Birthdays

Today: The Earl of Airlie, Lord Chamberlain, 71; Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Baird, 73; Marshal of the RAF Sir Michael Beetham, chairman of the Trustees, RAF Museum, 74; Mr Keith Bradley MP, 47; Sir Rodric Braithwaite, former ambassador to Russia, 65; Professor Donald Cameron Watt, historian, 69; Miss Sue Carpenter, television presenter and journalist, 41; Mr Geoffrey Caston, former Vice-Chancellor, University of the South Pacific, 71; Sir Charles Cawley, former chief scientist, Ministry of Power, 90; Mr Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, cricketer, 52; Professor John Craggs, electrical engineer, 82; Sir John Garlick, former senior civil servant, 76; The Right Rev Ian Griggs, former Bishop of Ludlow, 69; Sir Ronald Halstead, former deputy chairman, British Steel, 70; Dr Raymond Hide, geophysicist, 68; Mr Simon Hughes MP, 46; Mr Alan Johnson MP, 47; Mr Sugar Ray Leonard, boxer, 41; Mr Peter Mennin, composer, 74; Sir Eric Mensforth, former president, Westland Aircraft, 91; Miss Birgit Nilsson, operatic soprano, 75; Sir Alec Ogilvie, former chairman, Powell Duffryn, 84; Lt- Gen Sir Douglas Packard, 94; Sir Edward Playfair, former senior civil servant, 88; Lord Tombs, former chairman of Rolls-Royce, 73; Captain Sir Miles Wingate, former deputy master, Trinity House, 74; Lt-Gen Sir David Young, former General Officer Commanding, Scotland, 71.

Tomorrow: Pope John Paul II, 77; Miss Holly Aird, actress, 28; Sir Richard Body MP, 70; Mr John Bruton, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, 50; Miss Caroline Charles, fashion designer, 55; Mr Perry Como, singer, 85; Sir Patrick Cormack MP, 58; Mr Graham Dilley, cricketer, 38; Professor Sir Anthony Epstein, pathologist, 76; Sir Anthony Fell, former MP, 83; Professor Geoffrey Hall, nuclear scientist, 69; Rear- Admiral Peter Hammersley, 69; Lord Hartwell, former chairman and Editor- in-Chief, the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, 86; Mr Keith Hellawell, chief constable, West Yorkshire, 55; Mr David Jamieson MP, 50; Mr George Kitson, former Principal, Central School of Speech and Drama, 75; Professor Malcolm Longair, astronomer, 56; Miss Miriam Margolyes, actress, 56; Lord St John of Fawsley, writer, barrister and former MP, 68; M Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, 60; Mr Norbert "Nobby" Stiles, footballer, 55; Mr Rick Wakeman, keyboard player and composer, 48; Miss Toyah Willcox, singer and actress, 39; Mr Charles Wintour, former editor, the Evening Standard, 80.