ON THIS day

■1505: Death of Ivan the Great, Czar of Russia.

■ ■1728: Captain James Cook, English naval officer and one of the greatest navigators in history, whose voyages in the Endeavour led to the European discovery of Australia, New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, was born. ■ ■1782: Niccolo Paganini, virtuoso Italian violinist and composer, was born in Genoa.

■ ■1904: The New York subway opened.

■ ■1914: Welsh poet Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea. His major work was Under Milk Wood, which began as a radio play in 1954.

■ ■1936: Wallis Simpson, the future Duchess of Windsor, was divorced in Ipswich from her husband Ernest.

■ ■1958: The first edition of the BBC television programme Blue Peter was transmitted.

■ ■1967: The Queen launched the new Cunard cruise liner, the Queen Elizabeth 2, at a ceremony on the Clydebank.

■ ■1971: The Republic of the Congo changed its name to the Republic of Zaire.

■ ■1986: It was Big Bang day on the Stock Exchange, the day the money market was deregulated. But the computer failed and a shambles ensued.

■ ■2010: A 1966 World Cup winners’ medal belonging to England player Nobby Stiles was bought for a record-breaking £188,200 by Manchester United.

■ ■ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Around 200 disadvantaged, seriously ill and recovering children embarked on a holiday of a lifetime to Florida, with Dreamflight charity.

■ ■BIRTHDAYS: John Cleese, comic actor, 81; Peter Firth, actor, 67; Glenn Hoddle, former footballer and manager, 63;

Simon Le Bon, pop singer

(Duran Duran),

62; Mark

Taylor, former cricketer, 56;

Lee Clark, former footballer and manager, 48; Vanessa-Mae, violinist, 42; Kelly Osbourne, reality TV star/fashion designer, 36, above.