What happened this week in history

In 1762, Great Britain entered the Seven Years' War against Spain and Naples.
Chef and author Rick Stein celebrates his 70th birthday this week EMN-161227-104922001Chef and author Rick Stein celebrates his 70th birthday this week EMN-161227-104922001
Chef and author Rick Stein celebrates his 70th birthday this week EMN-161227-104922001

1853 - After having been kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South, Solomon Northup regained his freedom; his memoir Twelve Years a Slave later became a bestseller.

1863 - Four-wheeled roller skates were patented by James Plimpton in New York.

1865 - The New York Stock Exchange opened its first permanent headquarters near Wall Street.

1884 - The socialist Fabian Society was founded in London. Early members included George Bernard Shaw.

1885 - The first surgical removal of an appendix was performed in Iowa, USA.

1887 - Thomas Stevens became the first man to cycle around the world.

1929 - Australian cricketer Don Bradman made his maiden test century against England in Melbourne.

1936 - The first pop music chart was compiled by American magazine Billboard.

1938 - A circus was televised for the first time.

1944 - Hitler announced the mobilisation of all children over the age of 10.

1958 - Sir Edmund Hillary reached the South Pole – the first overland explorer to do so since Captain Robert F Scott’s expedition in 1912.

1959 - Luna 1 became the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon.

1961 - Copenhagen barbers went back to work after the longest strike in history – it had lasted since 1938.

1967 - Donald Campbell was killed a split second before breaking his own water speed record in his jet-powered boat, the Bluebird K7, on Coniston Water. His body was not recovered until 2001.

1972 - Rosie Heilbron became the first woman judge in Britain, at the Old Bailey.

1981 - Peter Sutcliffe, known as The Yorkshire Ripper, was arrested.

1982 - Erica Roe streaked at the England v Australia rugby match.

1986 - Thin Lizzy singer Phil Lynott died from heart failure at the age of 36.

2000 - Catherine Hartley became the first British women to walk across Antarctica to the South Pole.