This Week in History

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
March 11th - In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was named the Soviet Union's new leader.
March 11th - In 1702, Britain's first daily newspaper - The Daily Courant - began publication.
March 15th - In 44BC - the Ides of March - the Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, was assassinated by a group of senators.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
This week: 2nd to 8th March
March 7th - 1876 Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone in the US
March 2nd - 1965 One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," premieres
March 4th 1522 - Anne Boleyn makes her debut at the English court at the Green Castle pageant.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
This week: 23rd February to 1st March
24th February 1999 - The Metropolitan police force was branded "institutionally racist" by the Macpherson Report which examined the murder of the black teenager, Stephen Lawrence.
1st March 1565 - The city of Rio de Janeiro was founded by the Portuguese.
26th February 1839 - The first Grand National was run at Aintree. Then called the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, it was won by a horse called Lottery

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
This week: 16th - 22nd February
16th February 1959 - Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro is sworn in as prime minister.
21st February 1804 - The world's first railway journey takes place.
22nd of February 1797 - The last Invasion of Britain; French soldiers land at Fishguard… but are soon captured.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
This week: 9th to 15th February
13th February 1258 - Five centuries of Abbasid rule ends when Baghdad falls to the Mongols.
11th February 1990 - Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years.
15th February 1971 - Britain converts to decimal currency.
Presented by Jane Steel and Ron Brown.