On this day ...

SEPTEMBER 1

1715: King Louis XIV, above, of France, called the “Sun King”, died in Versailles after reigning for 72 years – the longest in European history.

1853: The first triangularshaped postage stamps were issued by the Cape of Good Hope.

1859: Pullman sleeping cars carriages were introduced, on the Bloomington to Chicago train line.

1875: Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of Tarzan, was born in Chicago.

1923: An earthquake in Japan left the cities of Tokyo and Yokohama in ruins and killed more than 300,000 people.

1939: Germany invaded Poland and bombed Warsaw at 6am.

1951: Britain’s first supermarket opened, the Premier in Earl’s Court, London.

1969: Colonel Gaddafi seized power in Libya, overthrowing King Idris I.

1971: The British penny and the threepenny piece coins ceased to be legal tender as decimalisation continued.

2012: Super cyclist Sarah Storey flew to a gold medal in the Paralympics.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Royal Air Force became the first military service to open up all roles to men and women. BIRTHDAYS: Lily Tomlin, comedienne, 79; Barry Gibb, above, singer (Bee Gees), 72; Bruce Foxton, rock musician, 63; Gloria Estefan, singer, 61; Ruud Gullit, former footballer/manager, 56; Daniel Sturridge, footballer, 29; Romeo Beckham, 16.