BORN ON THIS DAY

MARvIN GAyE (1939-1984). The U.S. soul singer, songwriter and producer, who once dreamt of becoming ‘the black Frank Sinatra’, had hits with I Heard It Through The Grapevine and Sexual Healing. He was shot dead by his church minister father during an argument at their home. His father said he feared Gaye (above) was going to hurt him and was put on probation. SUE TOWNSEND (1946-2014). The author from Leicester was the best-selling novelist of the Eighties thanks to The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole. She could not read until eight, failed her 11-plus and left school at 15. She was later fired from her job in a clothes shop when she was caught reading Oscar Wilde in the changing rooms.