ON THIS DAY

■■ 1740: The Marquis de Sade, French aristocrat whose lifestyle gave rise to the word sadism, was born in Paris.

■■ 1840: Thomas Hardy, English novelist and poet, was born in Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, where his father was a stonemason. Most of his stories are based in Dorset (Wessex) and his dog was called Wessex.

■■ 1857: Composer Sir Edward Elgar was born in Broadheath, Worcs.

■■ 1868: The first Trades Union Congress was held in Manchester.

■■ 1896: Marconi patented his broadcasting system using electromagnetic waves.

■■ 1938: Robert and Edward Kennedy, youngest sons of the American Ambassador to London, opened the children’s zoo in Regent’s Park. Children were charged sixpence to watch chimpanzees have a tea party.

■■ 1941: Clothes rationing was introduced in Britain and not lifted until 1949. Some 60 clothes coupons were allowed each year for all except baby clothes. One dress used 11 coupons, and a man’s suit took 26.

■■ 1946: Italy abolished its monarchy and became a republic.

■■ 1953: Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey on a dull, showery day. It was the first coronation to be televised.

■■ 1954: Lester Piggott, at 18, became the youngest jockey to win the Derby when he rode Never Say Die to victory at Epsom. The colt, a 33-1 outsider, won by two lengths.

■■ 1997: Timothy McVeigh was convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 Oklahoma bombing.

■■ ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Queen’s four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations began with the pomp and pageantry of the Trooping the Colour ceremony. ■■ BIRTHDAYS: Stacy Keach, actor, 82; Joanna Gleason, actress, 73; Tony Hadley, singer (Spandau Ballet), 63, above; Mark and Steve Waugh, former cricketers, 58; Jon Culshaw, comedian, 55; Zachary Quinto, actor, 46; Dominic Cooper, actor, 45.

■■ The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2021 was 65.7%