1865 - death of palmerston. russell establishes his second liberal government
end of american civil war slavery abolished in usa
rockefeller forms standard oil (esso) in ohio
william booth (1829-1912) founds salvation army, in london
elizabeth garrett anderson (1836-1917) becomes first woman doctor in england [she later became the first woman mayor in england, in aldeburgh 1908]
first concrete roads built in britain
mendel states his law of heredity
lewis carroll alice in wonderland
tolstoy war and peace
2
1866
1866 - russell and gladstone fail to have their moderate reform bill passed in parliament. derby takes power in his third minority conservative government
atlantic cable first used
marquis of queensbury rules accepted for boxing
winchester repeating rifle comes into use in usa
3
1867
1867 - derby and disraeli's second reform bill doubles the franchise to two million. canada becomes the first independent dominion in the british empire under the dominion of canada act
dominion of canada founded
usa buys alaska from russia
the second reform bill vote given to town householders
fanny adams murdered in alton
typewriter invented (but not commercially successful until 1873 see 1874)
nobel produces dynamite
lister uses carbolic antiseptic
ibsen peer gynt
strauss blue danube
4
1868
1868 - disraeli succeeds derby as prime minister. gladstone becomes prime minister for the first time
last british election for which poll books available
last convicts landed in australia (western australia)
impressionist movement begins to emerge in art
5
1869
1869 - the irish church is disestablished. the suez canal is opened
imprisonment for debt abolished in britain
nov 18: suez canal opens
cutty sark launched
transcontinental railway completed in america
ballbearings, celluloid, margarine, washing machine all invented
6
1870
1870 - primary education becomes compulsory in britain through the forster-ripon english elementary education act. parliament also passes the women's property act, extending the rights of married women, and the irish land act
gpo takes over the privately-owned telegraph companies (nationalised)
oct 1: first british postcard halfpenny post
board schools start attempting to impose consistent spelling (forster's act?)
dr. thomas barnardo opens his first home for destitute children
water closets come into wide use
diamonds discovered in kimberley, souith africa
britain possesses 43% of world's merchant steam tonnage
1870-1900 art & crafts period (art & antiques)
7
1871
1871 - trade unions are legalized
apr 2: fourth full british census
jun 29: trades unions legalised in britain, but picketing made illegal
commissions in british armed forces no longer to be purchased
fa cup introduced
stanley finds livingstone in africa (some say 1872)
gilbert and sullivan begin a 20 year collaboration
opening of royal albert hall
verdi aida
8
1872
1872 - secret voting is introduced for elections. parliament passes the scottish education act
licensing hours introduced
penalties introduced for failing to register births, marriages & deaths (eng & wales)
penny-farthing bicycles in general use
over 32,000 friendly societies in england
9
1873
1873 - gladstone's government resigns after the defeat of their irish universities bill. disraeli declines to take up office instead
glidden invents barbed wire
jules verne around the world in 80 days
10
1874
1874 - disraeli becomes conservative prime minister for the second time
disraeli and the tories come to power in britain pass 11 major acts of social reform in next 2 years
first trades union mp is elected
factory act introduces 56-hour week
remington & sons manufacture and sell the new scholes and glidden typewriter (named remington from 1876)
hardy far from the madding crowd
verdi requiem
11
1875
1875 - disraeli purchases a controlling interest for britain in the suez canal. agricultural depression increases
1875-76 - parliament passes r.a. cross's conservative social reforms
london's main sewage system completed
captain webb swims channel
artisan's dwellings act
climbing boys act passed
peaceful picketing permitted again
universal postal union established at geneva
britain takes 42% share in suez canal
bizet carmen
12
1876
1876 - queen victoria becomes empress of india. the massacre of christians in turkish bulgaria leads to anti-turkish campaigns in britain, led by gladstone
alexander graham bell invents telephone
annual centralised list of scottish wills from now (and most from 1823 also)
civil registration of deaths in isle of man started
plimsoll line established for loading of ships
battle of little big horn last major north american indian victory
tchaikovsky swan lake
13
1877
1877 - confederation of british and boer states established in south africa
edison invents microphone and phonograph
first tennis championships at wimbledon
schiaperelli observes 'canals' on mars
14
1878
1878 - the congress of berlin is held. disraeli announces 'peace with honour'
edison & swan invent electric lamp
red flag act in britain limits mechanical road vehicles to 4mph (also see 1896)
cid established at new scotland yard
gilbert and sullivan hms pinafore
15
1879
1879 - a trade depression emerges in britain. the zulu war is fought in south africa. the british are defeated at isandhlwana, but are victorious at ulundi
1879-80 - gladstone's midlothian campaign denounces imperialism in south africa and afghanistan
first telephone exchanges opened in london & manchester
dec 28 (sunday): tay bridge disaster bridge collapsed in storm taking train with it enquiry revealed corners had been cut during construction to reduce costs replacement bridge constructed in 1888
church of christ scientist established at boston
16
1880
1880 - gladstone establishes his second liberal government
1880-81 - the first anglo-boer war is fought
education act: schooling compulsory for 5-10 year olds
the burial laws amendment act, 1880, section 13 to be buried under this act normally means that the person buried was a non-conformist: the burial service was performed by a non-conformist minister.before, non-conformists could not be buried in parish churchyards.
1881 - parliament passes the irish land and coercion acts
apr 3: fifth full british census
postal orders introduced
first boer war transvaal independence recognised
flogging abolished in army and royal navy
18
1882
1882 - britain occupies egypt. a triple alliance is established between germany, austria and italy
may 6: phoenix park murders in dublin
institution of 'the ashes' in cricket
standard oil co controls 95% of us oil refining capacity
tb bacillus discovered by koch
conan doyle a study in scarlet, first appearance of sherlock holmes
19
1883
aug 1: parcel post starts in britain
oct 4: foundation of the boys' brigade in glasgow by william smith
foundation of the primrose league, british conservative organisation, by lord randolph churchill
married women's property act of 1882 becomes law
ekman opens a wood pulp mill in england, for manufacture of paper (he had opened one in sweden in 1874)
statue of liberty presented to usa by france
robert louis stevenson treasure island
20
1884
1884 - parliament passes the third reform act which further extends the franchise vote given to agricultural workers
jan 29: appearance of the first 'fascicle' [from 'a' to 'ant'] ofoxford english dictionary (full dictionary not completed until 1928)
standard meridian conference greenwich made prime meridian of the world
bateman's great landowners published (relates to land values in 1882)
fabergι produces the first of his jewelled easter eggs for the tsar
1884-1918 art noveau period (art & antiques)
21
1885
1885 jan 26- death of general gordon at khartoum. burma is annexed. salisbury succeeds gladstone with his first minority conservative government. parliament passes the redistribution act
carl benz builds single-cylinder motor car
first electric tramcar used at blackpool
eastman makes first coated photographic paper
secretary for scotland appointed
mar: first uk cremation in modern times took place at woking (see 1902)
sep 5: the first train runs through the severn tunnel
canadian pacific railway completed
twain huckleberry finn
22
1886
1886 - gladstone's third liberal government fails to pass its first irish home rule bill through the house of commons. gladstone resigns as prime minister. split in the liberal party.
salisbury establishes his second conservative-liberal-unionist government. the royal niger company is chartered. gold is discovered in the transvaal
crofters act
hardy the mayor of casterbridge
23
1887
1887 - queen victoria celebrates her golden jubilee. the independent labour party is founded. the british east africa company is chartered
daimler produces a four-wheeled motor car
kipling plain tales
24
1888
1888 - the county councils' act establishes representative county based authorities
dunlop invents pneumatic tyre
first box camera
van gogh sunflowers
25
1889
1889 - london dockers' strike. the british south africa company is chartered
celluloid film produced
eiffel tower built (to mark centenary of french revolution)
dock strike docker's won their "docker's tanner", 6 old pennies
26
1890
london's first electric underground
mar 4: forth railway bridge opens took six years to build
27
1891
mar 18: first telephone link between london & paris
apr 5: sixth full british census
primary education made free and compulsory
28
1892
1892 - gladstone forms his fourth liberal government
electric oven invented
shop hours act limit 74 hours per week for under-18s
may 20: last broad-gauge train leaves paddington for plymouth
29
1893
1893 - second irish home rule bill fails to pass the house of lords
keir hardy founds independent labour party
henry ford's first car
tchaikovsky 6th symphony, and suicide
30
1894
1894 - rosebery takes power with his minority liberal government
jan 1: manchester ship canal opens
local government act passed (start of civil parish councils, etc)
graduated death duties introduced in britain
picture postcard introduced in britain
jun 30: tower bridge opens
beatrice and sidney webb history of trade unionism
kipling jungle book
shaw arms and the man
31
1895
1895 - salisbury forms his third unionist ministry
jan 12: the national trust founded in england
london school of economics (lse) established
mar 22: first public showing of film on screen in paris by lumiθres
rφntgen discovers x-rays
gugliemo marconi invents wireless telegraphy message over a mile
safety razor invented by king c gillette
jul 12: first recorded motor journey of any length (56 miles) in britain
oct 17: first people in britain to be charged with motor offences john henry knight and james pullinger of farnham, surrey
sir henry wood starts promenade concerts in london
hg wells the time machine
32
1896
1896 - the british conquest of the sudan begins
opening of the underground railway (the "shooglie") in glasgow remains the only underground in scotland
first modern olympic games held in athens (some say 1894)
repeal of the 1878 red flag act (annual london to brighton run started in celebration)
klondyke gold rush in the yukon
term psychoanalysis first comes into use
33
1897
1897 june 22 - queen victoria celebrates her diamond jubilee
workmen's compensation act: employers liable for insurance of workforce
34
1898
1898 - british rule over sudan fully established. german naval expansion begins
first photograph using artificial light
zeppelin builds airship
the curies discover radium
oscar wilde the ballad of reading gaol
35
1899
1899 - british disasters in south africa
1899-1902 - boer war in south africa - second
oct: start of second boer war
board of education established in britain
britain's first 'garden city' laid out at letchworth
valdemar poulsen invents the tape recorder
johann vaaler designs the paper clip
aspirin invented
36
1900
1900 - salisbury wins the khaki election. the labour representation committee is formed. parliament passes the commonwealth of australia act
feb 28: relief of ladysmith
may 17: relief of mafeking
june/july: boxer rising in peking
school leaving age in britain raised to 14 years
central line opens in london: underground is electrified
max planck proposes the quantum theory
escalator shown at paris exhibition
first transmission of human speech by radio waves
37
1901
1901 jan 22- death of queen victoria. she is succeeded by her son, prince albert, as king edward vii
commonwealth of australia founded
mar 31: seventh full british census (available for inspection jan 2002)
june: denunciation of use of concentration camps by british in boer war
oct 2: britain's first submarine launched
dec 12: first successful radio transmission across the atlantic, by marconi morse code from cornwall to newfoundland
ragtime introduced into american jazz
kipling kim
38
1902
balfour's education act provides for secondary education
cremation act cremation can only take place at officially recognised establishments, and with two death certificates issued
may 24: empire day (later commonwealth day) first celebrated
may 31: treaty of vereeniging ends second boer war
marie curie discovers radioactivity
usa acquires perpetual control of panama canal (not yet completed, see 1913)
discovery by physicist heaviside of atmospheric layer which aids conduction of radio waves
times literary supplement appears for first time
39
1903
workers' education association (wea) formed in britain
women's social and political union formed in britain by emmeline pankhurst
first flight of wilbur & orville wright
henry ford sets up his motor company
bertrand russell principles of mathematics
shaw man and superman
40
1904
leeds university established
barrie peter pan (legend says he invented the name wendy for this, but the name exists in census records as early as 1880)
41
1905
aliens act in britain: home office controls immigration
germany lays down the first dreadnought battleship
einstein publishes theory of relativity
picasso begins his 'pink period' in paris
42
1906
labour party formed
free school meals for poor children
launching of hms dreadnought, first turbine-driven battleship
freud and jung begin their association
san francisco earthquake and fire: 400 dead
amundsen traverses the north-west passage
hw fowler the king's english
43
1907
school medical system begins
new zealand becomes a dominion
imperial college, london, is established
first airship flies over london
pavlov begins his studies on conditioned reflexes
lumiere develops a process for colour photography
44
1908
coal mines regulation act in britain limits men to an eight hour day
separate courts for juveniles established in britain
lord baden-powell starts the boy scout movement
first 'model t' ford
grahame the wind in the willows
45
1909
jan 1: old age pensions act came into force
jul 25: bleriot flies across the channel (36 minutes, calais to dover)
beveridge report prompts creation of labour exchanges
peary reaches the north pole
first commercial manufacture of bakelite start of the plastic age
46
1910
constitutional crisis in britain
railway strike and coal strikes in britain
union of south africa formed botha first prime minister
may 6: edward vii dies george v king
crippen caught by radio telegraphy
madame curie isolates radium
halley's comet reappears
tango becomes popular in north america and europe
47
1911
parliament act in britain reduces the power of the house of lords
british mps receive a salary
apr 2 census: pop. e&w 36m, scot 4.6m, ni 1.25m
dec 14: national insurance in britain
first british official secrets act
standard oil in usa broken up into 33 companies
rutherford: theory of atomic structures
amundsen reaches the south pole
1911-1912 strikes by seamen, dock and transport workers
48
1912
irish home rule crisis grows in britain
apr 14: the 'unsinkable' titanic sinks on maiden voyage loss of 1,513 lives
britain nationalises the telephone system
daily herald founded lasts until 1964
royal flying corps (later the raf) founded in britain
captain scott's last expedition he and his team die on way back from the south pole
discovery of the 'piltdown man' hoax, exposed in 1953
49
1913
third irish home rule bill rejected by house of lords threat of civil war in ireland formation of ulster volunteers to oppose home rule
suffragette demonstrations in london mrs pankhurst imprisoned
trade union act in britain establishes the right to use union funds for political purposes
panama canal opened (1914?)
geiger invents his counter to measure radioactivity
dh lawrence sons and lovers
shaw pygmalion
50
1914
1914-1918 first world war (the "great war")
jun 28: archduke ferdinand assassinated in sarajevo
aug 4: britain declares war on germany, citing belgian neutrality as reason
aug 5: british cableship telconia cut through all five of germany's undersea telegraph links to the outside world
oct-nov: battle of ypres beginning of trench warfare on western front
first zeppelin air raid on england
irish home rule act provides for a separate parliament in ireland: the position of ulster to be decided after the war
james joyce the dubliners
chaplin and de mille make their first films
burroughs tarzan of the apes
vaughan williams london symphony
51
1915
feb: submarine blockade of britain starts
apr-may: second battle of ypres poison gas used for first time
apr 25: gallipoli campaign starts
may 7: lucitania sunk by german submarine off coast of ireland 1,198 died
junkers construct first fighter aeroplane
coalition government formed in britain under asquith
first automatic telephone exchange in britain
einstein general theory of relativity
52
1916
feb-dec: battle of verdun appalling losses on both sides, stalemate continues
apr 24: easter rising in ireland after the leaders are executed, public opinion backs independence
may 31-jun 1: battle of jutland only major naval battle between the british and german fleets
jun 5: sinking of hms hampshire and death of kitchener
jul: battle of the somme first use of tanks by britain, but of limited effect over 1 million casualties
dec 7: lloyd-george becomes british prime minister of the coalition
compulsory military service introduced in britain
holst the planets
jazz sweeps through america
53
1917
february revolution in russia: tsar nicholas abdicates
usa declares war on germany
battle of cambrai first use of massed tanks, but effect more psychological than actual
may 26: george v changes surname from saxe-coburg-gotha to windsor
jul-nov: battle of passchendaele little gained by either side
oct 17: trans-australian railway line completed
october revolution in russia bolsheviks overthrow provisional government: lenin becomes chief commissar
balfour declaration: britain will support a jewish state in palestine
dec 9: british forces capture jerusalem
ministry of labour is established in britain
daniel jones english pronouncing dictionary
54
1918
jul-aug: second battle of the marne: last major german offensive
nov 11: armistice signed
vote for women over 30, men over 21 (except peers, lunatics and felons)
war of independence in ireland
world-wide 'flu epidemic
1918-1939 art deco period (art & antiques)
55
1919
treaty of versailles
first woman in house of commons (viscountess astor)
britain adopts a 48-hour working week
irish mps meet as dail eirann
alcock and brown fly atlantic
sir ernest rutherford publishes account of splitting the atom
keynes the economic consequencies of war
sassoon war poems
56
1920
first meeting of the league of nations
feb: first roadside petrol filling station in uk opened by the automobile association at aldermaston on the bath road
regular cross-channel air service starts
oxford university admits women to degrees
marconi opens a radio broadcasting station in britain
thompson patents his machine gun (tommy gun)
dh lawrence women in love
57
1921
jun 19 census: pop. e&w 37.9m, scot 4.9m, ni 1.25m
dec 6: irish free state and northern ireland formed
irish regiments of british army disbanded
railway act in britain amalgamates companies only four remained
first birth control clinic
chaplin the kid, first full-length film
58
1922
fall of lloyd-george coalition
law of property act - the manorial system effectively ended
bbc established as a monopoly, and begins transmissions
tomb of tutankhamen discovered in egypt
ts eliot the waste land
59
1923
mussolini becomes dictator of italy
massive inflation in germany leads to collapse of the currency
canberra made federal capital of australia
first publication of radio times
first wembley cup final (west ham 0, bolton 2) "i'm forever blowing bubbles" popular song of the time, became the west ham anthem
hubble shows there are galaxies beyond the milky way
first american broadcasts heard in britain
freud the ego and the id
pg wodehouse the inimitable jeeves
gershwin rhapsody in blue
60
1924
jan 4-nov 4: first labour government, headed by ramsay macdonald
death of lenin: succeeded by stalin
british imperial airways begin operations (became boac in 1940)
forster a passage to india
61
1925
britain returns to gold standard
adolf hitler writes mein kampf
fitzgerald the great gatsby
noel coward hay fever
charleston dance becomes fashionable
62
1926
apr 26: general strike begins, till may 12 (mine workers for 6 months more)
first public demonstration of television (tv) by john logie baird
adoption of children is legalised in britain
byrd makes flight to north pole
kodak produces 16mm movie film
walt disney arrives in hollywood
hw fowler dictionary of modern english usage
63
1927
german economy collapses on 'black friday'
lindbergh makes solo flight across the atlantic
release of the first 'talkie' film (the jazz singer)
64
1928
women over 21 get vote in britain same qualification for both sexes
teleprinters start to be used
nov 18: walt disney's 'mickey mouse' pictures begin
turkey adopts roman alphabet
dh lawrence lady chatterley's lover
ravel bolero
65
1929
abolition of poor law system in britain
minimum age for a marriage in britain (which had been 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl) now 16 for both sexes, with parental consent (or a licence) needed for anyone under 21
sir alexander fleming accidentally discovers penicillin
wall street crash on 'black tuesday'
bbc begins experimental tv transmissions
einstein unified field theory
hemingway a farewell to arms
66
1930
first nazis elected to the german reichstag
oct 5: r101 airship disaster british abandons airship construction
youth hostel association (yha) founded in britain
discovery of planet pluto by tombaugh
film all quiet on the western front
67
1931
apr 26 census: pop. e&w 40m, scot 4.8m, ni 1.24m (but details destroyed by fire during ww2)
statute of westminster: british dominions become independent sovereign states
oct 21: national government formed to deal with economic crisis britain comes off gold standard
collapse of the german banking system: 3,000 banks there close
unemployment in germany reaches 5.66m
empire state building completed in new york
68
1932
great hunger march of unemployed to london
moseley founds british union of fascists
roosevelt elected president of usa
slump grows worse in usa: 5,000 banks close, unemployment rises
cockroft and walton accelerate particles to disintegrate an atomic nucleus
sir thomas beecham established the london philharmonic orchestra
69
1933
jan 30: hitler becomes chancellor of germany
roosevelt launches his 'new deal'
oxford union: "this house will in no circumstances fight for king and country"
ici scientists discover polythene
only 6 pennies minted in britain this year
70
1934
hitler becoms fuehrer of germany
mao tse-tung's 'long march' starts in china
graves i, claudius
flying down to rio first rogers/astaire film
71
1935
italy invades abyssinia
london adopts a 'green belt' scheme
hore-belisha introduces pedestrian crossings and speed limits for built-up areas in britain
land speed record of 301.13 mph by malcolm campbell
ts eliot murder in the cathedral
72
1936
jan 20: george v dies: edward viii king
first public tv transmission
jet engine first tested
queen mary makes maiden voyage
jesse owens wins 4 gold medals at berlin olympic games
jul 18: spanish civil war starts
dec 5: edward viii abdicates (announced dec 10) popular carol that christmas: "hark the herald angels sing, mrs simpson's got our king"
duke of york becomes george vi
chaplin film modern times
73
1937
chamberlain becomes prime minister in britain policy of appeasement towards hitler
german planes bomb guernica in spain
japanese forces invade china
alan turing publishes outline of his 'turing machine'
'999' emergency telephone call facility starts in london
largest ocean liner ever built queen elizabeth launched on clydebank
zeppelin hindenburg destroyed by fire in usa after lightning struck it at the landing tower
billy butlin opens his first holiday camp
74
1938
germany invades and annexes austria
chamberlain visits hitler in munich promises 'peace in our time'
principle of paid holidays established in britain
hms rodney first ship to be equipped with radar
nylon invented (name derives from new york-london)
first practical ball-point pen produced by hungarian journalist, lajos biro
75
1939
1939-45 second world war (the "peoples war")
germany annexes czechoslovakia
sep 1: germany invades poland
sep 3: britain and france declare war on germany at 5pm
sep 6: first air-raid on britain
sep 11: british expeditionary force (bef) sent to france
oct 14: hms royal oak sunk in scapa flow with loss of 810 lives
dec 7: 'first flight' of canadian troops sail for britain 7,400 men on 5 ships
start of evacuation of women and children from london
coldest winter in britain since 1894, though this could not be publicised at the time
76
1940
may 11: national government formed under churchill
may 24: germany invades france
may 27-jun 4: evacuation of british army at dunkirk
jun 25: fall of france
sep 7: germany launches bombing blitz on britain
sep 15: battle of britain in the air ends with british victory
trotsky assassinated on stalin's orders
first successful helicopter flight
prehistoric wall paintings found at lascaux caves in france
films: fantasia, the great dictator
hemingway for whom the bell tolls
77
1941
no census total british population estimated at 48.2m
june 22: germany invades russia
july 1: first canadian armoured regiments arrive in britain
sunday dec 7: japan attackes us fleet at pearl harbour
dec 8: usa enters the war
dec: canadian forces given operation role in defending south coast of england
manhatten project of nuclear research begins in america
britain introduces severe rationing
first british jet aircraft flies, based on work of whittle
bailey invents his portable military bridge
first use of antibiotics
film citizen kane
78
1942
may 30: over 1,000 bombers raid cologne
aug 19: abortive raid on dieppe, largely by canadian troops
sep 6: germans defeated at stalingrad
oct 3: the world was blessed with me!
oct 23-nov 4: battle of el alamein montgomery defeats rommel
invention of world's first programmable computer by alan turing in co-operation with max neumann used to crack german codes
beveridge report social security and national insurance
gilbert murray founds oxfam
film bambi
79
1943
'dam buster' raids on ruhr dams by raf
allies invade italy
round-the-clock bombing of germany begins
antibiotic streptomycin isolated by waksman
80
1944
jun 4: allies enter rome
jun 6: d-day invasion of normandy
jun 12: first v1 flying bombs hit london
sep 8: first v2 rocket bombs hit london
sep 11: allies enter germany
dec 16: battle of the bulge: german counter-offensive
butler education act: britain to provide secondary education for all children
81
1945
feb 4: yalta conference between churchill, roosevelt and stalin
apr 25: berlin surrounded by russian troops
apr 30: hitler commits suicide
may 8: ve day
jun 26: un charter signed
aug 6: atomic bomb dropped on hiroshima
aug 9: atomic bomb dropped on nagasaki
aug 15: vj day
sep 2: japanese surrender was signed aboard uss missouri
orwell animal farm
britten peter grimes opera
82
1946
first session of new united nations organisation held
churchill first uses the term 'iron curtain' in a speech in missouri
transition to national health service starts in britain (came into being 5th july 1948)
us starts nuclear tests at bikini atoll hence the name adopted for the garment which 'reveals the most potent forces of nature'!
alistair cooke starts his regularletter from america on bbc radio until 2004
russell history of western philosophy
first cannes film festival held
83
1947
most severe winter in britain for 53 years at start of the year heavy snow and much flooding later
jan 1: coal mines nationalised
apr 1: school leaving age raised to 15 in britain
india gains independence: sub-continent partitioned to form india (secular, hindu majority) and pakistan (islamic)
dead sea scrolls found
first british nuclear reactor developed
chuck yeager first to break the sound barrier
tennessee williams a streetcar named desire
84
1948
jan 1: british railways nationalised
un sanctions the creation of the state of israel first israel/arab war
gandhi assassinated
policy of apartheid starts in south africa
jul 1: berlin airlift starts (to 12 may 1949)
jul 5: national health service (nhs) begins in britain
british citizenship act : all commonwealth citizens qualify for british passports
transistor radio invented
long-playing record (lp) invented by goldmark
kinsey report in usa sexual behaviour in the human male
world health organisation (who) established as part of un
200 inch reflecting telescope constructed at mount palomar, california
'steady state' theory of the universe proposed by bondi and gold
85
1949
nato formed
russians explode their first atomic bomb
russians lift the berlin blockade
de haviland produces the comet first jet airliner (see 1952)
mar 15: clothes rationing ends in britain
orwell 1984, (written in 1948, for which the title in an anagram)
arthur miller death of a salesman
film the third man
86
1950
may 19: points rationing ends in britain
may 26: petrol rationing ends in britain
jun 25: korean war starts (to 27 jul 1953)
sep 9: soap rationing ends in britain
mccarthy begins enquiry into un-american activities
china invades tibet
un building completed in new york
87
1951
census: pop. e&w 43.7m, scot 5m. ni 1.37m
may 3: festival of britain opens on south bank, london
electricity first produced by nuclear power (see 1962)
salinger catcher in the rye
88
1952
feb 6: george vi dies: elizabeth ii queen, returns from kenya
feb 21: identity cards abolished in britain
mar 17: utility furniture and clothing scheme ends
apr: kingsway tram tunnel in london closes
may 2: first commercial jet airliner service launched, by boaccomet between london and johannesburg
jul 5: last tram runs in london (woolwich to new cross)
sep 6: dh110 crashes at farnborough air show, 26 killed
oct 3: end of tea rationing in britain
oct 8: harrow & wealdstone rail crash, 112 killed
nov 5: eisenhower sweeps to power as us president
nov: us explodes hydrogen bomb
nov 25: agatha christie's the mousetrap opens in london
britain explodes her first atomic bomb, in australia
contraceptive pill invented (see 1961)
radioactive carbon used for dating prehistoric objects
bonn convention: britain, france and usa end their occupation of west germany
becket waiting for godot
hemingway the old man and the sea
89
1953
jan 31/feb 2: said to be the biggest civil catastrophe in britain in the 20th century - severe storm and high tides caused the loss of hundreds of lives
structure of dna discovered by watson, crick and wilkins
arthur miller the crucible
90
1954
may 6: first sub 4 minute mile (roger bannister, 3 mins 59.4 secs)
jul 3: food rationing officially ends in britain
sep 30: first atomic powered sumbmarine uss nautilus commissioned
first comprehensive school opens in london
dylan thomas under milk wood
golding lord of the flies
tennessee williams cat on a hot tin roof
british top 20 begins: first no.1 was hold my hand by don cornell
91
1955
royal commission on common land started led to 1965 common land registration act
commercial tv starts in britain first advert was for gibbs sr toothpaste
anthony eden becomes prime minister
anti-polio vaccine developed by salk
pop music: bill haley rock around the clock
92
1956
jun3: 3rd class travel abolished on british railways
sep 25: submarine telephone cable across the atlantic opened
oct 31: britain and france invade suez
nov 16: suez canal blocked for a few months (see also 1967)
britain constructs world's first large-scale nuclear power station in cumberland
first anti-nuclear protest march to aldermaston (emergence of cnd)
emergence of the angry young men in english literature
93
1957
jun 1: premium bonds first prizes drawn
oct 4: sputnik i launched by soviet union first artificial satellite
queen's first christmas tv broadcast
harold macmillan becomes prime minister
treaty of rome to create european economic community (eec) of six countries: france, west germany, italy, belgium, holland and luxembourg became operational jan 1958
britain explodes her first hydrogen bomb, at christmas island
britain introduces parking meters
pop music: elvis presley all shook up
94
1958
feb 25: cnd launched
jul 26: charles created prince of wales
first life peerages awarded
charles de gaulle establishes fifth republic in france
race riots in britain, at notting hill and in nottingham
munich air disaster manchester united team members killed
uss nautilus travels under the polar ice cap
usa begins to produce inter-continental ballistic missiles (icbms)
usa launches its first satellite space race with the ussr begins
electronic computers begin to be used in research, industry and commerce
van allen radiation belt round the earth detected
stereophonic records come into use
boeing 707 goes into airline service
the beatles pop group formed
beckett krapp's last tape
pasternak dr zhivago
pop music: jerry lee lewis great balls of fire: everly brothers all i have to do is dream
95
1959
may 24: empire day becomes commonwealth day
aug: bmc mini car launched
sep 5: introduction of subscriber trunk dialling (std) in britain
oct 3: postcodes introduced in britain
nov 1: first section of m1 motorway opened
charles de gaulle becomes french president
european free trade association (efta) established as an alternative to the eec
hawaii becomes 50th state of the usa
ussr lands unmanned lunik on the moon
leakey discovers 600,000 year-old human remains in tanganyika
films some like it hot and la dolce vita
anouilh becket
pop music: buddy holly it doesn't matter any more: cliff richard living doll: adam faith what do you want
96
1960
feb 3: macmillan 'wind of change' speech in south africa
seventeen african colonies become independent this year
sharpeville massacre in south africa
mar 17: new £1 notes issued by bank of england
mar 18: last steam locomotive of british railways named
sep 12: mot tests on motor vehicles introduced
oct 1: hms dreadnought nuclear submarine launched
russian sputnik orbits carrying two live dogs
first lasers demonstrated
international agreement to reserve antarctica for scientific research
pinter the caretaker
film psycho
pop music: eddie cochran three steps to heaven: shadows apache
97
1961
jan 1: farthing ceases to be legal tender
mar 8: first us polaris submarines arrive at holy loch
mar 13: black & white £5 notes cease to be legal tender
mar 14: new english bible (new testament) published
apr 12: yuri gagarin first man in space followed shortly afterwards by alan shepard
apr 23: census: pop. e&w 46m, scot 5.1m, ni 1.4m
may 1: betting shops legal in britain
oct 10: volcanic eruption on tristan da cunha whole population evacuated to britain
berlin wall built
oral contraceptive launched
john f kennedy becomes us president
joseph heller catch-22
film west side story
pop music: helen shapiro walking back to happiness
98
1962
may 25: consecration of new coventry cathedral (old destroyed in ww2 blitz) britten war requiem
jun 15: first nuclear generated electricity to supplied national grid (from berkeley, glos)
jul 10: first live tv between us and europe (telstar)
us ranger 4 lands on the moon
oct 24: cuba missile crisis brink of nuclear war
dec 22: no frost-free nights in britain till 5 mar 1963
britain passes commonwealth immigrants act to control immigration
molecular structure of dna discovered
thalidomide withdrawn after it causes deformities in babies
britain and france agree to construct concorde (see 1969)
john glenn first american in orbit (3 circuits in friendship 7)
pop music: beatles love me do
99
1963
jan: cold weather forces cancellation of most football matches (only 4 english first division matches in the month) the first 'pools panel' created
mar 27: beeching report on british railways (the 'beeching axe')
aug 1: minimum prison age raised to 17
aug 8: 'great train robbery' on glasgow to london mail train
sep 17: fylingdales (yorks) early warning system operational
sep 25: denning report on profumo affair
nov 18: dartford tunnel opens
nov 22: president kennedy assassinated in dallas, texas: aldous huxley died the same day
valentina tereshkova first woman in space
france vetoes britain's entry into eec
pop music: beatles achieve international fame release of please please me, from me to you, she loves you, i want to hold your hand
film the birds
100
1964
apr 9: first greater london council (glc) election
apr 21: bbc2 tv starts
sep 4: forth road bridge opens
harold wilson becomes prime minister
china explodes an atomic bomb
us ranger 7 sends back 4,000 photos from the moon
the sun newspaper founded in britain
mcluhan understanding media
cp snow corridors of power
films dr strangelove and a fistful of dollars
jan 1: first 'top of the pops' on bbc tv
pop music: beatles can't buy me love, a hard day's night, i feel fine: rolling stones it's all over now, little red rooster: animals house of the rising sun: chuck berry no particular place to go
101
1965
feb 7: first us raids against north vietnam
apr 6: launch of early bird commercial communications satellite
aug 1: tv ban on cigarette advertising in britain
sep 21: oil strike by bp in north sea (or natural gas?)
oct 28: death penalty abolished in britain for murder [some say 18 dec 1969]
nov 11: declaration of udi in rhodesia
dec 22: 70mph speed limit on british roads
winston churchill dies
post office tower completed in london
britain enacts first race relations act
common land registration act people who thought they still held common rights had to register them
first astronauts 'walk' in space
pop music: beatles ticket to ride, help!, day tripper: rolling stones the last time: kinks tired of waiting for you: byrds mr tambourine man
102
1966
feb 3: soft landing on moon by unmanned luna 9 followed by surveyor 1
feb 14: australia converts from £ to $
mar 23: archbishop of canterbury meets pope in rome
may 16: seamen's strike (ended 1 jul)
jul 30: world cup won by england at wembley (4-2 in extra time v west germany)
sep 8: first severn road bridge opens
oct 21: aberfan disaster slag heap slip kills 144, incl. 116 children
dec 1: first christmas stamps issued in britain
eighteen new universities were created in britain between 1961-1966
hovercraft in commercial service
pop music: sinatra strangers in the night: beach boys good vibrations
103
1967
jan 27: three us astronauts killed in fire during launch pad test
mar 18: torrey canyon oil tanker runs aground off lands end
may 28: francis chichester arrives in plymouth after solo circumnavigation in gipsy moth iv (he was knighted 7th july at greenwich by the queen using the sword with which elizabeth i had knighted sir francis drake four centuries earlier)
jun 5-10: six day war in middle east closes suez canal for 8 years (until 1975)
jul 1: first colour tv in britain
jul 13: public record act records now closed for only 30 years (but the census is still closed for 100 years)
jul 18: withdrawal from east of suez by mid-70s announced
sep 3: sweden changes rule of road to drive on right
sep 20: qe2 launched on clydebank
sep 27: queen mary arrives southampton at end of her last transatlantic voyage
oct 5: introduction of majority verdicts in english courts
dec 3: first human heart transplant (in south africa by christiaan barnard)
che guevara killed in bolivia becomes a cult hero
leakey discovers fossil remains which are 20m years old
donald campbell dies attempting to break his world water speed record on conniston water his body and bluebird recovered in 2002
russian spacecraft venus iv makes soft landing on venus
mcluhan the medium is the message
film the graduate
stoppard rosencrantz and guildenstern are dead
pop music: monkees i'm a believer: beatles all you need is love: procul harem a whiter shade of pale
104
1968
feb 18: british standard time introduced summer time became permanent [which i remember thinking was a great idea!], but arguments prevailed and we reverted to gmt in october 1971 :(
apr 23: issue of 5p and 10p decimal coins in britain
may 6: enoch powell 'rivers of blood' speech on immigration
may 10: student riots in paris
jul 29: pope encyclical condemns all artificial forms of birth control
sep 15: severe flooding in england
sep 16: two-tier postal rate starts in britain
oct 5: beginning of disturbances in n ireland
commenwealth immigration act further restricts immigrants
london bridge sold and moved to arizona
soviets crush freedom movement in czechoslovakia
martin luther king and robert kennedy both assassinated in usa
apollo 8 orbits the moon with a crew of 3 and returns to earth safely
ryle discovers pulsars, radio stars emitting regular pulses of energy
film 2001
pop music: rolling stones jumping jack flash: beatles hey jude
105
1969
mar 2: maiden flight of concorde
mar 7: victoria line tube opens in london
apr 17: voting age lowered from 21 to 18
jul 1: investiture of prince charles as prince of wales at caernarfon castle
jul 20/21: first men land on the moon (neil armstrong & buzz aldrin)
jul 31: halfpenny ceases to be legal tender in britain
oct 14: 50p coin introduced in britain (reduced in size 1998)
civil disturbances in ulster britain sends troops to support civil authorities
open university established in britain, teaching via radio and tv
labour government issues white paper in place of strife attempts to reform the trades union movement
films easy rider and midnight cowboy
pop music: marvin gaye i heard it on the grapevine
woodstock music festival in usa attracts 300,000 fans
106
197
197 - clodius albinus, governor of britain, another claimant to the imperial throne, is killed by severus at the battle of lyon
107
1970
mar 16: publication of complete new english bible
jun 17: decimal postage stamps first issued for sale in britain
jul 30: damages awarded to thalidomide victims
nov 20: ten shilling note goes out of circulation in britain
edward heath becomes prime minister
boeing 747 (jumbo jet) goes into service
film mash
pop music: simon & garfunkel bridge over troubled water
108
1971
jan 1: divorce reform act (1969) comes into force
jan 3: open university starts
feb 15: decimalisation of coinage in britain
aug 9: internment without trial introduced in n ireland
oct 28: parliament votes to join common market (joined 1973)
sunday becomes the seventh day in the week as uk adopts decision of the international standardisation organisation (iso) to call monday the first day
'greenpeace' founded
rolls-royce declared bankrupt
film a clockwork orange
pop music: led zeppelin stairway to heaven
109
1972
feb 9: power workers crisis
oct 5: united reformed church founded out of congregational and presbyterian churches in e&w
britain imposes direct rule in northern ireland
strict anti-hijack measures introduced internationally, especially at airports
duke of windsor (ex-king edward 8) dies in paris
ceylon changes its name to sri lanka
110
1973
jan 1: britain enters eec common market (with ireland and denmark)
jan 27: vietnam ceasefire agreement signed
apr 1: vat introduced in britain
yom kippur war precipitates world oil crisis
dec 31: miners strike and oil crisis precipitate 'three-day week' (till 9 mar 1974) to conserve power
first call made (in america) on a portable cellular phone
111
1974
aug 8: president nixon resigns over watergate scandal
several new 'counties' formed in britain
us mariner satellite transmits detailed pictures of venus and mercury
india becomes the sixth nation to explode a nuclear device
112
1975
feb 11: margaret thatcher becomes leader of conservative party (in opposition)
apr 30: end of vietnam war
jun 5: suez canal reopens (after 8 years closure)
nov 3: first north sea oil comes ashore [some say 11 june]
dec 27: equal pay act and sex discrimination act come into force
unemployment in britain rises above 1m for first time since before ww2
first personal computers (pc) introduced (others say the apple ii in 1977) [see 1981]
charlie chaplin knighted
film one flew over the cuckoo's nest
pop music: pink floyd wish you were here
113
1976
jan 21: concorde enters supersonic passenger service [see 2000]
aug 6: drought act 1976 comes into force the long, hot summer
'cod war' between britain and iceland
deaths exceeded live births in e&w for first time since records began in 1837
james callaghan becomes prime minister
death of mao tse-tung
viking 1 & viking 2 landed on mars
national theatre opens in london
114
1977
mar 23: lib-lab pact
jun 1: road speed limits: 70mph dual roads: 60mph single
jun 7: queen's silver jubilee celebrations in london
red rum wins a third grand national
astronomers observe rings round uranus
elvis presley dies
pop music: wings mull of kintyre: rise of punk bands such as 'the sex pistols'
115
1978
apr 8: regular broadcast of proceedings in parliament starts
may 1: first may day holiday in britain
Jul 25: World's first 'test tube' baby, Louise Browne born in Oldham
Oct 15: Pope John Paul ii elected a pole, and first non-italian for 450 years died 2 apr 2005
Nov 30: publication of the times suspended industrial relations problems (until 13 nov 1979)
Film the deer hunter
Pop music: fleetwood mac rumours
116
1979
Feb 1: Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran
Mar 1: 32.5% of Scots vote in favour of devolution (40% needed) Welsh vote overwhelmingly against
Mar 31: Withdrawal of royal navy from Malta
May 4: margaret thatcher becomes first woman uk prime minister
Aug 27: lord mountbatten killed in bomb blast off coast of sligo, ireland
Sep 18: ilea votes to abolish corporal punishment in its schools
Nov 13: the times returns to circulation
117
1980
May 5: sas storm iranian embassy in london to free hostages
Dec 8: john lennon assassinated in new york
Death of president tito of yugoslavia
'Solidarity' formed by unions in poland
'Stealth' bomber developed by usa
Film the elephant man
118
1981
Jan 25: launch of sdp by 'gang of four' in britain
Mar 29: first london marathon run
Apr 5: Census day in britain
Apr 12: US space shuttle (columbia) launched
Apr 25: Worst april blizzards this century in britain
JUL 29: Wedding of Prince Charles and lady Diana Spencer
IBM launches its pc starts the general use of personal computers
Brixton riots in south london 30 other british cities also experience riots
Film chariots of fire
119
1982
Jan 26: Unemployment reached 3 million in britain (1 in 8 of working population)
Mar 18: Argentinians raised flag in south georgia
Apr 2: Argentina invades Falkland (Malvinas) islands
Apr 5: Royal Navy fleet sails from Portsmouth for Falklands
Jun 14: Ceasefire in Falklands
Jun 21: birth of Prince William of Wales
Oct 11: mary rose raised in the solent (sank in 1545)
Oct 31: thames barrier raised for first time
Nov 4: lorries up to 38 tonnes allowed on britain's roads
Dec 12: Women's peace protest at greenham common (cruise missiles arrived 14 nov 1983)
Archbishop of Canterbury and the pope pray together in Canterbury Cathedral
First permanent artificial heart fitted in salt lake city
Film ET - Hommmmeeeeeee
120
1983
Jan 17: Start of breakfast tv in britain
Jan 31: Seat belt law comes into force
Apr 21: £1 coin into circulation in britain
Oct 7: Plans to abolish GLC announced
First female lord mayor of London elected (Dame Mary Donaldson)
Pop music: Michael Jackson thriller
121
1984
Jan 9: ftse index exceeded 800
Jun 22: Inaugural flight of virgin atlantic
Oct 12: IRA bomb explodes at tory conference hotel in brighton 4 killed
Oct 24: Miners' strike high court orders sequestration of num assets
Dec 3: British telecom privatised shares make massive gains on first day's trading
George Orwell got it wrong? (in his book '1984', written in 1948)
122
1985
Mar 3: miners agree to call off strike
Mar 11: Al Fayed buys harrods
Jul 13: live aid pop concert raises over £50m for famine relief
May 7: Mannie Shinwell, veteran politician, dies aged 101
124
1987
Terry Waite kidnapped in beirut (released nov 1991)
Car ferry herald of free enterprise capsizes off zeebrugge 188 die
Order of the garter opened to women
Oct: the 'hurricane' sweeps southern england
Oct: 'black monday' in the city of london stock market crash
125
1988
Copyright act
Dec 21: lockerbie disaster pan am flight 103 explodes over scotland
126
1989
Poll tax implemented in scotland
House of commons proceedings first televised
Berlin wall torn down
Second edition of oxford english dictionary published
127
1990
Poll tax implemented in england & wales riots
Margaret Thatcher resigns as conservative party leader (and prime minister) john major elected
Apr 25: Hubble space telescope launched
Aug 2: Iraq invades kuwait
Dec 1: Channel tunnel excavation teams meet in the middle
Nelson Mandela released in south africa
128
1991
Poll tax replaced (by council tax)
Robert Maxwell drowns at sea
Helen Sharman is first british astronaut in space
129
1992
Coal industry privatised
130
1993
Jul: ratification of maastricht treaty, established the european union (eu)
Betty boothroyd first woman speaker of the house of commons (to 2000)
Elizabeth ii becomes first british monarch to pay income tax
131
1994
Nov: national lottery starts
Channel tunnel open to traffic
15 million people connected to the internet by now
132
1995
Nick leeson brings down barings
133
1996
BSE beef scare in uk
Hale-bopp comet
134
1997
May: 'new' labour landslide victory in britain (tony blair replaces john major as prime minister)
June: bank of england made independent of government control
Aug: Diana, Princess of Wales killed in car crash in Paris
Landing by american 'rover' on mars
Land speed record breaks sound barrier for first time
Scientists in scotland clone a sheep (dolly)
Hong Kong returned to china
135
1998
Good Friday peace agreement in northern ireland effectively implemented when separate n ireland parliament created in Dec 1999
136
1999
Jan 1: european monetary union begins uk opts out by the end of the year the euro has approximately the same value as the us dollar
Nov 11: hereditary peers no longer have right to sit in house of lords
Dec: separate parliaments created for scotland, wales and northern ireland (but not for england)
World population reaches 6 billion (estimate)
137
2000
Jan 1: millennium celebrations.the year in britain started with a 'flu bug rather than a millennium bug
Millennium dome at greenwich got off to a bad start when press and celebratories were left queuing for tickets in the rain, and they never forgave it the project was dogged by problems all year and became the butt of jokes
Mar: london eye opens, late but popular
Millennium footbridge over the thames opens, but wobbles and is quickly declared dangerous and closed finally reopened Feb 2002
Aug: a chartered air france concorde crashes on take-off at paris with loss of all lives debris on the runway blamed for causing fuel to escape and catch fire, and all concordes grounded until 7 november 2001
Sep: 'people power' emerged suddenly as protestors against high road fuel tax used mobile phones and the internet to co-ordinate blockades on fuel depots resulted in nationwide panic buying of fuel and service stations running out across the country
Oct: derailment at speed on the main london-north eastern line at hatfield caused by a broken rail railtrack put restrictions on the rest of the network while all other suspect locations were checked
Oct/nov/dec: heavy rains cause worst flooding since records began (1850s) in many parts of britain
Nov 14: new prayer book introduced in anglican church the way this year's going, we need it!
Dec: us presidential election goes to a penalty shoot out!
138
2001
Jan 1: real millennium celebrations begin!!
Feb: outbreak of foot & mouth disease in uk lasted until october
caused postponement of local and general elections from may to june
Mar 23: mir space station successfully ditched in the pacific
Apr 29: uk census day
may 12: fa cup final played at the millennium stadium in cardiff first time away from wembley since 1922
June 7: general election labour returned again with a large majority, the first time they had succeeded in gaining a second term but turnout lowest since 1918
Sep 1: new-style number plates on road vehicles in uk [eg. ab 51 abc]
Sep 11: massive terrorist attack on the United States commercial planes hi-jacked and crashed into the twin towers of the world trade centre (destroying it) and one section of the pentagon
Nov 7: Concorde flights resume after modifications to tyres and fuel tanks (see 2003)
UK christmas stamps self-adhesive for the first time (self-adhesive 1st & 2nd class definitives already on sale)
139
2002
Jan 1: Twelve major countries in europe and their dependents start using the euro instead of their old national currencies: the uk stays out the euro worth 62½p at this time
Jan 2: UK 1901 census details available
Feb 22: Millennium bridge over the thames in London finally opens
Mar 30: The Queen Mother dies, aged 101 years
Jun 3&4: Two bank holidays declared in uk to celebrate the queen's golden jubilee
Find
Surnames
Bookmarks
Places
Dates
Cemeteries
Search
Photos
Documents
Histories
Recordings
Videos
Albums
All Media
What's New
Most Wanted
Reports
Statistics
Notes
Sources
Repositories
Contact Us
1900 - 2002
Home
Search
Print
Login
Add Bookmark
