Birthdays

Today: Viscount Falmouth, Lord-lieutenant for Cornwall, 1977-94, is 101; Sir Derek Thomas, former diplomat, 91; Mr Michael Collins, former NASA astronaut, now aerospace consultant, 90; Mr E.J.H. Gould, Master, Marlborough College, 1993-2004, 77; Mr Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, 2009-14, 73; Mr Michael Kitchen, actor, 72; Viscount Waverley 71; Sir Paul Kenny, General Secretary, GMB, 2005-15, 71; Mrs Angela Knight, Chief Executive, British Bankers’ Association, 2007-12; former Conservative MP, 70; Lord Moore of Etchingham, journalist and author; Editor of The Daily Telegraph, 1995-2003, 64; Sir Peter Jackson, film producer, director and writer, 59; Mr Simon Everson, Headmaster, Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood, 55; and Miss Lizzy Yarnold, former skeleton racer; Olympic gold medallist, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018, 32.

Tomorrow: Mr Gary Player, golfer; three-times winner of The Open Championship, will be 85; Mr Andrew Knight, Chairman, News International, 1990-94, 81; Lord Grocott, Government Chief Whip, House of Lords, 2002-08, 80; Mr John Pullin, former England rugby union captain, 79; Mr Nigel Stapleton, Chairman, Postal Services Commission, 2004-10, 74; Sir David Lewis, Lord Mayor of London, 2007-08, 73; Mr Bill Woodrow, sculptor, 72; Prof Paul Wellings, Vice-chancellor of Lancaster University, 2002-11, 67; Mr Jeremy Hunt, MP, former Conservative Cabinet Minister, 54; and Mr Stephen Gallacher, golfer, 46.

Today is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain ending. It is also the anniversary of the posting on the Castle Church door at Wittenberg in 1517 of Luther’s 95 theses on indulgences and of the birth of John Keats in 1795.

Tomorrow will be the anniversary of the great Lisbon earthquake in 1755.