This Day in History - 29th July

1565Mary, Queen of Scots married her cousin Lord Darnley (Henry Stuart) in the Old Abbey Chapel at Holyrood, Edinburgh, thus alienating Scottish protestants and England because Darnley was a Catholic heir to the throne.

1588The Spanish Armada was sighted off the coast of Cornwall. The English fleet under the command of Charles Howard and Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, to establish the birth of British naval supremacy.

1833The death of William Wilberforce, English campaigner for the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. He died a month before the Slavery Abolition Act was passed. 

1913The birth of Jo Grimond, British politician and Liberal party leader.

1930The airship R100 began its first passenger-carrying flight from England to Canada.

1938Dennis the Menace first appeared in the 'Beano' comic

1948King George VI opened the 14th Olympic Games in London - the first time the Games had been held in 12 years, due to World War II.

1964The Brook Advisory Clinic opened to give family planning advice to unmarried couples.

1970John Barbirolli, English conductor died.

1976Fire destroyed the famous pierhead at the end of the world's longest pier, in Southend, on England's south-east coast.

1981The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer at London's St Paul's Cathedral. The televised ceremony was watched by over 700 million viewers around the world.

2001A victim support group condemned a reported £11,000 compensation offer to the parents of murdered seven-year-old Sarah Payne as 'derisory'.

2010A luxury car valued at £1.2m was clamped outside Harrods in central London after being illegally parked. The Koenigsegg CCXR (one of only six ever made) was released for £70 as the parking fine was paid within 14 days.

2014 Clifford Hartland, aged 101, a Second World War prisoner camp survivor and his wife Marjorie, aged 97, died within hours of each other on their 76th wedding anniversary.