Much ado about M&S's 125th anniversary - lots of retro packaging etc - which got me thinking about 1884 and other interesting developments that year. So here are the cream of the crop, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The Fabian Society is founded in London.
The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary is published.
The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbour.
The University of Wales, Bangor (UK) is founded.
The first woman receives a degree from the Royal University of Ireland.
The Irish Gaelic Athletic Association is founded in Thurles, Ireland.
Mark Twain writes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The Third Reform Act gives the vote to almost every adult male in England.