ON THIS DAY

1547: Ivan The Terrible, first Russian to assume title of Tsar, was crowned. 1780: British forces under Admiral Rodney defeated the Spanish at Cape St Vincent. 1908: The first issue of Scouting For Boys, journal of the Scouting Movement, was published. 1909: The magnetic South Pole was found by Ernest Shackleton. 1920: Prohibition started in the United States, banning the manufacture, sale or involvement with alcohol. 1928: Thomas Hardy was buried beside Charles Dickens in Westminster Abbey. His heart was buried in the grave of his first wife, Emma, in Wessex. 1950: Listen With Mother started on radio, setting nursery rhymes to music. The catchphrase ‘’Are you sitting comfortably?’’ originated in this series. 1970: Colonel Gaddafi became prime minister of Libya. 1979: The Shah of Iran fled to Egypt from Tehran after being ousted by Ayatollah Khomeini. BIRTHDAYS: John Carpenter, film director, 69; Cliff Thorburn, former snooker player, 69; Sade (Helen Folasade Adu), singer, 58; Norman Williamson, retired jockey, 48; Kate Moss, model, 43; Nick Valensi, guitarist (The Strokes), 36; Samuel Preston, singer (The Ordinary Boys), 35; Lauren McAvoy, model, 30. QUOTES OF THE DAY: “As a mere British citizen, I shall be sufficiently grateful if the 45th president [Donald Trump] does not precipitate a global slump – or get us all blown up” – Historian Sir Max Hastings. “I wish I could get my knees back. I have had eight operations and they are held together with screws and metal strips” – Robin Cousins, champion figure skater. “I’m in a relationship with myself right now. All girls should date themselves” – Actress Lily Collins. “The Government will be doing a disservice to the country and to both Leave and Remain voters if it dogmatically pursues a hard, destructive Brexit where immigration control is the be all and end all, our economy is undermined, and people are left poorer” – Tory MP and former education secretary Nicky Morgan. “Labour is doomed” – Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader. “I am very much against treating photographs with reverence. They should appear in a newspaper, and then be used for wrapping up the fish and chips” – Lord Snowdon, who has just died. “The trade union movement is full of glorious defeats, and I’m not a great fan of glorious defeats” – Mick Whelan, Aslef general secretary. “I intend to stay alive forever just to annoy everyone” – Television’s Piers Morgan.