At A Glance

10 July 1961 at a glance

Day of the week
10 July 1961 was a Monday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Runaway” by Del Shannon.
Top Film of 1961
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1961 was One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Star sign
The star sign for 10 July is Cancer.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 10 July 1961 fell in the Year of the Ox.
Birthstone
The birthstone for July is Ruby.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 10 July 1961 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 10 July

  • 1951 Korean War: Armistice negotiations begin at Kaesong.
  • 1962 Telstar, the world's first communications satellite, is launched into orbit.
  • 1966 The Chicago Freedom Movement, co-founded by Martin Luther King Jr., holds a rally at Soldier Field in Chicago; as many as 60,000 people attend.
  • 1967 New Zealand decimalises its former currency to the modern-day New Zealand dollar.
  • 1973 The Bahamas gains full independence within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Famous people born on 10 July

  • Nikola Tesla, Serbian-American electrical and mechanical engineer (1856–1943)
  • Sofía Vergara, Colombian-American actress and producer (born 1972)
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor, English actor (born 1977)
  • Arthur Ashe, American tennis player and journalist (1943–1993)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1961 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1961 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 7 January – The Avengers television series first screened on ITV.
  • 15 March – The Jaguar E-Type, a sports car capable of reaching speeds of 150 mph, is launched as a two-seater roadster or 2+2 coupé (at the Geneva Motor Show). On 3 April it makes its racing debut by winning at Oulton Park.
  • 20 March – Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, becomes the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and its company the Royal Shakespeare Company (Peter Hall (director)).

Life in 1961

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

11p

Loaf of Bread

7p

Average House

£2,670

Weekly Wage

£14.90

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

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 →