20th Century

Alda, Frances Jeanne

Alda (her stage name) was born Fanny Jane Davis in New Zealand. Her parents divorced when she was 15 months old, and her mother, a professional singer, died in 1884, after which young Fanny... [more]

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Allan, Jani

Allan was adopted aged one month by a wealthy British-South African couple, John and Janet Fry. John Fry died when she was 10. She has been a model and married a wealthy South African, G... [more]

Anderson, Edward Warrigal

Anderson was born in Victoria, Australia and named after a dingo that witnessed his birth. When he was 10 years old he ran away from Moonee Ponds to escape government agents in the area to ... [more]

Andrews, Ben

Andrews was born in Yugoslavia and adopted by an American diplomatic family there. He became interested in the guitar as a child but did not become entirely focused on the instrument until ... [more]

Angelou, Maya

Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in California. Her parents divorced when she was a young child and she and her brother were sent by their father to live with his mother i... [more]

Anstis, Toby

Anstis began broadcasting while still a comprehensive school-boy in Northampton, where he was born (also representing his county in rugby and cricket). He got a degree in marketing and psyc... [more]

Antoine, Josephine Louise

Antoine was born in Denver, Colorado and adopted after being orphaned while still a baby. She began to study voice in 1921 at college. She won a scholarship to study at the Curtis Institute... [more]

Argentinian Orphans of the Dirty War

Between 1976 and 1985 the military dictators of Argentina operated a policy of kidnapping, torturing, murdering and "disappearing" their political opponents. Children of their vic... [more]

Arimardan Singh (under India - Princely States: 10)

Until the 19th century what is now India (like Europe) was a patchwork of over 650 princely states, like kingdoms, ranging from the small and relatively unimportant, to the large, immensely... [more]

Arirei (under Kiribati)

The Pacific island country of Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert Islands) includes the atoll of Abemama, inhabited by the tribe of Abemama, Kuria and Aranuka. The hereditary high chiefs of thes... [more]