By Dominic Sandbrook

Published: Friday, 26 November 2021 at 12:00 am


26 November 1559

The future Bishop of Salisbury, John Jewel, preached his famous ‘Challenge Sermon’ from Paul’s Cross. In it he challenged the Catholic church to provide biblical authority for 27 of its articles of faith.


26 November 1607

Birth in Southwark of educational benefactor John Harvard.


26 November 1651

Henry Ireton died of fever while campaigning in Ireland. The son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell, he had commanded the left wing of the parliamentarian army at the battle of Naseby in 1645.


26 November 1810

Birth in Newcastle of inventor and industrialist William Armstrong. He invented the hydraulic crane and the Armstrong breech-loading gun. He also went on to found what was to become a world-leading ship-building company.


26 November 1983

An armed gang steals over £25 million worth of gold bullion, 6,800 ingots in all, from the Brinks Mat warehouse near Heathrow Airport.

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