The life and work of Betsi Cadwaladr were commemorated on this day 2012 with an official service at Abney Park Cemetery, London, where Betsi is buried in a pauper's grave and the unveiling of a memorial stone and a memorial bench.    

She was born Elizabeth Cadwaladr in 1789 as one of 16 children. She moved to Liverpool age 14 and then travelled widely before settling in London.  Learning of the conditions suffered by the British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War (1853-1856), Betsi joined the military nursing service. Her first post was in a hospital run by Florence Nightingale, but after working there for many weeks, Betsi ran out of patience with Nightingale's incessant bureaucracy and red tape and made her way nearer to the frontline at Balaclava.  Working in Balaclava, Betsi became the unsung heroine of the Crimean War saving countless lives as she worked tirelessly to improve the unhygienic conditions, eventually even gaining the respect of Florence Nightingale.  In 1855, one year before the war ended, Betsi contracted cholera and dysentery and was forced to return home. She died five years later in 1860 and buried in a pauper's grave.

The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board the largest health organisation in Wales, providing health services for the six counties of North Wales, parts of Mid-Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire, is named in her honour.  

28 men were killed in a mining accident at Cwmbach colliery, Aberdare on 2nd August 1846.   

In 1837 the first deep pit was sunk at Abernant-Y-Groes Colliery (Later known as Cwmbach colliery), a further pit was later sunk and named Llety Shenkin Colliery. All coal was subsequently exported via the canal and train systems to Cardiff Docks.  

Within the space of only a few years, there were horrific explosions at Cwmbach pit in 1846 when 28 miners were killed. Lletty Shenkyin colliery in 1849 resulting in 53 deaths. Cwmbach colliery 2 deaths (1852), Lletty-shenkyn colliery 5 deaths (1853) and again 2 deaths in 1862. 

Born this day 1905 in Helena, Montana (her paternal grandparents were Welsh)   

Myrna Loy ( born Myrna Adele Williams), film actress known in her time as ‘The First Lady of Film’ .   She is perhaps best remembered for her role as Nora Charles in  'The Thin Man' series and in 1936, she was voted 'Queen of the Movies' to Clark Gable's 'King', in a nationwide audience poll.  She was awarded a lifetime achievement Academy Award in 1991.

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Born this day 1948 in Ystrad Mynach

Andy Fairweather Low  - guitarist, songwriter, producer and vocalist.  He was a founding member of  band Amen Corner, who had the 1969 hit "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice".  Later he pursued a solo career gaining success with "Wide Eyed and Legless. 

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The highest temperature ever recorded in Wales was 35.2ºC (95.4ºF) at Hawarden Bridge on 2 August 1990.  

Hawarden Bridge (Pont Penarlâg) is a railway bridge over the River Dee, near Shotton, Flintshire. It was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (which later became the Great Central Railway), as part of the Chester to Connah's Quay line and was operational from 3rd August 1889. The central section was originally a swing bridge to allow shipping to pass and the rotating mechanism is still visible beneath the bridge.