Born in the 1950s?
Here's what shaped your world.
RATIONING AND ROCK 'N' ROLL
The 1950s saw Britain rebuilding after the war — rationing finally ended, the NHS was finding its feet, and a young Queen Elizabeth II took the throne. Teenagers discovered rock 'n' roll, families gathered around their first televisions, and the future felt full of possibility.
Life in the 1950s
Pint of Beer
11p
Average House
£2,000
Prime Minister
Churchill / Eden / Macmillan
Longest-running UK No. 1s of the 1950s
“I Believe”
Frankie Laine · 1953
“Rose Marie”
Slim Whitman · 1955
“Cara Mia”
David Whitfield with Mantovani and his Orchestra · 1954
“Here in My Heart”
Al Martino · 1952
“Oh Mein Papa”
Eddie Calvert · 1954
“Secret Love”
Doris Day · 1954
“Diana”
Paul Anka · 1957
“Magic Moments”
Perry Como · 1958
“Answer Me”
Frankie Laine · 1953
“Give Me Your Word”
Tennessee Ernie Ford · 1955
The UK singles chart began in November 1952, so this list covers November 1952 to the end of 1959.
Enter your exact birth date below to see the #1 on the specific day you were born.
Popular UK TV Shows of the 1950s
What's My Line?
BBC
Sunday Night at the London Palladium
ITV
Sunday Night at the London Palladium
ITV
Famous Faces Born in the 1950s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Richard E. Grant
Actor
5 May 1957
Gary Oldman
Actor & filmmaker
21 March 1958
Anthony Head
Actor
20 February 1954
Phil Collins
Drummer & singer
30 January 1951
Bonnie Tyler
Singer
8 June 1951
Liam Neeson
Actor
7 June 1952
Emma Thompson
Actress & screenwriter
15 April 1959
Rowan Atkinson
Actor & comedian
6 January 1955
Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
A Car of the 1950s
Morris Minor 1000
Britain's car of the 50s
Favourite Sweets of the 1950s
Sherbet Lemons
Aniseed Balls
Liquorice Allsorts
Pear Drops
Black Jacks
Fruit Salads
Top Toys & Games of the 1950s
Meccano
Hornby Trains
Dinky Toys
Spinning Tops
Marbles
Your Generation
Baby Boomer
Born into post-war Britain — rationing, free NHS, the welfare state, and the slow rise of pop culture. The Beatles, kitchen-sink dramas, and the moon landing defined a confident new Britain.
Year by year: the 1950s
Prices, events and music for each year of the decade.
Discover YOUR exact birthday
Enter your birth date to see the #1 song, moon phase, star sign and prices from the day you arrived.