Born in 1955
Turns 71 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1955
1955 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $36.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $36.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $36.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $36.50
Front Page: Canada edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1955 · Canada
A little history to go with their gift.
A trial involving about 1.8 million children preceded the announcement that Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was safe and effective. British television gained a commercial rival when ITV began broadcasting, while Bill Haley and His Comets brought Rock Around the Clock to the UK charts.
What happened in 1955?
Asian and African governments meet at Bandung
The Asian–African Conference opened at Bandung on 18 April 1955, bringing newly independent and still-colonised nations into a major forum outside the traditional great-power clubs.
The Warsaw Pact formalises Soviet-bloc defence
The Warsaw Pact was signed in Warsaw on 14 May 1955, creating a formal military alliance for the Soviet Union and seven Eastern European governments.
The Austrian State Treaty ends occupation
The Austrian State Treaty was signed on 15 May 1955 and entered into force on 27 July, restoring Austria’s sovereignty after the post-war occupation.
Tony Trabert takes the 1955 gentlemen’s title
Tony Trabert won the 1955 Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles title by defeating Ken Rosewall 6–4, 6–4, 6–1 in the final at the All England Club.
Firsts and new ideas
Nautilus begins nuclear powered sea trials
On January 17, 1955, USS Nautilus became the first submarine to get underway on nuclear power from Groton, Connecticut.
Naval History and Heritage Command · National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco
Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco, California on February 24, 1955.
Number ones and music in 1955
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Tutti Frutti makes the voice impossible to ignore
Little Richard's 1955 recording Tutti Frutti carried his high-voltage voice from New Orleans rhythm and blues to pop listeners in Britain and the United States.
Library of Congress · Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives
Damn Yankees opens on Broadway
Damn Yankees opened on Broadway with baseball at the heart of its story.
Internet Broadway Database, The Broadway League · Museum of the City of New York
Prices and everyday money in 1955
Canada figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee, regular | $1.081 | 1 lb Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Prices Division |
| Eggs | $0.615 | 1 dozen Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Prices Division |
| Fresh milk | $0.211 | 1 quart Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Prices Division |
| Industry wage | $61.05 | week Statistics Canada |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1955 turns 71 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
See milestone birthdays this year