On this day in history: February 27

1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, was signed by England and the Lords of the Congregation of Scotland.

1812 - Poet Lord Byron gave his first address as a member of the House of Lords, in defence of Luddite violence against Industrialism in his home county of Nottinghamshire.

1881 - British troops were defeated by the Boers at Majuba Hill, Transvaal.

1883 - Composer Oscar Hammerstein patented the first cigar-rolling machine.

1897 - A wedding car was decorated for the first time, in Paris.

1900 - The British Labour Party was founded.

1940 - Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered carbon-14.

1964 - Cilla Black had her first number one hit single with ‘Anyone Who Had a Heart’.

1991 - The Gulf War came to an end with the liberation of Kuwait and the retreat of Iraqi forces.

2001 - An auction of the contents of the Millennium Dome saw a six-foot hamster fetch £3,800.