A look back at events in history on July 16 with Mike Badham

AD622: The Islamic Era began as the prophet Mohammed (pbuh) departed Mecca on his way to Medina (the Hejira).

1439: A new law made kissing illegal in England. This was not just to spoil anyone's fun: the authorities were afraid the practice would spread disease.

1661: Europe's first banknotes were issued, in Sweden.

1912: Red Indian Jim Thorpe received two gold medals at the Stockholm Olympics. He had won the Pentathlon and the Decathlon. 1918: Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, his wife and five children were murdered in a cellar in Ekaterinberg. Until the previous year, Alexander had been one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. Also killed were the family doctor, servants and their pet dog. The bodies were burnt by the Bolsheviks and buried in a forest, where they lay undiscovered for 60 years.

1935: The world's first parking meter was installed, in Oklahoma City.

1943: A government White Paper recommended free schooling for all up to the age of 16 after the war.

1945: The first atom bomb was exploded in the New Mexico desert. The second was dropped three weeks later on Hiroshima in Japan. Shortly afterwards, Japan surrendered.

1965: The Mont Blanc road tunnel was opened, linking France and Italy.

1966: Chinese supremo Mao Tse Tung swam in the Yangtze River, although publicity photos of the event looked phony. It was claimed the Chaiman had swum nine miles - not bad for a 72-year-old.

1978: A chimpanzee at Longleat Safari Park mauled a keeper and escaped by pole-vaulting over a moat meant to keep it in. The ape was later recaptured and put down.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.