Birthdays

Miss Sheila Armstrong, soprano, 51; Mr John Beal, actor, 84; Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beavis, former Deputy C-in-C, Allied Forces, Central Europe, 64; M Jean Borotra, tennis- player, 95; Sir John Bunting, former senior civil servant, 75; Dr Fidel Castro, president of Cuba, 66; The Rev Leo Chamberlain, headmaster, Ampleforth College, 53; Mr Roy Evans, trades-union leader, 62; Miss Marie Helvin, photographic model, 41; Mr Ben Hogan, golfer, 81; Mr Rod Hull, entertainer, 58; Mr Robin Jackman, cricketer, 48; Mrs Madhur Jaffrey, actress and cookery writer, 60; Miss Susan Jameson, actress, 50; Sir John Milne, former chairman, Blue Circle Industries and DRG, 69; Lord Oram, former MP, 80; Mr Gene Raymond, actor, 85; Lord Sainsbury, joint-president of the grocery chain, 91; Dr Frederick Sanger OM CH, biochemist, 75; Mr George Shearing, pianist, 74; Air Chief Marshal Sir Denis Smallwood, 75; Mr Timothy Wood MP, 53.