Gday...

1865  -   President Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, is hunted down and shot. 

1939  -   Australia's longest serving Prime Minister, Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, becomes Prime Minister for the first of his terms.

1970  -   The National Carillon in Canberra is accepted by Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of the people of Australia. 

Canberra was named the Federal capital of Australia in 1913. The city has several distinguishing features; among them is the National Carillon. The National Carillon is located on Aspen island in Lake Burley Griffin. It consists of a tower 50 metres in height, containing a chamber for the bells, a clavier for operating the bells, a practice clavier and various other smaller rooms. There are 55 bronze bells, varying in weight from 7kg to six tonnes, and covering a range of four and a half octaves. The bells were cast in England by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough.

The National Carillon was presented to Australia as a gift from the British Government to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Canberra. It was accepted by Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of all Australians on 26 April 1970. The inaugural recital was performed by John Douglas Gordon, after whom the Aspen Island footbridge is now named.

1986  -   The Chernobyl nuclear accident occurs.

Cheers - John