British Library makes front page news

LONDON, Sep 19: A century of local scandals, international triumphs and global disasters as trumpeted on the front pages of British newspapers is on display at London's British Library.

Taken from a private collection of more than 100,000 newspapers, the Front Page exhibition offers a snapshot of the world as seen from the newsrooms.

Events from the first airplane flight across the Channel in July 1909 to the first ascent of Mount Everest in June 1953 and the suicide bomb attacks on the London transport system in July 2005 were all given the front page splash treatment.

Headlines include the Evening Standard's ''The First Footstep'' on July 21, 1969 as Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon and the Daily Sketch's November 25, 1963 ''The Executioner'' on Jack Ruby's killing of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Images include a poignant Daily Express picture on February 12 1952 after the death of George VI, featuring his mother Queen Mary, his wife Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and his daughter the new Queen Elizabeth under the headline ''The Three Stand Alone.'' Among others are the first pictures of the World War One tanks and the iconic picture of the dome of St Paul's Cathedral during the Blitz.

Among famous headlines on display are -- of course -- the Sun's November 1, 1990 two fingered salute and ''Up Yours Delors'' rejection of European Commission President Jacques Delors' plan for a single EU currency -- which came into being nine years later without Britain.

The exhibition is free and runs until next month.

REUTERS