| 1977 - | Sir Charles Chaplin died in his home in Switzerland, aged 88 |
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| 1957 - | The Queen made her first, televised, Christmas broadcast |
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| 1952 - | Queen Elizabeth II made her first Christmas broadcast |
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| 1950 - | The Stone of Scone, the Scottish coronation stone, was stolen from Westminster Abbey by Scottish nationalists |
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| 1938 - | Karel Capek, Czech dramatist who coined the word ‘Robot’, died |
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| 1932 - | King George V made the first Royal broadcast to the Empire |
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| 1911 - | Edward Knoblocks Kismet, premieres in NYC |
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| 1908 - | Jack Johnson KO Tommy Burns and becomes 1st black heavyweight champ |
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| 1905 - | V Herbert/H Blossoms musical Mlle Modiste, premieres in NYC |
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| 1902 - | Clyde Fitch Girl with Green Eyes, premieres in NYC |
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| 1901 - | Battle at Tweefontein Orange-Free state |
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| 1900 - | Arthur Schnitzlers Leutnant Gustl forbidden in Germany |
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| 1864 - | The now traditional Christmas day dip, in London's Serpentine pond in Hyde park, first took place |
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| 1800 - | The first Christmas tree in Britain was erected at Windsor by Queen Charlotte, King George III's wife |
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| 1642 - | Isaac Newton, English scientist, was born |
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| 1066 - | William the Conqueror's coronation was held at Westminster Abbey |
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