ON THIS DAY

57 years ago ( 1963)

We revealed that aristocrat Lord Douglas- Home had succeeded Harold Macmillan as PM following a bitter Conservative leadership election. The Scottish Earl would later renounce his hereditary title and be known as Sir Alec Douglas- Home.

He was in power for less than a year before losing to Labour under Harold Wilson who relentlessly attacked his aristocratic roots.

43 years ago ( 1977)

The body of kidnapped German businessman Hanns Martin Schleyer was discovered in the boot of a car in France.

The Daimler- Benz executive had been targeted by the communist Red Army Faction who saw him as a symbol of corrupt big business.

The group is believed to have been responsible for up to 30 murders.

33 years ago ( 1987)

The world stock market collapsed in what would become known as Black Monday. The Dow Jones index plummeted by a record 508 points, while in London £ 50 billion was wiped off share values as the FT 30- share index dived by 183.7 points.