Starting today’s post is King of the Franks who had to remember to answer to Robert II, (the Pious/the Wise) from 972. Lawyer and diplomat who was also Napoleon’s old man – Carlo Maria Buonaparte or Carlo Maria di Buonaparte was the beneficiary of presents from 1746. Another ancient royal, born Louis-Charles – not quite King of France, (unless you were a royalist), Louis XVII started off as Duke of Normandy in 1785. 14th Prime Minister of New Zealand and founder of their Liberal Party – John Ballance managed to do just that about a year after his birth in 1839. Mechanical engineer/physicist who produced electromagnetic radiation, (or just X-Rays), bagging him the first Nobel Prize in physics – Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was more than a bag of bones in 1845. Mathematician and biostatistician – Carl/Karl Pearson beat the odds to arrive in 1857. Non-cheating Australian cricketer George Goffen scored his first run nearly a year after his birth in 1859. One half of lottery winners and Saudi princes favourite car makers as well as being other half to Charles Rolls – Frederick Henry Royce was firing on all cylinders in 1863. Co-writer of the ‘Happy Birthday to You’ song, Patty Smith Hill had to go a good few years from 1868 until she could sing along to her work. Hollywood actor William Harrigan was born reckless in 1894. Actress Gloria May Josephine Swanson best known for playing Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard was born at the end of a perfect day in 1899.
Cartoonist Carl Barks remembered to duck in 1901. Fellow actress born Mary Louise Summers but known as Mary Treen was stage struck in 1907. Also born that year, actor from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, (amongst others) – Claude Stroud was the rookie. Having mentioned useless British Prime Minister James ‘Jim’ Callaghan only yesterday when he expired, here he is again given he started having early day motions from 1912. Actress Angelina Mobley, going by the stage name of Angelina Anne Ramsey, known for her role in Throw Momma from the Train was goin’ south in 1929. Star of television series The Fugitive, David Janssen was no longer in hiding from 1930. Actor Michael York might have fallen from Grace, (if that was his mum’s name), in 1942. Also born that year Michael James Jackson, not the monkey owning, pill popping spangly gloved singer but beer/whisky writer who shared the same name, had his parents toast his arrival. Founding member and keyboard basher for prog rock and now dad rock band Genesis, Anthony George ‘Tony’ Banks had the invisible touch in 1950. William MacArthur ‘Billy’ Mackenzie had party fears too from 1957. Another musician Andrew Charles Farris was a new sensation in 1959. Film director who shook things up in Hollywood when he burst on the scene all those years ago, Quentin Jerome Tarantino turned the crimson tide in 1963. Singer with band, (Johnnie Hates Jazz), who I thought had gone their separate ways years ago – Clark Wynford Datchler has been unable to turn back the clock since 1964. Petite warbler Mariah Carey was born in either 1969 or 1970, and has kept to the rule of women not telling their age since. Chiselled faced F1 driver David Marshall Coulthard was off the starting grid from 1971. Dutch ball-kicker Jerrel ‘Jimmy’ Floyd Hasselbaink had a free kick in 1972. Not toe sucking ex-royal, but band mate to will.i.am (although I prefer b.ill), Stacey Ann ‘Fergie’ Ferguson was behind the front in 1975.

Death wise, we start with Rupert of Salzburg who found he had his last waltz in 710. Pope Gregory didn’t get to see who replaced him in 1378. King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England/Ireland found he didn’t have to put his doublets on again from 1625. Architect Sir George Gilbert Scott drew a line on life in 1878. Person who opened the first successful kindergarten – Susan Elizabeth Blow had more than a sudden shock in 1916. Inventor of the flask named after him, Sir James Dewar also went cold in 1923. Revered Prime Minister of New Zealand, Michael Joseph Savage left his wellingtons alone from 1940. Founder of loom/car maker, Kiichiro Toyoda ran out of spare parts in 1952. Russian space cadet Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin lost his battle with gravity in 1968. Having mentioned actor Ralph Bates on 12th February in honour of his birth, here he is again given he wrote his own Dear John letter in 1991. Ferdinand Anton Ernst ‘Ferry’ Porsche, he of the German overpriced car manufacturer, put the breaks on life in 1998. Singer Ian Robins Dury is still on 4,000 weeks holiday after dying in 2000. Unlikely sex thimble and one half of Pete & Dud, (as well as Derek & Clive), Dudley Stuart John Moore hung his boots up in 2002. Also not making it through that year, film director Samuel ‘Billy’ Wilder was one of those who liked it hot, at the crem. Finally, dead Norwegian of the day – actor Per Lillo Stenberg didn’t need his cardigan after 2014.

With thanks to http://www.onthisday.com for filling in the gaps

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