Charles, the Prince of Wales, alongside his famous namesake

26 July marks the anniversary of Charles, the future heir to the British throne, becoming the Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958. At the ceremony, which took place at Caernarfon Castle on 1 July 1969, he was crowned by his mother, the Queen.

More pictures of Prince Charles (and his historical namesake) can be found here. A wide variety of illustrations relating to royalty can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The story of Fidel Castro. Illustration by Neville Dear

26 July marks the anniversary of the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. On this day in 1953, Fidel Castro led a small group of revolutionaries on an unsuccessful attack on the Cuban military at Moncada Barracks. Although he was captured and imprisoned for two years, Castro continued to plot against the dictatorship of Cuba’s president, Fulgencio Batista, and eventually overthrew him.

More pictures relating to the history of revolution and revolutionaries can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

Louis Bleriot approaches Dover on the first cross-Channel flight

July 25 marks the anniversary of the first crossing of the English Channel by an aircraft. In 1909, French aviator Louis Blériot took off at dawn from Les Baraques, near Calais, in an aircraft of his own design, the Blériot XI, and, accompanied by a French destroyer, headed for England. He soon lost sight of his escort in bad weather but was able to reach Dover where he made a rough but successful landing. The flight lasted 37 minutes.

More picture relating to Louis Blériot can be found here. A wide variety of images relating to aircraft and the history of flight can be found at the Look and Learn picture gallery.

An albatross circles the ship in Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Illustration by James E. McConnell

July 25 marks the anniversary of the death of Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1834. Coleridge, born 21 October 1772, is most famous as the author of the epic poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The Nightingale and Kubla Khan as well as influential critical work on Shakespeare.

More pictures relating to Coleridge and his works can be found here. Many more illustrations by artist James E. McConnell can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The tragic queen, Mary Queen of Scots. Illustration by James E. McConnell

24 July marks the anniversary of the forced abdication of Mary Queen of Scots in 1567. She became Queen of Scotland at the age of six days following the death of her father, King James V, and was crowned nine months later. She was eventually deposed following an uprising, it being believed that Mary was complicit in the murder of her second husband, Lord Darnley in February 1567. After being imprisoned at Loch Leven Castle, she sought the protection of her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Considered a threat to the crown, she was imprisoned for 19 years and, after being accused of involvement in plots to assassinate Elizabeth, she was executed in 1587.

More pictures of Mary Queen of Scots can be found here. Many more pictures relating to the monarchy of England and Scotland can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

Settlers travelling the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake City. Illustration by Oliver Frey

24 July marks the anniversary of the Mormons, moving westward, reaching the site in Ohio where they were to found Salt Lake City. The Mormons,  led by Brigham Young, were seeking an isolated spot where they could practice their religion, founding a temple within days to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

More pictures relating to Salt Lake City can be found here. A much wider range of pictures relating to religion and religious beliefs can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

Eugene Vidocq captures the jewel thief, Fossard. Illustration by Oliver Frey

23 July marks the anniversary of the birth of Eugene Francois Vidocq in 1775.  Both criminal and criminologist, Vidocq was the founder of the French Surete National and founded his own private detective agency. His life and exploits inspired works by several authors, including Victor Hugo and Honore de Balzac. Vidocq died in 1857.

Many more pictures relating to the history of police and policing can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

A garden hose gave John Dunlop the idea for the pneumatic tyre

23 July marks the anniversary of John Boyd Dunlop’s application for a patent on a pneumatic tyre. After finding that a garden hose gave the rider of his son’s tricycle a smoother journey, he developed a pneumatic tyre which he patented in 1887. The patent was granted that December but was later declared invalid because Robert William Thomson had patented the same idea in France in 1846 and in the US in 1847.

Many more pictures relating to the history of bicycles and cars can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The Iron Duke inspects his troops before the Battle of Salamanca. Illustrated by C. L. Doughty

22 July marks the anniversary of the Battle of Salamanca, which took place in the hills around Arapiles, south of Salamanca in the west of Spain, in 1812. During the battle the allied forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington defeated the French forces of Marshal Auguste Marmont.

More pictures relating to the Battle of Salamanca can be found here. A wide range of illustrations relating to wars and battles can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

Wiley Post asks a yachtsman for help

22 July marks the anniversary of the first solo circumnavigation of the world by air by Wiley Post in 1933. Texas-born Post took 7 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes.

Post was also an important figure in the development of the pressure suit worn for high altitude flying. Once, he was forced into an emergency landing and had to ask a local yachtsman for help removing his helmet.

More pictures relating to the history of flight can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.