On This Day July 15

The Rosetta Stone is a large black stone stele bearing a translation of Ancient Egyptian text, the first recovered in modern times. It was taken from building material in Fort Julien near the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile Delta when it was rediscovered on July 15, 1799 during the Napoleonic campaign in Egypt. Weighing nearly one ton, the Rosetta Stone is inscribed with three versions of a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty of King Ptolemy V.

The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum.By © Hans Hillewaert,

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On This Day July 14

The outlaw William "Billy The Kid" Bonney killed his first victim at age 18. According to legend, the outlaw killed 21 people, one for each year of his life. But the New Mexico Tourism Department puts the total closer to nine. He was sentenced to death for murdering a sheriff, but escaped (killing two guards), and was finally shot dead by Sheriff Pat Garrett on July 14, 1881 despite being promised clemency by then Governor Lew Wallace for testifying in a murder case.

Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (1859–1881). 

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On This Day July 13

France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the US beat Belgium 3-0 in the first-ever World Cup football matches played on July 13, 1930 in Uruguay. At the first World Cup Egypt missed their boat, Bolivia wore berets, a player was suspended for opening a cafe, a referee called the final whistle after 84 minutes, another referee did all his games in suit, tie and knickerbockers, and a Romanian was believed to have died before turning up at his wake.

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On This Day July 12

Following the decisive Yorkist victory over the Lancastrians at the Battle of Tewkesbury, Richard Plantagenet (later Richard III of England) married the widowed Anne Neville on July 12, 1472 when she was 16-years-old. After their marriage, Richard led a life of a rich and powerful country Lord, as Anne's dowry made him the biggest landowner in England. Anne bore Richard one son, Edward Plantagenet who died in 1484 and she died the following year, probably of tuberculosis,

Illuminated scroll of Queen Anne Neville and King Richard III 

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On This Day July 11

The United States took possession of Detroit from Great Britain on July 11, 1796. After the US gained independence, following the American Revolutionary War, the British were still occupying forts in the Great Lakes region, including at Detroit. Under the terms of the Jay Treaty, which established the northern border with Canada, Britain ceded Detroit along with other territory in the area.

First page of the Jay Treaty

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On This Day July 10

Sixteen-year-old John Paul Getty, the grandson of oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty, was kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10, 1973. After two ransom notes were ignored an envelope containing a lock of hair and a human ear was delivered to a daily newspaper with a threat of further mutilation of Paul, unless $3.2 million was paid. At this point Getty Sr. agreed to pay up and Getty III was found alive five months after his kidnapping  in a filling station shortly after the payment of the ransom.

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On This Day July 9

The inaugural Wimbledon Tennis Championship was held to raise money for repairs to The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis club's pony-drawn lawn roller. The competition started on July 9, 1877 and was solely as an amateur competition. Men's singles was the only event that took place with 22 men competing for a 12-guinea prize, plus a silver challenge cup valued at 25 guineas. Entrants had to pay a guinea (£1.05) each. The first Wimbledon Championship made a profit of £10.

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