UK News

London awarded 2012 Olympics

On the 6th July 2005 London was awarded the honour of hosting the 2012 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee.

Large Hadron Collider

The world's largest, most powerful particle accelerator went into action today, the 30th March 2010 opening up a new era in the hunt for new particles.

The LHC is based in Cern, the Europea...

Concorde flies for the first time

On the 2nd march 1969 Concorde, an Anglo-French plane, took off from Toulouse for a short flight.

The pilot, Andre Turcat, said "Finally the big bird flies, and I can say now that it flies p...

Blake's Seven

One of my favourite television programs at this time was Blake's Seven, real sci-fi escapist stuff.

My particular favourite was Servalan, the woman that was Supreme Commander of the Terran F...

Eurostar rail service fails due to snow

2000 passengers were trapped overnight in the Channel Tunnel with no heating and lighting as freezing temperatures bring travel chaos to the UK.

Woolworths closes 200 stores

After administrators failed to find a buyer for the troubled company, Woolworths closed 200 stores for the last time.

Northern Rock comes under state control

Northern Rock PLC was officially transferred to state ownership Feb 22nd 2008, five months after the global credit crisis felled Britain's fifth largest mortgage lender and sparked the nation's fir...

The Airbus 380 makes its maiden flight

The Airbus A380 manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, and the largest passenger airliner in the world, made its maiden flight on 27 April 2005 from Toulouse France. Singapore Airlines ...

Barings Bank goes bust

Baring Bank was brought down by the dealings of a Rogue Trader, Nick Leeson .

The trades were made on the Singapore Monetary Exchange during 1992-1994, culminating in a short straddle across...

Coal shortages

Due to coal shortages caused by industrial action, the Three-day week electricity consumption reduction measure comes into force

The long Solar Total Eclipse

A very long total solar eclipse occurs. During the entire 2nd millenium, only 7 total solar eclipses exceeded 7 minutes of totality.

Border Poll - Northern Ireland

Voters in Northern Ireland vote to remain part of the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists are encouraged to boycott the referendum.

Last of the Summer Wine

The pilot episode of the longest-running comedy series in the world, Last of the Summer Wine, is broadcast.

UK enters the EEC

The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.

Eugene Cernan - Last person on the moon

Eugene Cernan is the latest person to walk on the moon. Harrison Schmitt and him finish a 3rd and final Extra-vehicular activity of Apollo 17. This is the last manned mission to the moon of the 20t...

Pong Arcade Version released

Atari kick-start the games industry with the release of Pong, the first video game to achieve commercial success.

The Munich Massacre

11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich are murdered after 8 members of the Arab terrorist group Black September invade the Olympic Village.

Vietnam US Withdrawal

The last US ground troops are withdrawn from Vietnam

Watergate

U.S President Richard M. Nixon and White House chief of staff H. R. Haldeman are taped talking about using the C.I.A. to obstruct the F.B.I's investigation into the Watergate break-ins.

Staines Air Disaster

118 die when a Trident 1 jet airliner crashes 2 minutes after take-off from London Heathrow.

Watergate: 5 White House operatives arrested

5 White House operatives are arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee.

Miners' strike - State of emergency

The Government declares a state of emergency over a miners' strike.

Anti-British riots in Ireland

Anti-British riots take place throughout Ireland. The British Embassy in Dublin is burned to the ground, along with several other British-owned businesses.

Bloody Sunday

The British Army kills 14 unarmed nationalist civil rights marchers in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Post Office Tower Bomb

A bomb explodes at the top of the Post Office Tower in London

Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party

Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party is founded in Northern Ireland.

Walt Disney World opens in Florida

Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida.

British Troops in Northern Ireland

The number of British Troops in Northern Ireland is raised to 12,500.

Internment in Northern Ireland

British security forces arrest hundreds of nationalists and detain them without trial in Long Kesh prison; 20 people die in the riots that follow.

A lunar eclipse

A lunar eclipse lasting 1 hour, 40 minutes, and 4 seconds is observed. 

Jim Morrison found dead

Jim Morrison, leader of The Doors is found dead in his bathtub in Paris, France.

Gold Ownership Restrictions Lifted

All restrictions on gold ownership are lifted.

Joe Frazier beats Muhammad Ali

Boxer Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden. 

Decimalisation Day

The United Kingdom and Ireland both switch to decimal currency.

Nasdaq launched

A new stock marked index called the Nasdaq debuts.

Rolls-Royce Bankrupt

Rolls-Royce goes bankrupt and is nationalised. 

Paul McCartney sues

Paul McCartney sues to dissolve the Beatles' legal partnership. 

The Isle of Wight Festival 1970

The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 takes place on East Afton Farm off the coast of England. Some 600,000 people attend the largest rock festival of all time. Artists include Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The...

Let It Be

The Beatles release their 12th and final album, Let It Be. 

Apollo 13 problems

An oxygen tank in the Apollo 13 spacecraft explodes, forcing the crew to abort the mission and return in 4 days.

The Beatles disband

Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded, while at the same press conference, announcing the release of his first solo album. 

Boeing 747 enters commercial service

The Boeing 747, the world's first "jumbo jet", enters commercial service for launch customer Pan American Airways with its maiden voyage from John F Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow...

Television Broadcast on BBC and ITV

Regular colour television broadcasts begin on BBC1 and ITV in UK. 

Earthquake hits the UK

Large parts of England and Wales were hit by an earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale.

Buildings shook for up to 30 seconds in parts of the West Midlands, Wales, North Yorkshire, Lo...