Today’s birthdays

Mr Geoffrey Higham, Chairman, Rugby Group plc, 1986-96, is 91; Mr Chris Barber, jazz musician, 88; Mr J.E.

Barrett, tennis commentator and journalist; former Davis Cup captain, 87; Prof Sir Peter

Morris, President, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2001-04, 84; Capt Sir Eric

Dancer, Lord-lieutenant for Devon, 1998-2015, 78; Miss

Clare Francis, writer and former yachtswoman, 72; Lord

Emslie, a former Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 71; Sir Richard Field, a former High Court Judge, 71; the Rt

Rev Michael Hill, Bishop of Bristol, 2003-17, 69; Gen Sir

John Mccoll, Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, 2011-17; Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, 2007-11; 66; Dr Hubert Minnis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas, 64; Mr

Riccardo Patrese, former

racing driver, 64; Prof Michael Stroud, explorer, 63; Lord Tyre, a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 62; Lady Justice Macur, Senior Presiding Judge, England and Wales, 61; Mr Nick Hornby, writer, 61; Miss Bella Freud, fashion

designer, 57; Mr Paul Nicholls, racehorse trainer, 56; Prof

Jonathan Shalit, talent

manager, 56; and Mr Muttiah

Muralitharan, former Sri Lanka cricketer; currently the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and one day internationals, 46.

Today is the anniversary of the examination of Martin Luther by the Diet of Worms in 1521 and of the death of Benjamin Franklin in 1790.