Born in 1955
Turns 71 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1955
1955 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from £21.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from £21.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from £21.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from £21.50
Front Page: United Kingdom 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 · United Kingdom
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?
The Salk vaccine passes its public test
On 12 April 1955, officials announced that Jonas Salk’s inactivated polio vaccine was safe and effective after trials involving roughly 1.8 million children.
Independent Television begins British broadcasting
Independent Television began broadcasting in London on 22 September 1955, giving British viewers a commercial alternative to the BBC television service.
Rock Around the Clock tops Britain’s chart
Bill Haley and His Comets entered Britain’s Official Singles Chart on 13 January 1955 and eventually spent five weeks at number one.
Eden wins a stronger mandate
Britain voted on 26 May 1955, giving Anthony Eden’s Conservatives a majority of 60 seats and a clear mandate after Churchill’s retirement.
Firsts and new ideas
Newcastle United beats Manchester City at Wembley
Newcastle United beat Manchester City 3–1 in the 1955 FA Cup final, securing the club’s first major trophy since the inter-war period.
First ascent stops short of the summit
Joe Brown and George Band completed Kangchenjunga’s first ascent on May 25, 1955, stopping just short of the summit.
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
United Kingdom figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly earnings per person in the United Kingdom (Bank of England series) | £7 8s per week | GBP per week Bank of England (series republished by Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED) |
| sugar (October average) | 8d | equivalent 1 lb (calculated from ONS per kg) Office for National Statistics |
| flour (October average) | 1s 1d | equivalent 2 lb (calculated from ONS per 1.5 kg) Office for National Statistics |
| bread (October observation) | 4d | equivalent 1 lb (calculated from ONS 800 g source measure; not historical loaf size) Office for National Statistics |
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.
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