1764 – Madame de Pompadour, mistress of King Louis XV of France (b. 1721) of tuberculosis aged 42
1765 – Michail v Lomonosov, Russian scholar/poet, dies at 53
1912 – William T. Stead American author and journalist. (b. 1849)
1929 – Antonio Smareglia, Italian composer, dies at 74
1982 – Louis de Guiringaud, French foreign minister (1976-78), commits suicide at 70
1988 – Han G. Hoekstra, Dutch poet (Zandloper), dies at 81
1990 – Ulrich Becher, German writer and playwright, dies at 80
1995 – Denis Harding, soldier, dies at 79
1999 – Harvey Postlethwaite, British engineer and racing car designer (b. 1944)
2017 – Allan Holdsworth, British guitarist, dies at 70