Birthdays

Christmas Eve: Mr Alistair Baillie, former diplomat, 65; Mrs Mair Barnes, former managing director, Woolworths, 53; Mr John Barron, actor, 77; Professor Anthony Clare, psychiatrist, 55; Sir Colin Cowdrey, former cricketer, 65; Sir Gerald Elliot, former chairman, Christian Salvesen, 74; Mr Jeremy Hindley, horse-racing trainer, 54; Sir James Hodge, ambassador to Thailand, 55; Ms Helen Jones MP, 43; Dame Joan Kelleher, former Director, WRAC, 82; Sir Ivan Lawrence QC, former MP, 61; Dr John Marek MP, 57; Miss Suzy Menkes, fashion editor, International Herald Tribune, 54; Miss Thea Porter, fashion designer, 70; Mr Norman Rossington, actor, 69; Mr John D. Taylor MP, 60; Miss Carol Vorderman, broadcaster and writer, 37; Mr Philip Ziegler, author and editor, 68.

CHRISTMAS DAY: Princess Alexandra, 61; Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, 96; Lord Annan, author, 81; Miss Sheila Browne, former Principal, Newnham College, Cambridge, 73; Professor Sir Kenneth Calman, chief medical officer, Department of Health, 56; Mr Quentin Crisp, writer and performer, 89; Mr Edward Davey MP, 32; Ms Barbara Follett MP, 55; Professor Christopher Frayling, Rector and Vice-Provost, Royal College of Art, 51; Lord Grade, chairman, the Grade Company, 91; The Right Rev Noel Jones, Bishop of Sodor and Man, 65; Miss Annie Lennox, singer, 43; Professor Philip Love, Vice-Chancellor, Liverpool University, 58; Mr Tony Martin, singer and actor, 84; Sir Peter Matthews, former Chief Constable of Surrey, 80; Mr Ismail Merchant, film producer, 61; Professor Phyllida Parsloe, former Warden of Wills Hall, Bristol University, 67; Mr Lawrie Quinn MP, 41; Mr Noel Redding, rock musician, 52; Mr John Sharman, former High Commissioner to the Seychelles, 60; Lord Sheppard of Didgemere, former chairman, Grand Metropolitan, 65; Miss Sissy Spacek, actress, 48; Mr Nigel Starmer-Smith, sports commentator, 53; Sir Noel Stockdale, life president of the Asda group, 77; Mr Stephen Twigg MP, 31; The Right Rev Benjamin Vaughan, former Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, 80; Sir Christopher Wates, chief executive of Wates Building Group, 58.