1769: Venetian blinds were patented by Edward Beran of London.

1803: Composer Hector Berlioz, pictured, was born near Grenoble.

1894: The first motor show opened in Paris, with nine exhibitors.

1903: The first wildlife preservation society in Britain was founded under the name The Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire.

1914: The Royal Flying Corps, which later became the RAF, adopted the red, white and blue roundel to identify its aircraft.

1936: Edward VIII abdicated as King after a reign of 325 days, in favour of his brother, the Duke of York, who became King George VI. The announcement was made on BBC radio at 10pm.

1945: London's second Waterloo Bridge, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, opened.

1967: The prototype of the world's first supersonic airliner, Concorde, was revealed.

1976: Brian Dunne of Queensland, Australia, spat a melon seed 59ft 1.5in to get his name in the Guinness Book of Records.

1988: An Ariane-4 rocket, carrying Astra 1A satellite to bring 16 television channels to Britain, was launched from French Guyana.

On this day last year: Immigrants should have to swear an oath of allegiance to show their "clear primary loyalty" to Britain, a report into the summer's race riots said.

BIRTHDAYS: Cliff Michelmore, broadcaster, 83; Anna Carteret, actress, 60; Brenda Lee, pop singer, 58; Teri Garr, actress, 53; Jermaine Jackson, entertainer, 48; John Lukic, footballer, 42; Nigel Winterburn, footballer, 39; Stig Inge Bjornebye, footballer, 33.