1400 – Richard II dies, most likely from starvation, in Pontefract Castle, on the orders of Henry Bolingbroke.

1779 – James Cook was killed by Native Hawaiians on the 14th February 1779, near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii.

1799 – Walenty Wańkowicz the Polish painter was born on the 14th February 1799 (died 1842).

1812 – Alfred Thomas Agate the American painter was born on the 14th February 1812 (died 1846).

1819 – Christopher Latham Sholes the American inventor that invented the typewriter was born on the 14th February 1819 (died 1890).

1838 – Margaret E. Knight the American inventor was born on the 14th February 1838 (died 1914).

1846 – Julian Scott the American soldier, painter and Medal of Honor recipient was born on the 14th February 1848 (died 1901).

1849 – In New York City, James Knox Polk became the 1st serving President of the United States to have his photograph taken on the 14th February 1849.

1859 – Oregon was admitted as the 33rd U.S. state on the 14th February 1859.

1859 – George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. the American engineer and designer of the Ferris Wheel was born on the 14th February 1859 (died 1896).

1869 – Charles Thomson Rees Wilson the Scottish physicist, meteorologist and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 14th February 1869 (died 1959).

1876 – Alexander Graham Bell applied for a patent for the telephone on the 14th February 1876, as does Elisha Gray.

1890 – Nina Hamnett the Welsh painter was born on the 14th February 1890 (died 1956).

1894 – Jack Benny the American actor and comedian was born on the 14th February 1894 (died 1974).

1898 – Fritz Zwicky the Swiss-American physicist and astronomer was born on the 14th February 1898 (died 1974).

1898 – Bill Tilman the English mountaineer and explorer was born on the 14th February 1898 (died 1977).

1912 – Arizona was admitted as the 48th U.S. state on the 14th February 1912.

1922 – Murray the K the American radio host was born on the 14th February 1922 (died 1982).

1934 ~ Florence Henderson the American actress best known for her role of Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch was born on the 14th February 1934.

1937 – Magic Sam the American singer and guitarist was born on the 14th February 1937 (died 1969).

1941 – Big Jim Sullivan the English guitarist was born on the 14th February 1941 (died 2012).

1943 – Maceo Parker the American saxophonist from Parliament-Funkadelic was born on the 14th February 1943.

1945 – Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein was born on the 14th February 1945.

1947 – Tim Buckley the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 14th February 1947 (died 1975).

1946 – The Bank of England was nationalized on the 14th February 1946.

1949 – The Asbestos Strike began in Canada on the 14th February 1949. The strike marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec.

1950 – Roger Fisher the American guitarist from Heart was born on the 14th February 1950.

1952 ~ Simon Woodroffe (OBE) the English motivational speaker and entrepreneur was born on the 14th February 1952. He started the sushi chain YO! Sushi in 1997, and has appeared on the Dragons’ Den.

1958 – Grant Thomas the Australian footballer was born on the 14th February 1958.

1962 – First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy took television viewers on a tour of the White House on the 14th February 1962.

1962 – Kevyn Aucoin the American make up artist and photographer was born on the 14th February 1962 (died 2002).

1966 – Australian currency was decimalised on the 14th February 1966.

1967 – Mark Rutte the Dutch politician and Prime Minister of the Netherlands was born on the 14th February 1967.

1968 – Latifa the Tunisian singer and actress was born on the 14th February 1968.

1972 – Rob Thomas the American singer-songwriter from Matchbox Twenty was born on the 14th February 1972.

1975 – Scott Owen the Australian bassist from The Living End was born on the 14th February 1975.

1977 – Cadel Evans the Australian cyclist was born on the 14th February 1977.

1977 – Jim Jefferies the Australian comedian and actor was born on the 14th February 1977.

1981 ~ Luke Jacobz the Australian actor and television presenter was born Luke Jacob Ashwood on the 14th February 1981. Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LukeJacobz

1988 – Asia Nitollano the American singer from The Pussycat Dolls was born on the 14th February 1988.

2000 – The spacecraft NEAR Shoemaker entered orbit around asteroid 433 Eros on the 14th February 2000, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid.