1964 The Beatles' first US tour ended with a charity concert in New York.

1965 BP found oil in the North Sea.

1986 Surgeons at Harefield Hospital performed a heart & lung transplant operation on the world's youngest patient - a10 week old baby.

1940 The George Cross and the George Medal for civilian acts of courage were instituted.

2009 The UK's largest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure was discovered buried in a field in Staffordshire. Terry Herbert, who found it on farmland using a metal detector, said that it was a metal detectorist's dream. Experts said that the collection of 1,500 gold and silver pieces, which may date to the 7th Century, was unparalleled in size and worth "a seven-figure sum".

1818 The first blood transfusion using human blood took place at Guy's Hospital in London.

1973: Concorde slashes Atlantic flight time
Concorde makes its first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in record-breaking time.

1991 The first Scrabble Championship was held in London, with 20 countries competing.

1923 The Radio Times was first published.

1963 The Rolling Stones started their first tour, as the opening act for Bo Diddley and the Everly Brothers.

1928 The discovery of penicillin by British scientist Alexander Fleming is officially announced.

1974 The first McDonalds restaurant opened in London.