Anniversaries

Births: John V, King of Portugal, 1689; Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer, 1811; Sarah Bernhardt (Henriette-Rosine Bernard), actress, 1844; James Kay, Scottish painter, 1858; Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas, poet, 1870; Constance Bennett, actress, 1904.

Deaths: Charles Martel, leader of the Franks, 741; Ferdinand I, King of Portugal, 1383; Mathurin Regnier, satirical poet, 1613; Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, wrecked and drowned off the Isles of Scilly 1707; Frans van Mieris the Younger, painter, 1763; Thomas Sheraton, cabinet- maker, 1806; Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, geologist, 1871; Paul Cezanne, painter, 1906; Sir Edward Henry, Baron Carson, lawyer and Ulster politician, 1935; Pablo Casals, cellist, 1973; Arnold Joseph Toynbee, historian, 1975; Nadia Juliette Boulanger, music teacher, conductor and composer, 1979.

On this day: Andre-Jacques Garnerin made the first parachute jump from a balloon over Paris, 1797; King Otto I of Greece was forced to abdicate following an army revolt in Athens, 1862; the magazine Tit-Bits was first published, 1881; in New York, the Metropolitan Opera House opened, 1883; Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen was found guilty of the murder of his wife, 1910; President John F. Kennedy announced that the Soviet Union had installed missiles in Cuba, 1962.

Today is the Feast Day of St Abercius, St Donatus of Fiesole, St Mellon or Mallonus, Saints Nunilo and Alodia and St Philip of Heraclea and his Companions.