Birthdays

TODAY: The Right Rev Leonard Ashton, Honorary Assistant Bishop of Oxford, 83; Mr Eustace Braithwaite, writer and diplomat, 76; Mr Tommy Cannon, comedian, 60; Mr David Clelland MP, 55; Mr Alan Coren, writer, journalist and broadcaster, 60; The Most Rev Maurice Couve de Murville, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, 69; Miss Brenda Cowderoy, former General Secretary, Girls' Friendly Society, 73; Professor Michael Dummett, Wykeham Professor Emeritus of Logic, Oxford University, 73; Miss Shirley Ann Field, actress, 60; Mr Robin Guthrie, director of Social and Economic Affairs, Council of Europe, 61; Vice-Admiral Sir Roy Halliday, 75; Mr Rupert Hambro, former group managing director, J.O. Hambro, 55; Lord Hope of Craighead, a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, 60; Mr Bruce Johnston, singer, 54; Mr Robert King, Baroque conductor, and artistic director, the King's Consort, 38; Lord Lang of Monkton, former MP, 58; Mr Bruce McGowan, former Headmaster, Haberdashers' Aske's School, 74; Miss Muriel Pavlow, actress, 76; Mr Eric Richard, actor, 58; Mr Duncan Robinson, Director, Fitzwilliam Museum, 55; Dr Thurstan Shaw, archaeologist, 84; The Very Rev Alan Warren, Provost Emeritus of Leicester, 66; Mr William Wilson, Chief Constable, Central Scotland, 55; Mr Hugh Wood, composer, 66; Mr Terence Wynn, MEP, 52.

TOMORROW: Mr Eric Ambler, novelist and screenwriter, 89; Mr Howard Barker, playwright and poet, 52; Mr Correlli Barnett, author, 71; Mr Stan Barstow, writer, 70; Miss Kathy Bates, actress, 50; Dr John Black, former Director and Decretary, Wolfson Foundation, 76; Mr Mel Brooks, writer, actor and director, 72; Mr Charles Bush, Headmaster, Eastbourne College, 46; Mr Jamie Cann MP, 52; Sir Robert Carswell, Lord Chief Justice, Northern Ireland, 64; Mr Kenneth Cooper, former chief executive, British Library, 67; Dr Geoffrey Copland, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Westminster University, 56; Mr David Duckham, rugby player, 52; Mr Harold Evans, editor, writer and publisher, 70; Sir Thayne Forbes, High Court judge, 60; Sir Peter Gadsden, former Lord Mayor of London, 69; Mr Roger Godsiff MP, 52; Mr Jack Gold, film director, 68; Mr Charles Golden, chairman and managing director, Vauxhall Motors, 52; Sir John Gorst former MP, 70; Lord Gray of Contin, Lord-Lieutenant of Inverness, 71; Sir Peter Gregson, former Permanent Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry, 62; Professor Martin Harris, Vice-Chancellor, Manchester University, 54; Mr Malcolm Horsman, former chairman, Ralli International, 65; Mr John Inman, actor, 62; Mr Christopher Leslie MP, 26; Mr George Lloyd, composer and conductor, 85; Miss Deborah Moggach, writer, 50; Sir David Scholey, chairman, Swiss Bank Corporation International Advisory Council, 63; Sir Cyril Smith, former MP, 70; Sir Garry Sobers, cricketer, 62; Mr David Tatham, High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, 59; Viscount Whitelaw, 80; Lord Wright of Richmond, former Head of the Diplomatic Service, 67.