Horatio Nelson was born into a moderately prosperous Norfolk family on 29 September He joined the navy through the influence of his uncle, Maurice Suckling.

* On 21 October 1805, the Franco-Spanish fleet came out of port, and Nelson's fleet engaged them at the Battle of Trafalgar. The battle was Britain's greatest naval victory, but during the action Nelson was fatally wounded by a French sniper. His body was brought back to England where he was accorded a state funeral.

* Florence Nightingale's most famous contribution came during the Crimean War, which became her central focus when reports began to filter back to Britain about the horrific conditions for the wounded.

* As Princess of Wales she was expected to regularly make public appearances to hospitals, schools and other facilities, in the 20th century model of royal patronage.

* The Princess developed an intense interest in serious illnesses and health-related matters outside the purview of traditional royal involvement, including AIDS and leprosy.

* Shakespeare was buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church two days after his death. The epitaph carved into the stone slab covering his grave includes a curse against moving his bones, which was carefully avoided during restoration of the church in 2008: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear," "To dig the dust enclosed here." "Blessed be the man that spares these stones," "And cursed be he who moves my bones.

* In 1955, after completing his technical schooling, he entered military flight training at the Orenburg Pilot's School. In 1960, after the search and selection process, Yuri Gagarin was chosen with 19 other pilots for the Soviet space program.