At A Glance

26 August 1959 at a glance

Day of the week
26 August 1959 was a Wednesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Living Doll” by Cliff Richard and the Drifters.
Top Film of 1959
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1959 was Ben-Hur.
Star sign
The star sign for 26 August is Virgo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 26 August 1959 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 26 August 1959 was Last Quarter.

On this day: 26 August

  • 1944 World War II: Charles de Gaulle enters Paris.
  • 1966 The South African Border War starts with the battle at Omugulugwombashe.
  • 1970 The fiftieth anniversary of American women being able to vote is marked by a nationwide Women's Strike for Equality.
  • 1972 The Games of the XX Olympiad open in Munich, West Germany.
  • 1977 The Charter of the French Language is adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec.

Famous people born on 26 August

  • Macaulay Culkin, American actor (born 1980)
  • Keke Palmer, American actress and singer (born 1993)
  • Mother Teresa, Albanian-Indian nun, missionary, Catholic saint, and Nobel Prize laureate (1910–1997)
  • Melissa McCarthy, American actress, comedian, producer, and screenwriter (born 1970)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1959 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1959 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 7 May – Scientist and novelist C. P. Snow delivers an influential Rede Lecture on The Two Cultures, concerning a perceived breakdown of communication between the sciences and humanities, in the Senate House, University of Cambridge.
  • 28 May – The Mermaid Theatre opens in the City of London.
  • 1 June – The first episode of Juke Box Jury airs on BBC Television, chaired by David Jacobs.

Life in 1959

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

10p

Loaf of Bread

7p

Average House

£2,530

Weekly Wage

£13.05

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 →