On This Day…

1836 – Naturalist Charles Darwin returned to England this day in 1836 after a five-year journey on the HMS Beagle, on which he gathered the specimens and observations that led to his theory of evolution by natural selection.

1895 – 1st cartoon comic strip is printed in a newspaper.

1902 – Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” is published by Frederick Warne & Co. in London.

1951 – Sting, British actor, songwriter and singer (The Police) was born in Wallsend, Northumberland.

1985 – The Tragic and Fatal Secret of Rock Hudson. He was seen as the ultimate ladies’ man, but Hollywood actor Rock Hudson, who died on this day, was secretly gay and became the first major star to die of Aids.

1990 – Radio Berlin International’s final transmission (links to Deutsche Welles of West Germany); final song is “The End” by Doors.

Via Britannica / On This Day