So, what happened in 1961? The Prime Minister in the UK in 1961 was Harold Macmillan for the Conservative party. Eeek, I was born under the Conservatives! On my birthday (march 20 if you're interested), the Royal Shakespeare Theatre changed its name from the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and on the next day, the Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool for the first time. 1961 was a busy year in general, and you can read more about the events of that year at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_in_the_United_Kingdom.

No one tremendously famous was actually born on my birthday, but some noteable people born in 1961 are: Imogen Stubbs, Suggs (from Madness), Fatima Whitbread, William Hague, Robert Carlyle, Meera Syal, Diana Princess of Wales and others. George Formby died a few days before I was born.

If you're interested in music, the hits of 20 march 1961 were: Walk Right Back/Ebony Eyes by the Everly Brothers, and Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley.