Born 1945

Your life in history

Every milestone of your life happened in a historical year. Here they are, side by side.

1. 1945

   You were born

2. 1950

   You turned 5

3. 1955

   You turned 10

   "Rock Around the Clock" hit the top — Bill Haley and His Comets took rock ’n’ roll to number one, announcing a new era to British teenagers.

4. 1958

   You turned 13

5. 1961

   You turned 16

6. 1963

   You turned 18

7. 1966

   You turned 21

8. 1975

   You turned 30

   The Vietnam War ended — On 30 April 1975, Saigon fell and the long war in Vietnam came to an end.

9. 1985

   You turned 40

   Live Aid united the world — On 13 July 1985, concerts in London and Philadelphia raised millions for famine relief — and Queen stole the show.

10. 1995

    You turned 50

11. 2005

    You turned 60

    YouTube was founded — Three former PayPal employees registered the domain in February 2005. The first video was 19 seconds long.

12. 2015

    You turned 70

13. 2025

    You turned 80

Historical notes appear for years we've filled in so far — more are being added all the time.

Keep exploring

• See the world you were born into →

  The full picture for 1945 — music, movies, technology and more.

• What was the world like when you turned 18? →

  The year 1963, through fresh eyes.

• Things that are younger than you →

  From the NHS to the iPhone — how much arrived after you did?

• Compare 1945 with 1998 →

  Two birth years, side by side. Try it with family.