On This Day…

1306 – The Earl of Pembroke’s army defeats Robert the Bruce’s Scottish army at the Battle of Methven

1829 – Sir Robert Peel introduces the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 into Parliament to establish a unified police force for London

1862 – Slavery outlawed in US territories

1865 – Union General Gordon Granger declares slaves are free in Texas, now the date the end of slavery is celebrated across the US as Juneteenth

1944 – World War II: First day of the 2 day Battle of the Philippine Sea, US naval forces defeat Japanese fleet

1970 – Conservatives led by Edward Heath win British parliamentary election

1982 – The body of God’s Banker, Roberto Calvi is found hanging beneath Blackfriars Bridge in London

1991 – Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrenders to police

2014 – Felipe VI ascends to the Spanish throne after the abdication of his father King Juan Carlos

2017 – Bexit negotiations begin between United Kingdom and the European Union in Brussels

2019 – UN says over 70 million people in the world are displaced, asylum seekers or refugees around the world, their highest-ever number in 70 years

2020 – Australian government and companies suffer a months-long state-based cyber attack according to PM Scott Morrison

Film & TV:

2015 – Pixar’s animated film “Inside Out” is released with voices by Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling

Music:

1960 – Loretta Lynn records “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl”

Sport:

1867 – 1st Belmont Stakes: Gilbert Gilpatrick aboard Ruthless wins in 3:05

1988 – 32 divers finish cycling underwater on a standard tricycle, to complete 116.66 mi in 75 hrs 20 mins

2005 – Michael Schumacher wins controversial United States Formula 1 Grand Prix where only 6 of 20 cars complete the race amongst ridicule of F1 safety and tyre rules

Via Britannica / On This Day