In 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand.

In 1878, the first electric street lighting in Britain was put up in London.

In 1995, hundreds of youths took to the streets of Brixton, in south London, attacking police, ransacking shops and burning cars after the death of a black man in police custody.

25 years ago

Taken from the Telegraph & Argus of December 13, 1982...

Two workmen were the modest heroes of a council estate after helping a mother and son from their fire-swept house. Colin Mortimer and Gordon Cummings came to the rescue when they saw smoke and flames billowing from a house in Brooksbank Avenue in Lidget Green. Mr Mortimer, 20, kicked down the door and broke a front window with a brick to get inside, where Julie Roadnight and her four year old son Neil were trapped inside.

50 years ago

Taken from the Telegraph & Argus of December 13, 1957...

The Bradford diocesan conference, which concluded yesterday afternoon in Church House, Bradford, was told that it was a matter for some concern that as much as a quarter of the men being ordained deacons today were in middle age.