Only one country has made the modern world twice. Britain. We industrialised first and paved the way for the mass production of everything from cogs to togs. Two centuries later, two rather shy blokes from London have defined the 21st century as the technology century. Sir Tim Berners-Lee from East Sheen invented the world wide web, then a chap from Chingford put it in our hands, our pockets and our ears. We’ve been taking it — him — with us ever since.

We use Jonathan Ive’s products to help us to eat, drink and sleep, to work, travel, relax, read, listen and watch, to shop, chat, date and have sex. Many of us spend more time with his screens than with our families. Some of