Born in 1949
Turns 77 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1949
1949 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $51.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $51.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $51.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $51.50
Front Page: New Zealand 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 1949 · New Zealand
A little history to go with their gift.
Cambridge’s EDSAC ran its first program, Carol Reed’s The Third Man brought divided Vienna to the screen, and Ted Schroeder and Louise Brough won Wimbledon singles titles. These records link practical computing with cinema and international sport.
What happened in 1949?
New Zealand citizenship status comes into force
A new citizenship status for New Zealanders took effect, while they remained British subjects.
National wins New Zealand general election
The National Party, led by Sidney Holland, won the 1949 general election and replaced Labour in government.
Iriaka Rātana becomes first Māori woman MP
Iriaka Rātana became the first Māori woman elected to New Zealand's Parliament in 1949.
Wolves claimed the FA Cup at Wembley
Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Leicester City to win the 1949 FA Cup final at Wembley.
Firsts and new ideas
EDSAC Ran Its First Program at Cambridge
Cambridge’s EDSAC ran its first program on 6 May 1949, calculating squares as the computer began practical work.
University of Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology · University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory
Comet Prototype Makes First Flight
The de Havilland Comet prototype made its first flight on July 27, 1949.
Number ones and music in 1949
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Bruce Springsteen is born at the Jersey Shore
Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, on September 23, 1949.
Billy Joel is born in New York
Billy Joel was born in 1949 and became a major American songwriter and performer.
Prices and everyday money in 1949
New Zealand figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| aggregate weekly wage payout per person, all industrial groups, october survey | 8 pounds 1 shilling 5 pence | NZP per week (original £/s/d currency) New Zealand Official Year-Book 1954 |
| Fresh milk, weighted average across 21 towns, 1st quarter 1949 | 6.25d per quart | quart New Zealand Department of Statistics |
| Fresh milk, weighted average across 21 towns, 2nd quarter 1949 | 7.00d per quart | quart New Zealand Department of Statistics |
| Basic inland letter postage (ordinary surface letter; first weight step) | 2d | one ordinary inland surface letter, first ounce or fraction thereof New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department; AJHR / Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1949 turns 77 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