On This Day: August 23, 2019
Birthdays
1905 Constant Lambert, Composer and conductor of Sadler's Wells Ballet1912 Gene Kelly, Hollywood song & dance man, also producer/director
1942 Roger Greenaway, Songwriter
1943 Rt Hon Peter Lilley, Conservative politician
1947 Willy Russell, Playwright; 'Educating Rita' & Shirley Valentine'
1949 Shelly Long, American actress
1949 Geoff Capes, English ex policeman; famous for his feats of strength
1953 Bobby Gee, Of the Pop group 'Bucks Fizz'
Events
1793 In France, the first ever national conscription was introduced for unmarried men from ages 18 to 251914 The Emperor of Japan declared war on Germany
1926 Known as the worlds greatest screen lover, Rudolph Valentino died aged 31 after an appendix operation
1940 German bombers began night time attacks (The Blitz) on London
1977 New, smaller pound notes, were introduced into the UK
1987 French racing driver Didier Peroni and two companions were killed in a powerboat race off the Isle of Wight
1989 English born Jane Webber, a Canadian citizen, became the first woman to cross the Atlantic single handed