What else happened in 1909?

* A manual worker earned 23 shillings a week, with a dozen eggs costing a shilling, a pound of butter 1s2d and a pint of beer two shillings. A pair of ladies’ shoes cost 7s11d, a man’s suit 6s11d and a girl’s school frock 2s8d.

* Louis Bleriot became the first man to fly across the English Channel, completing the 22 mile journey from Calais to Dover in 37 minutes. He received a prize of £1,000 for his achievement.

* The University of Bristol was founded on the basis of donations from the Fry and Wills families, notably £100,000 from Henry Overton Wills, the tobacco magnate

* Geronimo, the leader of the native American Apache tribe, died at the age of 79

* Manchester United won the FA Cup for the first time, beating Bristol City 1-0 in front of 71,000 people at Crystal Palace. Sandy Turnbull scored the deciding goal.

* British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton discovered the south magnetic pole