Portal:University of Oxford/On this day/August 31

Births
 * 1708 – Sir John Rogers, 3rd Baronet (New College), politician and lawyer
 * 1736 – David Ellis (Jesus), Welsh clergyman, poet and transcriber of manuscripts
 * 1781 – John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough (Christ Church), Home Secretary 1834 and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1846–47
 * 1816 – Arthur West Haddan (Brasenose and Trinity), clergyman and ecclesiastical historian
 * 1875 – Arthur Wade-Evans (Jesus), Welsh historian and clergyman
 * 1944 – Liz Forgan (St Hugh's), journalist and broadcasting executive
 * 1948 – Robert Nairac (Lincoln), army officer awarded the George Cross

Other events
 * 1632 – Thomas Walker (St John's and University) is elected Master of University College.
 * 1970 – Edward Akufo-Addo (St Peter's) becomes President of Ghana.
 * 1974 – Imran Khan (Keble) makes his One Day International cricket debut for Pakistan against England.

Deaths
 * 1422 – Henry V of England (Queen's), King of England 1413–22
 * 1700 – William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax (Christ Church), politician
 * 1721 – John Keill (Balliol), mathematician
 * 1772 – William Borlase (Exeter), geologist and naturalist
 * 1852 – Richard Bassett (Jesus), Welsh clergyman
 * 1900 – John Bennet Lawes (Brasenose), agricultural scientist
 * 1915 – John Aidan Liddell (Balliol), Royal Flying Corps pilot, awarded the Victoria Cross
 * 1975 – Anthony Williams (Exeter), Bishop of Bermuda 1956–63
 * 1978 – Ronald Wingate (Balliol), colonial administrator
 * 2009 – Frederick Gore (Trinity), painter