Anniversaries

Today: Births: Edward Jenner, surgeon and discoverer of vaccination, 1749; Erik Satie (Alfred Erik Leslie-Satie), composer, 1866; Dennis Christopher George Potter, playwright and scriptwriter, 1935. Deaths: Sandro Botticelli (Alessandro di Mariano dei Filipepi), painter, 1510; Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1575. On this day: the Revised Version of the New Testament was issued, 1881; the foundation stone of the Victoria and Albert Museum was laid by Queen Victoria, 1899. Today is the Feast Day of St Bruno of Wurzburg, St Madron or Madern and St Paschal Baylon.

Tomorrow: Births: Joseph Butler, bishop and philosopher, 1692; William Heinemann, publisher, 1863; Bertrand Arthur William Russell, third Earl Russell, philosopher, 1872; Walter Adolph Gropius, architect, 1883; Frank Capra, writer and film director, 1897; Fred Perry, tennis player, 1909. Deaths: Pierre- Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, playwright, 1799; Gustav Mahler, composer, 1911; John Nevil Maskelyne, stage magician, 1917. On this day: Henry II, King of England, married Eleanor of Aquitaine, 1152; Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France, 1804; the European Convention of Human Rights came into force, 1954; in Washington State, Mount St Helens erupted in a blast 500 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atom bomb, 1980. Today is Whit Sunday and the Feast Day of St Elgiva, St Eric, king of Sweden, St Felix of Cantalicio, St John I, pope, St Potamon and Saints Theodotus and Thecusa.