At A Glance

2 January 1951 at a glance

Day of the week
2 January 1951 was a Tuesday.
Australian No. 1 (Kent retrospective)
“Goodnight Irene” by Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers was No. 1 on David Kent's retrospective Australian chart. This chart was compiled later by David Kent from radio station charts.
Top Film of 1951
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1951 was Quo Vadis.
Star sign
The star sign for 2 January is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 2 January 1951 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
Birthstone
The birthstone for January is Garnet.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 2 January 1951 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 2 January

  • 1942 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) obtains the conviction of 33 members of a German spy ring headed by Fritz Joubert Duquesne in the largest espionage case in United States history; Also known as the Duquesne Spy Ring.
  • 1942 World War II: Manila is captured by Japanese forces, enabling them to control the Philippines.
  • 1949 Luis Muñoz Marín is inaugurated as the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico.
  • 1954 India establishes its highest civilian awards, the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan.
  • 1959 Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the Soviet Union.

Famous people born on 2 January

  • Jim Bakker, American televangelist (1940–2026)
  • Kemi Badenoch, English politician (born 1980)
  • Dax Shepard, American actor (born 1975)
  • Kate Bosworth, American actress (born 1983)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1951 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1951 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 January – The 50th anniversary of Australian federation is celebrated.
  • 9 March – The High Court of Australia rules in the case Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth that the Communist Party Dissolution Bill 1950, passed by the parliament to ban the Communist Party of Australia, was unconstitutional.
  • 12 April – Conscription begins as the first call-up notice is issued under the National Service Act (1951), requiring Australian 18-year-old males to undergo compulsory military training.

Life in Australia in 1951

Prime Minister

Robert Menzies

Monarch

King George VI

Petrol (per litre)

$0.03

Loaf of Bread

$0.09

Average House

$3,300

Weekly Wage

$8.50

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1950s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →