On this day ...

JUNE 6

1683: The first public museum, the Ashmolean, was opened by Elias Ashmole in Oxford. Exhibits included stuffed animals and a dodo.

1844: George Williams founded the YMCA at 72 St Paul’s Churchyard, London.

1882: The three-mile coastal limit for territorial waters was established by the Hague Convention.

1907: Persil washing powder first went on sale, made in Dusseldorf, Germany.

1933: The first drive-in movie theatre opened in Camden, New Jersey, with room for 400 cars.

1936: Gatwick airport was opened.

1944: D-Day: The Allied landings on the coast of Normandy, called Operation Overlord, took place. It was the biggest sea-borne invasion in history.

1949: Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell’s prophetic novel of a world ruled by Big Brother, was published.

1954: The Eurovision television link-up was inaugurated.

1988: The Queen stripped imprisoned jockey Lester Piggott, pictured, of his OBE. ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: More than half (56 per cent) of the public think none of the political parties represent their views, a survey suggested.

BIRTHDAYS: David Blunkett, former politician, 71; Sandra Bernhard, comedienne and actress, 63; Bjorn Borg, former tennis player, 62; Mike Gatting, former cricketer, 61; Josie Lawrence, comedienne and actress, 59; Jason Isaacs, above, actor, 55.