This Day in History - 5th August

910 The last major Viking army to raid England was defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward and Earl Aethelred.

1100Henry I was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.

1305Sir William Wallace, Scottish hero and champion of Scottish independence who beat Edward I at the battle of Stirling Bridge, was captured by the English and later executed as a traitor. 

1583English soldier and navigator Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh) established the first English colony in North America, at what is now St John's, Newfoundland and claimed it for Elizabeth I.

1620The Mayflower departed from Southampton on its first attempt to reach North America but the sister ship, the Speedwell developed a leak. It had to be refitted at Dartmouth and, after further leaks (or possibly sabotage) the Mayflower made the 60 day crossing alone. 

1729The death of Thomas Newcomen. Newcomen created the first practical steam engine for pumping water from tin mines. Prior to his invention, flooding was a major problem, thus limiting the depth at which the mineral could be mined.

1792The death of Lord Frederick North, British Prime Minister whose indecisive leadership led to the loss of the American colonies.

1816 Francis Ronalds built the first working electric telegraph in his garden on Hammersmith's Upper Mall. He offered his new invention to the Government, who dismissed it as being 'wholly unnecessary'.

1858The first transatlantic cable was officially opened, with Queen Victoria sending a telegraphic message to US President James Buchanan.

1901Britain's first cinema, the Mohawk, opened in Islington, north London. Films were accompanied by the 16-piece Fonobian Orchestra. At the height of their popularity in the 1940s, cinemas in Britain had average weekly attendances of 30 million.

1963A Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow by Russia, the United States and Britain. Under the treaty, nuclear tests in the Earth's atmosphere, in space or under the sea were outlawed.

1975Forestry Commission officials announced that Dutch elm disease, which had attacked more than three million trees in Britain, was spreading.

1976The clock overlooking the Houses of Parliament stopped for the first time in 117 years.

1986Princess Anne rode Gulfland to win the 3.45 at Redcar; her first victory as a jockey.