ON THIS DAY

■■ 1850: Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton’s grocery chain, who went from errand boy to millionaire by the age of 30, was born in Glasgow.

■■1857: The Sepoy Rebellion broke out in Meerut, triggering the Indian Mutiny against British rule.

■■ 1869: The first US transcontinental railroad was completed when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways were joined.

■■1940: Neville Chamberlain resigned as prime minister and Winston Churchill formed a coalition wartime government, saying: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

■■ 1941: The worst night of the London Blitz when the Houses of Parliament were damaged.

■■1941: Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy, parachuted into Scotland in an effort to negotiate a peace settlement, but was arrested and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.

■■ 1994: Nelson Mandela, above, was inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa.

■■2002: A passenger train travelling from London to Norfolk derailed at Potters Bar railway station in Hertfordshire. Seven people died.

■■ ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Time stood still in London when the famous Big Ben bells failed to chime, after the dials stopped briefly.

■■BIRTHDAYS: Barbara Taylor Bradford, novelist, 91; Lady Lucinda Lambton, TV presenter, 81; Graham Gouldman, songwriter, 78; Donovan, folk singer, 78; Maureen Lipman, actress, 78; Sly Dunbar, music producer, 72; Bono (Paul Hewson), rock singer (U2), 64, above; Linda Evangelista, model, 59; Jason Brooks, actor, 58; Jonathan Edwards, former triple jumper, 58; Sylvain Wiltord, former footballer, 50.

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