At A Glance

31 August 1954 at a glance

Day of the week
31 August 1954 was a Tuesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Cara Mia” by David Whitfield with Mantovani and his Orchestra.
Top Film of 1954
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1954 was Rear Window.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 August is Virgo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 August 1954 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 August 1954 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 31 August

  • 1943 USS Harmon, the first U.S. Navy ship to be named after a black person, is commissioned.
  • 1949 The retreat of the Democratic Army of Greece into Albania after its defeat on Gramos mountain marks the end of the Greek Civil War.
  • 1957 The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) gains its independence from the United Kingdom.
  • 1962 Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent.
  • 1963 Crown Colony of North Borneo (now Sabah) achieves self-governance.

Famous people born on 31 August

  • Richard Gere, American actor and producer (born 1949)
  • Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (born 1985)
  • Jalen Brunson, American basketball player (born 1996)
  • Caligula, Roman emperor (born 12)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1954 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1954 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 25 January – First broadcast of Dylan Thomas's radio play Under Milk Wood, two months after its author's death, with Richard Burton as 'First Voice', on the BBC Third Programme.
  • 23 March – The film Doctor in the House is released.
  • 2 April – BBC Television broadcasts the first episode of The Grove Family, the first British TV soap opera.
More events of 1954 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in 1954

Prime Minister

Winston Churchill

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

8p

Loaf of Bread

5p

Average House

£1,975

Weekly Wage

£9.50

Or

Browse by Year

The 1940s
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
The 1950s
1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
The 1960s
1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
The 1970s
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
The 1980s
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
The 1990s
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The 2000s
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The 2010s
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
The 2020s
20202021202220232024

Famous Faces Born in the 1950s

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

Richard E. Grant5 May 1957ActorView their day →Gary Oldman21 March 1958Actor & filmmakerView their day →Anthony Head20 February 1954ActorView their day →Phil Collins30 January 1951Drummer & singerView their day →Bonnie Tyler8 June 1951SingerView their day →Liam Neeson7 June 1952ActorView their day →Emma Thompson15 April 1959Actress & screenwriterView their day →Rowan Atkinson6 January 1955Actor & comedianView their day →

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 →