31 July It Happened Today

1556  Death of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order.

1875  Death of former US president Andrew Johnson.

1912  Birth of American economist Milton Friedman.

1964  Space probe Ranger 7 lands on the moon.

1964  American country singer Jim Reeves is killed in a plane crash.

1965  Birth of British novelist J K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books.