established as a residential school for the poor of the city.

1707: The Act of Union was ratified by the English Parliament in London.

1932: The opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge, the widest ever built with single-arch span.

1938: Rugby was first seen on British television – the England versus Scotland Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham.

1970: Willy Brandt and Willi Stoph, heads of West and East Germany, met for the first time.

1976: Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon announced their separation after 15 years of marriage.

1978: Israeli army took control of almost all of Lebanon south of Litani River.

1982: An Argentine scrap-metal dealer landed on South Georgia and planted his country’s flag. The event was later seen as attempt by Argentina to test British resolve to defend Falkland Islands.

1986: Buckingham Palace announced engagement of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

1988: Iraq claimed its forces had overrun headquarters of Iranian-backed Kurdish guerrilla leader Jala Talabani amid heavy mountain fighting.

1990: Kremlin warned Lithuania against taking over factories, putting up border posts.

1990: President Mikhail Gorbachev ordered economic measures against Lithuania in response to republic’s decision to seek independence from USSR.

1992: Buckingham Palace announced Duke and Duchess of York were to separate after five and a half years of marriage.

1995: Twelve people died and thousands were injured in a sarin gas attack on Tokyo underground.

2002: Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth on charges of human rights abuses and of electoral fraud, following a turbulent presidential election.

2003: President George W Bush ordered start of war against Iraq.

2008: A cosmic burst that is the farthest object visible to the naked eye was briefly observed.

2010: The government gave the go-ahead for the development of a £2.5 billion gasfield in the waters 90 miles off the west coast of Shetland.

2011: Comic Relief raised £74.3 million, the highest figure reached on the night of the show in its 23-year history.

BIRTHDAYS

Glenn Close, actress, 66; Ursula Andress, actress, 77; Sir Ian Blair, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police 2005-8, 60; Terry Hall, singer, 54; Sir David Lumsden, principal, Royal Academy of Music 1982-93, 85; John Charles Sholto Douglas, 21st Earl of Morton, Lord-Lieutenant of West Lothian 1985-2001, 86; Philip Roth, writer, 80; Alastair Webster, golfer, 54; Harvey Weinstein CBE (Hon), film producer, 61; Bruce Willis, actor, 58.

ANNIVERSARIES

Births: 1721 Tobias Smollett, Dunbartonshire-born novelist; 1813 David Livingstone, Blantyre-born explorer and missionary; 1821 Sir Richard Burton, explorer and orientalist; 1848 Wyatt Earp, law officer and gunfighter; 1906 Adolf Eichmann, Nazi official responsible for execution of millions of Jews; 1922 Tommy Cooper, comedian and magician.

Deaths: 1286 Alexander III, King of Scots; 1979 Richard Beckinsale, actor; 2001 Gordon Brown, Scotland and British Lions rugby player; 2008 Paul Scofield, actor; 2010 William Wolfe, chairman, SNP 1969-79.