ON THIS DAY

Birthdays, from left: Barbara Taylor Bradford, Lucinda Lambton and Maureen Lipman

1850: Sir Thomas Lipton, founder ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: Efforts of Lipton’s grocery chain, who were underway to help a small went from errand boy to whale after it became stranded millionaire by the age of 30, was along the River Thames in London. born in Glasgow. BIRTHDAYS: Barbara Taylor

1857: The Sepoy Rebellion broke Bradford, novelist, 89; Lady out in Meerut, triggering the Lucinda Lambton, TV presenter, 79; Indian Mutiny against British rule. Graham Gouldman, songwriter, 76;

1869: The first US transcontinental Donovan, folk singer, 76; Maureen railroad was completed when the Lipman, actress, 76; Sly Dunbar, Central Pacific and Union Pacific music producer, 70; Bono (Paul railways were joined. Hewson), rock singer (U2), 62;

1940: Neville Chamberlain Linda Evangelista, model, 57; Jason resigned as prime minister and Brooks, actor, 56; Jonathan Winston Churchill formed a Edwards, former triple jumper, 56; coalition wartime government, Sylvain Wiltord, former footballer, saying: “I have nothing to offer but 48. 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 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.