1284: Peterhouse College, Cambridge, was founded.

1836: The first monthly instalment of Charles Dickens's Pickwick Papers was published.

1837: Death of landscape painter John Constable.

1855: Charlotte Bronte, eldest of the Bronte sisters, died.

1889: The 985ft high Eiffel Tower, costing £260,000, was officially opened by French premier Tirard.

1896: The zip fastener was patented by Whitcomb L Judson of Chicago.

1921: Jockey Sir Gordon Richards rode the first of his 4,870 winners, Gay Lord, at Leicester.

1939: Britain and France pledged to support Poland against any aggression from Hitler's Germany.

1954: President Eisenhower, pictured, committed the US to united action to prevent a Communist takeover of South-East Asia.

1965: President Johnson sent 3,500 US Marines into Vietnam's Da Nang in response to escalating conflict.

1973: Red Rum won the Grand National in record time - nine minutes 1.9 seconds.

1986: The Greater London Council was abolished.

1990: An anti-Poll Tax demonstration ended in a riot in Trafalgar Square with looting and arson in the West End.

On this day last year: The Prince of Wales with Princes William and Harry visited Royal Lodge at Windsor to pay their respects to the Queen Mother.

BIRTHDAYS: Herb Alpert, musician, 68; Richard Chamberlain, actor, 68; Lord (David) Steel of Aikwood, former Liberal leader, 65; Christopher Walken, actor, 60; Al Gore, US politician, 55; Angus Young, rock guitarist (AC/DC), 44; Roger Black, athlete, 37; Ewan McGregor, actor, 32; Colin Farrell, actor, 27.