John Lippiett describes his work as CEO of the Mary Rose Trust as: “The most fascinating thing I have done in my life.” The new museum in Portsmouth opens late next year. On his birthday he is giving lectures on board the cruise ship Minerva in the Baltic, “hoping to educate and entertain passengers about the Mary Rose”. Friends told him, when he took the job in 2003, that it was a sinecure, “But I’m working at it 60 hours a week.” Rgt
Birthdays today
Michael Ancram, politician, 66; Sir Tom Blundell, biochemist, 69; Shelley Duvall, actress, 62; Jeremy Guscott, rugby player, 46; Lord Howard of Lympne, former Conservative Party Leader, 70; Zoe Heller, writer, 46; Tony Jacklin, golfer, 67; Sir Barry Jackson, surgeon, 75; Rhona Jones, chief nursing officer, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, 1969-74, 90; Hamish MacInnes, mountaineer, 81; Sir Christopher Mallaby, diplomat, 75; Rob Newman, comedian, 47; Bill Oddie, broadcaster and ornithologist, 70; Ringo Starr, drummer, 71; General Lord Walker of Aldringham, Chief of the Defence Staff, 2003-06, 67; Alison Wilding, sculptor, 63; Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, biologist, 67 .