At A Glance

16 December 1962 at a glance

Day of the week
16 December 1962 was a Sunday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Return to Sender” by Elvis Presley.
Top Film of 1962
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1962 was Lawrence of Arabia.
Star sign
The star sign for 16 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 16 December 1962 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 16 December 1962 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 16 December

  • 1944 World War II: The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest.
  • 1968 Second Vatican Council: Official revocation of the Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain.
  • 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The surrender of the Pakistan Army brings an end to both conflicts. This is commemorated annually as Victory Day in Bangladesh and Vijay Diwas in India respectively.
  • 1971 The United Kingdom recognizes Bahrain's independence, which is commemorated annually as Bahrain's National Day.
  • 1972 The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is enacted.

Famous people born on 16 December

  • Theo James, English actor (born 1984)
  • Zara Larsson, Swedish singer and songwriter (born 1997)
  • Jane Austen, English novelist (1775–1817)
  • Catherine of Aragon, Spanish princess, Queen Consort of England (1485–1536)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1962 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1962 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 2 January – BBC Television broadcasts the first episode of Z-Cars, noted as a realistic portrayal of the police force.
  • 14 June – BBC Television broadcasts the first episode of the sitcom Steptoe and Son, written by Galton and Simpson.
  • 12 July – The Rolling Stones make their debut at London's Marquee Club, Number 165 Oxford Street, opening for Long John Baldry.

Life in 1962

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

12p

Loaf of Bread

7p

Average House

£2,670

Weekly Wage

£15.60

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 →