At A Glance

2 May 1956 at a glance

Day of the week
2 May 1956 was a Wednesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “No Other Love” by Ronnie Hilton.
Top Film of 1956
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1956 was The Ten Commandments.
Star sign
The star sign for 2 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 2 May 1956 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 2 May 1956 was Last Quarter.

On this day: 2 May

  • 1945 World War II: The Soviet Union announces the fall of Berlin.
  • 1952 A De Havilland Comet makes the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers, from London to Johannesburg.
  • 1963 Berthold Seliger launches a rocket with three stages and a maximum flight altitude of more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) near Cuxhaven. It is the only sounding rocket developed in Germany.
  • 1964 Vietnam War: An explosion sinks the American aircraft carrier USNS Card while it is docked at Saigon. Two Viet Cong combat swimmers had placed explosives on the ship's hull. She is raised and returned to service less than seven months later.
  • 1964 First ascent of Shishapangma, the fourteenth highest mountain in the world and the lowest of the Eight-thousanders.

Famous people born on 2 May

  • Dwayne Johnson, American actor and wrestler (born 1972)
  • Pat McAfee, American sports analyst and football player (born 1987)
  • David Beckham, English footballer, coach, and model (born 1975)
  • Catherine the Great (1729–1796)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1956 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1956 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 17 February – The Midlands becomes the first region outside of London to receive ITV when ATV Midlands begins broadcasting; ABC, the weekend station, launches the following day.
  • 3 May – Granada Television begins broadcasting with a base in Manchester, extending ITV's coverage to Northern England and later Yorkshire.
  • 8 May – First performance of John Osborne's play Look Back in Anger by the newly formed English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. Alan Bates has his first major role as Cliff.

Life in 1956

Prime Minister

Anthony Eden

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

9p

Loaf of Bread

6p

Average House

£2,140

Weekly Wage

£11.05

Or

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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)

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