ON THIS DAY
1782: Spain captured Minorca from the British. 1788: Sir Robert Peel, who as Home Secretary formed the Metropolitan Police and later became Prime Minister, was born in Lancashire. 1811: The Prince of Wales became Prince Regent on the established insanity of George III. 1840: Two British inventors were born: Sir Hiram Stevens, who perfected the machine gun, and Scottish veterinary surgeon John Boyd Dunlop, inventor of the pneumatic bicycle tyre. 1924: The BBC “pips”, or time signals, from Greenwich Observatory were heard for the first time. 1936: Charles Chaplin’s film Modern Times had its premiere in America. 1953: Sweet rationing ends in Britain after 11 years in force. 1957: Bill Haley & His Comets arrived in London at the start of their British tour and received a wildly enthusiastic welcome. 1961: The Sunday Telegraph began publication. 1967: The Musicians’ Union banned the Rolling Stones’ Let’s Spend The Night Together from Eamonn Andrews’ television show. 1982: Laker Airlines, created by former pilot Sir Freddie Laker to cut prices and make air travel more accessible, collapsed with debts of £270m. 1994: A mortar bomb exploded in the main market square in Sarajevo, killing 68 and wounding 200 people. ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: The Royal Mint announced it was to mark the 65th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne with a range of specially designed Sapphire Jubilee commemorative coins. BIRTHDAYS: Susan Hill, novelist and playwright, 76; Michael Mann, film director, 75; Charlotte Rampling, actress, 72; Barbara Hershey, actress, 70; Russell Grant, astrologer, 67; Jennifer Jason Leigh, actress, 56; Jose Maria Olazabal, golfer, 52; Bobby Brown, singer, 49; Andy Hinchcliffe, former footballer, 49; Cristiano Ronaldo, footballer, 33.