by Isabel Sacks

Created on: January 12, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

Do you ever wonder what else happened on this day in the distant years gone by? Well, if yes, these few facts should give you some useless information to share with your friends and colleague or an excuse to find a quiz night and hope they have some of the questions to which you now have the answers.

1535 - Henry VIII of England declared himself Head of the Church of England

After failing to persuade the Pope to grant a divorce from Katherine of Aragon to enable him to marry the younger, prettier and more ruthless Anne Boleyn, a petulant Henry changed the course of history by creating the split from Rome and Roman Catholism, and installed himself as the new Head of the English Church. Today, Queen Elizabeth II is still the Supreme Head of the Church of England, and retains the title Defender of the Faith, one that was awarded to her ancestor, Henry VIII, by the Pope while he was a devour Catholic Prince.

1716 - Philip Livingston was born

Philip Livingston was one of several to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was born in Albany, NY and was a graduate of Yale before he entered the world of mercantile business and became a success. He was extremely wealthy but chose to dedicate his time to serving the community as a community leader through his philanthropic and civic duties. A religious man, he was elected to the senate for New York. He died on 12th June 1778 and is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in York, Pennsylvania.

1759 - The British Museum in London opens

In 1753 Hans Sloan died and bequeathed his collection of 71, 000 objects to the nation, rather than have his possessions separated by his family. It was down to Parliament to pas an Act to confirm the creation of the British Library and in 1753 king George II added to the original collection by donating the "Old Royal Library". In 1759, having found a home in Montagu House in Bloomsbury, the British Library opened, and has remained so ever since, apart from periods of time during both World Wars when exhibits had to be evacuated.

1906 - Aristotle Onassis was born

Perhaps Aristotle Onassis is best known for his marriage to Jackie Kennedy, the widow of JF Kennedy and the world was stunned when she appear to marry him out of the blue. However, Onassis was born in Smyrna, Turkey. He travelled to Argentina in 1922, where he soon made his first million, with which he bought ships! With his brothers-in-law he turned his shipping business into one of the most powerful in the world. He is also known for his affair

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