Today’s birthdays
Today: Sir Leslie Fielding, Vice-chancellor, Sussex University, 1987-92, is 85; Sir
Michael Pickard, Chairman, London Docklands Development Corporation, 1992-98, 85; Sir
Roger Bone, former diplomat, 73;
Adml Sir James Perowne, Constable and Governor, Windsor Castle; Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, 1998-2002, 70; the Rev Brendan Callaghan,
SJ, Master of Campion Hall, Oxford, 2008-13, 69; Mr Dermot Weld, racehorse trainer, 69; Prof Andrew Wallace-hadrill, Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, 2009-13, 66; Lord
Blackwell 65; Mr Joe Johnson, former snooker player; World Champion, 1986, 65; Mr Stephen
Timms, MP, former Labour Government Minister, 62; Ms
Anna Bradley, Chairman, Rail Safety and Standards Board, 60;
Miss Sally Gunnell, former athlete; Olympic gold medallist, 400m hurdles, Barcelona 1992; television presenter, 51; and
Señor Fernando Alonso, racing driver; Formula One World Champion 2005 and 2006, 36.
Tomorrow: Prof Sir Laurence Martin, Director, Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1991-96, will be 89; Mr Peter Plouviez,
General Secretary, British Actors’ Equity Association, 1974-91, 86; Prof Dame Ingrid Allen, neuropathologist, 85; Gen John
de Chastelain, Chairman, Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, Northern Ireland, 1997-2011, 80; Sir
Mathew Thorpe, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, 79; the Earl of Glasgow (Mr Patrick Boyle), television director and producer, 78; Mr Peter Bogdanovich, film director, producer, writer and actor, 78; Sir Clive Sinclair, entrepreneur and inventor, 77; Sir Peter Bottomley, MP, 73; Dr Teresa Cahill, soprano, 73; Miss Frances de la Tour, actress, 73; Adml Sir John Brigstocke, former Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman; Second Sea Lord, 1997-2000, 72; Mr
Richard Hunting, Chairman, Hunting plc, 71; Sir Philip Mawer, Secretary-general, General Synod of the Church of England, 1990-2002, 70; Mrs
Justice Proudman 68; Miss Harriet Harman, QC, MP, 67; Mr Daley Thompson, former decathlete; Olympic gold medallist, Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984, 59; Miss Kate Bush, singer and songwriter, 59; Mr Alun Cairns, MP, Secretary of State for Wales, 47; Mr Jason
Robinson, dual code international rugby league and union player, 43; Mr Graeme
Mcdowell, golfer; US Open Champion 2010, 38; Mr Justin
Rose, golfer; US Open Champion 2013, Olympic gold medallist, Rio 2016, 37; Mr James Anderson,
England cricketer, 35; and Miss
Hannah Cockroft, wheelchair athlete; three-times Paralympic gold medallist, Rio 2016, and two-times gold medallist, London 2012, 25.
Today is the anniversary of the opening of the XIV Olympic Games in London in 1948. It is also the anniversary of the death of Vincent Van Gogh in 1890.
Tomorrow will be the anniversary of England winning the World Cup in 1966 at Wembley, with a 4-2 win over West Germany. It is also the anniversary of the birth of Henry Ford in 1863.