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1 April 1999: The minimum wage is introduced in Britain
Features On this day in 1999, the national minimum wage was introduced in Britain, bringing an instant pay rise to 1.9 million low-paid workers.
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20 March 1602: Dutch East India Company formed
Features The Dutch East India Company – considered by many to be the world’s first multinational company – was founded on his day in 1602.
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27 February 1900: The launch of the Labour Party
Features Responding to the need for a single political party to represent the trade unions, the Labour Party was formed on this day in 1900.
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24 February 1809: Drury Lane theatre burns down
Features On this day in 1809, celebrated playwright Richard Sheridan was effectively ruined when the Drury Lane theatre went up in smoke.
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24 February 1981: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer announce their engagement
Features On this day in 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer made their engagement official in front of the world's press at Buckingham Palace.
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19 February 1861: Russia emancipates 23 million serfs
Features On this day in in 1861, Tsar Alexander II issued a declaration emancipating 23 million Russian serfs from their feudal overlords.
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18 February 1911: First official airmail flight
Features On this day in 1911, the first official airmail flight took off from Allahabad in India, with Frenchman Henri Pequet flying a Humber Sommer biplane.
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17 February 1958: CND – the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – is launched
Features On this day in 1958, as the nuclear arms race hotted up, 5,000 people crammed in to Westminster’s Central Hall to witness the launch of CND, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
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16 February 1957: The “Toddlers’ Truce” comes to an end
Features On Saturday, 16 February, 1957, the “Toddlers’ Truce” – a programme-free hour on TV between 6pm and 7pm – was finally broken.
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