On 6 July 1747 Scottish naval figure, John Paul Jones, was born.

He was born John Paul in a small, white-washed cottage at Arbigland near Kirkbean, Kircudbrightshire. Regarded as the founder of the American navy, Jones became an American national hero during the War of Independence. As captain of the "Bonhomme Richard", on 23 September 1779, he scored one of America's greatest sea victories against Britain when he attacked a Baltic merchant fleet protected by the British warships, "HMS Serapis" and "HMS Countess of Scarborough". When he was asked Do you ask for quarter?, he made his famous reply, I have not yet begun to fight!. He was victorious but his ship sank two days later.

In later life he was appointed a Rear-Admiral in the Russian navy, although he was later relieved of his post after a quarrel with Catherine the Great's lover, Potemkin.

At around ten o'clock in the evening of July 6th 1988 the Piper Alpha oil platform in the North Sea was rocked by a huge explosion. Blasts continued on the platform throughout that night, and by morning 167 men had died. Only 61 men were taken from the platform alive, and two seamen on the rescue vessel, Sandhaven, also died.

Today's recipe: this slow roasted shoulder of in-season lamb is a crowd-pleasing dinner dish.