4th December: Today In History

Today is 4th December,  the 338 day of 2015. There are 27 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight In History;
Birthdays:
1865 Edith Cavell, English nurse who was executed by the Germans
1875 Edgar Wallace, Prolific English 'Thriller' writer
1892 General Franco, Spanish military dictator
1930 Ronnie Corbett, Comedian and partner of Ronnie Barker
1932 Maria Callas, Greek/American operatic soprano
1942 Chris Hillman, Member of the Pop group 'The Byrds'
1949 Jeff Bridges, Screen star; son of Lloyd Bridges and brother of Beau
1950 Pamela Stephenson, Australian born comedy actress

Events:
1154 Nicolas Breakspear became the first, and only, British Pope
1732 The poet and playwright, John Gay, died in London
1791 The first issue of 'The Observer', the UK's oldest Sunday newspaper, was published
1937 'Desperate Dan', the strip cartoon character, appeared in the first ever issue, of the 'Dandy' comic
1959 A monkey returned to earth safely, after being launched into orbit 55 miles high by the US
1961 The birth control pill was made available on the British NHS
1988 South West England was swept by 70mph gale force winds, causing much damage
1989 The Manifestos and constitutions of the SDP and NRC are released.
1999 West and Central African chapter of M-Net Face of Africa Beauty pageant holds in Abuja.