ON THIS DAY

1636: Harvard University was founded, the first in the US. It was named after John Harvard, the English-born Puritan minister who bequeathed £779 and a 300-volume library. 1794: Robert Liston, Scottish physician who carried out the first operation with the aid of an anaesthetic in Britain, was born in Linlithgow. 1831: Michael Faraday demonstrated the first dynamo. 1886: The Statue of Liberty Enlightening The World – to give it its full name – was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland as a monument to democracy. The French paid for the statue, the Americans for the pedestal. The statue was designed by Auguste Bartholdi and took nine years to complete. 1914: Polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk was born in New York. Within 10 years of his discovery the vaccine reduced the outbreak of polio by 95 per cent. 1914: George Eastman announced the invention of a colour photograph process to be marketed by his Eastman Kodak Company. 1929: The collapse of the New York Stock Exchange sparked a world economic crisis. 1949: Sooty made his first appearance on BBC television. 1958: The State Opening of Parliament was televised for the first time. 1971: The House of Commons voted in favour of Britain entering the Common Market – by a majority of 112. BIRTHDAYS: Joan Plowright, actress, 87; David Dimbleby, broadcaster, 78; Hank Marvin, guitarist (The Shadows), 75; Mark James, golfer, 63; Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman, 61; Julia Roberts, actress, 49; Joaquin Phoenix, actor, 42; Alan Smith, footballer, 36. QUOTES OF THE DAY: “Let’s see how long they can keep the A4 shut so they can mop up a bit of diesel. I spilled some olive oil on my kitchen floor last night - and I had it operational again in 12 seconds” – TV’s Jeremy Clarkson. “Vladimir Putin is, to put it mildly, a damned – and dangerous – nuisance” – Sir Bernard Ingham. “The biggest possible bargain in Britain” - Naturalist Sir David Attenborough on the BBC licence fee. “It’s safe to say James Bond wouldn’t get through our recruitment process” – Alex Younger, head of MI6. “If I had a pound for every time someone has suggested I run for office I’d have enough money to buy three John Lewis cushions” – Alan Partridge, creation of Steve Coogan. “Another failed landing on Mars. The Martians obviously have better border controls than us” - Eric Barnes ,of Birmingham, in a letter to the Daily Mail.