Gday...

1811  -   The original Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, are born. 

Chang Bunker and Eng Bunker were the twin brothers whose condition and birthplace became the basis for the term Siamese twins, or conjoined twins. They were born on 11 May 1811 in Siam now Thailand, in the province of Samutsongkram. The Bunkers were joined at the sternum by a small piece of cartilage, and it has since been determined that they could have easily been separated, even with the limited surgical techniques of that time. Their livers were fused but independently complete.

In 1829, they were discovered in Siam by British merchant Robert Hunter and exhibited as a curiosity during a world tour. After their contract was fulfilled, they went into business for themselves. In 1839, while visiting Wilkesboro, North Carolina with P T Barnum, the twins were attracted to the town and settled there, becoming naturalised United States citizens, and adopting the surname of Bunker. On 13 April 1843 they married two sisters: Chang to Adelaide Yates and Eng to Sarah Anne Yates. Chang and his wife had ten children; Eng and his wife had twelve. The twins both died on 17 January 1874.

1813  -  Lawson, Blaxland and Wentworth set out to cross the Blue Mountains in Australia's first major exploration venture.

1926  -   Australian actor Frank Thring, famous for his role as Pontius Pilate in the epic movie Ben Hur, is born.

Cheers - John