THURSDAY 1ST JANUARY 1981
Greece is admitted as the 10th member of the EEC.
FRIDAY 2ND JANUARY 1981
Fire breaks out at La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy.
SATURDAY 3RD JANUARY 1981
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria dies aged 97.
SUNDAY 4TH JANUARY 1981
Frankenstein opens and closes on the same day on Broadway.
MONDAY 5TH JANUARY 1981
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe is charged with murdering women in the north of England over a five-year period.
TUESDAY 6TH JANUARY 1981
Mark Chapman pleads insanity over the death of former Beatle John Lennon.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JANUARY 1981
American President-elect Ronald Reagan completes his cabinet selections by nominating Terrel Bell as education secretary.
THURSDAY 8TH JANUARY 1981
A London postal worker intercepts a bomb sent to Margaret Thatcher by the Scottish Socialist Republican League.
FRIDAY 9TH JANUARY 1981
The IRA claims responsibility for the bombing of the IRA barracks outside London.
SATURDAY 10TH JANUARY 1981
John Lennon is number one in the charts with “Imagine”.
SUNDAY 11TH JANUARY 1981
A British team finishes the fastest crossing of Antarctica – 2,500 miles in 75 days.
MONDAY 12TH JANUARY 1981
Ronald and Nancy Reagan put their former home in Pacific Palisades in California up for sale.
TUESDAY 13TH JANUARY 1981
Norway is to allow America to store military weapons and equipment there.
WEDNESDAY 14TH JANUARY 1981
Outgoing President of the United States Jimmy Carter delivers his farewell address.
THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 1981
The birthday of Martin Luther King Junior is made into a national holiday in America.
FRIDAY 16TH JANUARY 1981
Northern Ireland civil rights campaigner and former Westminster politician Bernadette McAliskey is shot by gunmen who burst into her County Tyrone home. Her husband was also injured in the attack.
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY 1981
A workman dies when scaffolding collapses at the Lincoln memorial during preparations for Ronald Reagan’s inauguration.
SUNDAY 18TH JANUARY 1981
Nine people are killed and a further 20 people are injured in a house fire in Deptford, south London.
MONDAY 19TH JANUARY 1981
Jimmy Carter plans to greet hostages in West Germany after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration.
TUESDAY 20TH JANUARY 1981
Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States of America. He is the oldest to take office at 69 years, 349 days.
WEDNESDAY 21ST JANUARY 1981
Tehran frees American hostages after 444 days.
THURSDAY 22ND JANUARY 1981
The Times newspaper is sold to Rupert Murdoch. He officially takes over the newspaper on Thursday 12th February 1981.
FRIDAY 23RD JANUARY 1981
Composer Samuel Barber dies aged 70.
SATURDAY 24TH JANUARY 1981
The Monkees’ Davy Jones marries Anita Pollinger.
SUNDAY 25TH JANUARY 1981
Four former Labour cabinet members known as “the Gang of Four”, who were Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins, William Rodgers and David Owen set up their own political party, the Socialist Democratic Party or SDP. The SDP merged with the Liberals to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988.
MONDAY 26TH JANUARY 1981
BBC Radio Lancashire replaces BBC Radio Blackburn as the BBC local radio station in the Lancashire area, exactly ten years after BBC Radio Blackburn first went on the air.
TUESDAY 27TH JANUARY 1981
A set of Siamese twins die during surgery to separate them in Nashville, Tennessee.
WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY 1981
“The Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood is born.
THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 1981
Adolfo Suarez resigns as Prime Minster of Spain.
FRIDAY 30TH JANUARY 1981
A tentative agreement is reached between the Polish government and Solidarity on workweek length.
SATURDAY 31ST JANUARY 1981
“NSYNC” star Justin Timberlake is born.
SUNDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 1981
Norwegian composer Geirr Tviett dies aged 72.
MONDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 1981
The Federal Election Commission in America says that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Election Campaign exceeded spending limits.
TUESDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 1981
Lech Walesa, Jimmy Carter and Robert Mugabe are among those who are nominated for the 1981 Nobel Peace Prize.
WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 1981
Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the comedians otherwise known as “The Two Ronnies” were named as joint winners of the Variety Club of Great Britain’s Award for show business personality of 1980.
THURSDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 1981
A 300-name petition demanding the legalisation of 27-megahertz citizen band radio is on its way to the home office from Nottingham. It was eventually legalised on Monday 2nd November 1981.
FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 1981
The three surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr record a tribute to the late John Lennon who was murdered on Thursday 8th December 1980.
SATURDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 1981
John Lennon is number one in the charts with “Woman”.
SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 1981
British actor and television presenter Ralf Little is born.
MONDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 1981
Musician Bill Haley, famous for his Comets and hits like “Rock Around the Clock” dies aged 55.
TUESDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 1981
The Coal Board announces the closure of 50 pits, employing up to 30,000 people.
WEDNESDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 1981
“Destiny’s Child” singer Kelly Rowland is born.
THURSDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 1981
Rupert Murdoch takes over The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers.
FRIDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 1981
The New York Times publishes its longest sentence ever printed, consisting over 1,286 words.
SATURDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 1981
Fire breaks out in Dublin at Ireland’s Stardust disco.
SUNDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 1981
British Football league games are played on a Sunday for the first time.
MONDAY 16TH FEBRUARY 1981
Pope John Paul II embarks on an Asian tour. A bomb explodes prior to the Pope’s arrival in Karachi, Pakistan.
TUESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 1981
South Wales miners begin an unofficial strike.
WEDNESDAY 18TH FEBRUARY 1981
Margaret Thatcher and her government withdraw plans to close 23 pits in its first major U-turn since coming to power in May 1979.
THURSDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 1981
Pope John Paul II reaffirms the Catholic Church’s conservative stance on birth control, divorce and abortion in the Philippines.
FRIDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 1981
Peter Sutcliffe, the suspected Yorkshire Ripper is arraigned.
SATURDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 1981
The Joe Dolce Music Theatre is number one in the charts with “Shaddap You Face”, a one hit wonder.
SUNDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 1981
German singer and actress Jeanette Biedermann is born.
MONDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 1981
200 soldiers and members of the Paramilitary Civil Guard stormed the lower house of the Spanish parliament. The Cortez began firing automatic weapons and shouting orders.
TUESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 1981
Buckingham Palace had announced that Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer are to marry on Wednesday 29th July 1981. The engagement was announced at 11.00 am, Greenwich Mean Time.
WEDNESDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 1981
Pope John Paul II visits Hiroshima and Nagasaki during a visit to Japan.
THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 1981
Margaret Thatcher meets American President Ronald Reagan for the very first time.
FRIDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 1981
A nine-year-old New York City bank robber nicknamed “Billy the Kid” surrenders to the FBI. His outlaw namesake had been killed exactly 100 years before.
SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 1981
Talbot Rothwell, who wrote the scripts to many of the “Carry On” series of movies, dies aged 64.
SUNDAY 1ST MARCH 1981
The parents of Petrus Makwaba, a nine-year-old black boy shot dead in South Africa by a white army officer are to sue South Africa’s defence minister and the officer in question, who was jailed for the boy’s murder on Friday 27th February 1981.
MONDAY 2ND MARCH 1981
A massive shake up at BBC Radio Two was announced by the new network controller David Hatch. The reshuffle will mean comedians Syd Little and Eddie Large will be will be making their radio debut as well as new shows for David Hamilton and John Dunn.
TUESDAY 3RD MARCH 1981
Chun Doo Hwan is officially sworn in as president of South Korea.
WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH 1981
American and Vietnamese refugee fishermen clash on the Gulf Coast.
THURSDAY 5TH MARCH 1981
A male panda, Chia-Chia is enroute from London to Washington in order to be mated with a national zoo female panda Ling-Ling.
FRIDAY 6TH MARCH 1981
Comedy actress Liza Goddard is to have a baby by fiancé Alvin Stardust, the pop singer, it has been announced.
SATURDAY 7TH MARCH 1981
Ice skating champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are well on their way to adding the world crown to their European title; they took in Innsbruck. They were at the World Championships in Connecticut where they maintained their lead with the last of the compulsory dances.
SUNDAY 8TH MARCH 1981
The Worldwatch Institute predicts that the 1980s will be a decade of refugees.
MONDAY 9TH MARCH 1981
The M5 rapist, 37-year-old John Lambe has been sentenced to life imprisonment after terrorising women in the southwest.
TUESDAY 10TH MARCH 1981
Francois Mitterand wins the French presidential election.
WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH 1981
Chilean president Augusto Piniochet is sworn in for an eight-year term as president.
THURSDAY 12TH MARCH 1981
The very first episode of the BBC 1 sitcom “Sorry!”, starring Ronnie Corbett is transmitted at 8.30 pm.
FRIDAY 13TH MARCH 1981
Prince Charles suffers a fall while riding his horse.
SATURDAY 14TH MARCH 1981
Roxy Music is number one in the charts with “Jealous Guy”.
SUNDAY 15TH MARCH 1981
The passengers of a Pakistan Airways plane held hostage for nearly two weeks have been released in Russia.
MONDAY 16TH MARCH 1981
A man is shot trying to defect to East Germany at the Berlin wall.
TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 1981
Ronald Reagan attends a St Patrick’s Day activities at the Irish Embassy, along with Senator Ted Kennedy and House Speaker Tip O’Neill.
WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH 1981
The Mount Etna volcano erupts in Sicily.
THURSDAY 19TH MARCH 1981
A technician dies during the test of the space shuttle Columbia.
FRIDAY 20TH MARCH 1981
Former Argentina President Isobel Peron is sentenced to eight years in prison.
SATURDAY 21ST MARCH 1981
Gatwick Airport returned to normal in the afternoon after being thrown into chaos earlier when customs and immigration officers took industrial action.
SUNDAY 22ND MARCH 1981
No further cases of Foot and Mouth disease have been reported on the Island of Jersey. The Ministry of Agriculture hopes the outbreak, which was confirmed on Thursday 19th March 1981 has been contained.
MONDAY 23RD MARCH 1981
The government has banned all animal transport on the Isle of Wight and in southern Hampshire in an attempt to contain a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.
TUESDAY 24TH MARCH 1981
52-year old Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has been rescued by Barbados police, following his kidnapping.
WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH 1981
The Daily Mail alleges that a former Labour Party chairman was a KGB and MI-5 double agent.
THURSDAY 26TH MARCH 1981
The Socialist Democratic Party, known as the SDP, is officially launched by “the Gang of Four”, William Rodgers, Roy Jenkins, David Owen and Shirley Williams.
FRIDAY 27TH MARCH 1981
Lech Walesa and “Solidarity” call for a national strike in Poland.
SATURDAY 28TH MARCH 1981
Shakin’ Stevens is number one in the charts with “This Ole House”.
SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 1981
The first ever London Marathon takes place. American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen won the race hand in hand after two hours, 11 minutes and 48 seconds.
MONDAY 30TH MARCH 1981
President Ronald Reagan is shot and wounded by a lone gunman as he opened fire in Washington. President Reagan may have punctured a lung in the process. He had only been in office for two months, prior to the assassination attempt. President Reagan made a full recovery and went on to win a second term in 1984 and remained in office until 1989. 25-year-old John Hinckley has been charged with President Reagan’s attempted murder.
TUESDAY 31ST MARCH 1981
The very last episode of the ITV sitcom “Robin’s Nest” is transmitted.
WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL 1981
“SCLUB7” singer Hannah Spearritt is born.
THURSDAY 2ND APRIL 1981
Ronald Reagan’s Press Secretary James Brady has said that the President is said to be showing continued improvement after his assassination attempt. President Reagan’s would be assassin; John Hinckley has appeared in court, before being transferred to a federal prison.
FRIDAY 3RD APRIL 1981
Ronald Reagan names actor John Gavin as the new ambassador to Mexico.
SATURDAY 4TH APRIL 1981
The United Kingdom wins the Eurovision Song Contest with Bucks Fizz’s “Making Your Mind Up”. The song came first with 136 points and it was held in Dublin, Ireland. The song also got to the top of the British charts two weeks later. On the same day as that, Bob Champion rode Aldanti in the 1981 Grand National and had won the race with the horse.
SUNDAY 5TH APRIL 1981
National Census Day. The 1981 Census that happens once every ten years is conducted.
MONDAY 6TH APRIL 1981
“Bear” Hite, star of the 1970s band “Canned Heat” dies of a heart attack in north Hollywood, aged 36.
TUESDAY 7TH APRIL 1981
“Liberty X” pop star Kelli Young is born in Derby.
WEDNESDAY 8TH APRIL 1981
Eric Rogers, who composed the music to many of the movies in the “Carry On” series, dies aged 59.
THURSDAY 9TH APRIL 1981
The first by-election for Fermanagh and South Tyrone takes place in Northern Ireland; the second by-election in the same constituency takes place on Thursday 20th August 1981.
FRIDAY 10TH APRIL 1981
Imprisoned hunger striker and IRA man Bobby Sands has been elected to Westminster as the Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. He died of starvation on Tuesday 5th May 1981.
SATURDAY 11TH APRIL 1981
The arrest of a black man has led to hundreds of youths rampaging through the streets of Brixton in south London.
SUNDAY 12TH APRIL 1981
Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis died, aged 66. His funeral took place on Tuesday 21st April 1981.
MONDAY 13TH APRIL 1981
Margaret Thatcher condemns the Brixton rioters, while more trouble breaks out. Home secretary William Whitelaw orders an urgent public inquiry into the incident.
TUESDAY 14TH APRIL 1981
Columbia lands after its maiden flight. It is the first reusable spacecraft.
WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL 1981
Columbia astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen are debriefed and meet with the crew of the next shuttle flight.
THURSDAY 16TH APRIL 1981
A terrorist bomb is discovered at an American army base in Wiesbaden in West Germany.
FRIDAY 17TH APRIL 1981
Susie Amy, star of the ITV drama “Footballer’s Wives” is born.
SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 1981
Bucks Fizz is number one in the charts with ”Making Your Mind Up”. It was the United Kingdom’s winning entry in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday 4th April 1981.
SUNDAY 19TH APRIL 1981
Pope John Paul II reiterates anti-abortion stance in his Easter Sunday “Urbi Et Orbi” address, from St Peter’s Square in Rome.
MONDAY 20TH APRIL 1981
Steve Davis wins his first title at international Snooker, beating Doug Mountjoy 18-12. Davis went on to win five more titles, making him the finest snooker player of the 1980s.
TUESDAY 21ST APRIL 1981
Boxing legend Joe Louis is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Louis died on Sunday 12th April 1981 aged 66.
WEDNESDAY 22ND APRIL 1981
Violence follows the funerals of two youths by a British army truck during recent riots in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
THURSDAY 23RD APRIL 1981
Barbados refuses to honour the British request for extradition of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, who has been set free.
FRIDAY 24TH APRIL 1981
The IBM personal computer is launched.
SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 1981
Britain experiences the worst April blizzards of the 20th century.
SUNDAY 26TH APRIL 1981
The “Dallas” actor Jim Davis dies aged 71. (Not to be confused with the Garfield cartoonist!)
MONDAY 27TH APRIL 1981
The former Beatle Ringo Starr marries Barbara Bach.
TUESDAY 28TH APRIL 1981
American actress Jessica Alba is born.
WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL 1981
The three surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr will reportedly cut a new record together.
THURSDAY 30TH APRIL 1981
Prince Charles arrives at Andrews AFB for a three-day visit to America.
FRIDAY 1ST MAY 1981
The British air traffic controllers go on strike.
SATURDAY 2ND MAY 1981
“Pleasant Colony” wins the American Kentucky Derby.
SUNDAY 3RD MAY 1981
The Sunday Express magazine is launched, which is free with the Sunday Express newspaper.
MONDAY 4TH MAY 1981
Sergeant Andrew Laptew, a detective who interviewed the “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe 18 months before, told of his shock when the self-confessed killer was captured, he told The Times newspaper.
TUESDAY 5TH MAY 1981
Hunger striker and newly elected politician Bobby Sands has died in prison, 66 days after effusing to eat, aged 27.
WEDNESDAY 6TH MAY 1981
Pro-IRA demonstrations in Paris take place. The IRA claims responsibility for the attack on British patrol. Letter bombs addressed to Prince Charles are discovered in London.
THURSDAY 7TH MAY 1981
Protestants object to attention given for IRA hunger striker hunger striker Bobby Sands, whose funeral took place on this date in Belfast.
FRIDAY 8TH MAY 1981
Ken Livingstone becomes leader of the Greater London Council (GLC).
SATURDAY 9TH MAY 1981
The 100th FA Cup Match takes place, where the score is Manchester City 1 – Tottenham Hotspur 1. Because of the score draw, the two clubs will replay on Thursday 14th May 1981.
SUNDAY 10TH MAY 1981
An American Mother’s Day demonstration in Washington DC protests nuclear weapons.
MONDAY 11TH MAY 1981
Musician Bob Marley, famous for his “Wailers”, dies of cancer aged 36.
TUESDAY 12TH MAY 1981
A second IRA hunger striker, 25-year-old Francis Hughes has starved to death in the Maze Prison near Lisburn in County Antrim.
WEDNESDAY 13TH MAY 1981
Pope John Paul II has been shot four times as he blessed the crowds is St Peter’s Square in Rome. A Turkish citizen, Mehmet Ali Hagca has been arrested and charged with the Pontiff’s attempted murder by the police.
THURSDAY 14TH MAY 1981
In the FA Cup replay, continued from Saturday 9th May 1981, the score is Manchester City 2 – Tottenham Hotspur 3.
FRIDAY 15TH MAY 1981
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal gives birth to a daughter, Zara Phillips, who is the younger sister of Peter Phillips.
SATURDAY 16TH MAY 1981
Actress Elizabeth Taylor is taken to hospital after collapsing before her appearance in a play.
SUNDAY 17TH MAY 1981
Pope John Paul II records a message from his hospital bed that is played on a loudspeaker in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
MONDAY 18TH MAY 1981
The police doubt that Mehmet Ali Agca is part of an international conspiracy to kill Pope John Paul II. The Pontiff also celebrated his 61st birthday on this date.
TUESDAY 19TH MAY 1981
Mehmet Ali Agca, the “would be” assassin of Pope John Paul II had reportedly claimed to have planned the killing of Queen Elizabeth II, the United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim and other high-profile world leaders.
WEDNESDAY 20TH MAY 1981
Sean Conlon, a member of the pop group “5ive” is born in Leeds.
THURSDAY 21ST MAY 1981
IRA Hunger striker Patsy O’Hara has died after 61 days without food. Raymond McCreesh also died on the same day after the same number of days on hunger strike.
FRIDAY 22ND MAY 1981
Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey for the murders of prostitutes in the north of England.
SATURDAY 23RD MAY 1981
The funeral is held for IRA hunger striker Raymond McCreesh in Northern Ireland. He died two days before.
SUNDAY 24TH MAY 1981
Jack Warner, who played Sergeant George Dixon in the BBC television series “Dixon of Dock Green” from 1955 to 1976, dies aged 84 from pneumonia.
MONDAY 25TH MAY 1981
Australian actor Jansen Spencer, who later appeared in the soap opera “Neighbours” in the 1990s, is born.
TUESDAY 26TH MAY 1981
Funerals are held for two British soldiers killed in recent IRA terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland.
WEDNESDAY 27TH MAY 1981
In the EUFA Cup, the score was Liverpool 1 – Real Madrid 0.
THURSDAY 28TH MAY 1981
Margaret Thatcher visits Belfast in the wake of the IRA hunger strike.
FRIDAY 29TH MAY 1981
America conducts a nuclear test in Nevada.
SATURDAY 30TH MAY 1981
Hollywood actor Tommy Lee Jones marries Kimberlea Gayle Cloughley.
SUNDAY 31ST MAY 1981
Hollywood actor Jason Alexander marries Daena E Title.
MONDAY 1ST JUNE 1981
A hunt is going on for the killers who shot dead a police reservist inside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Sunday 31st May 1981. He was shot in a hospital corridor.
TUESDAY 2ND JUNE 1981
The Reverend Ian Paisley is at the centre of a major security row after publicly announcing that Prince Alexandra was expected to visit Belfast.
WEDNESDAY 3RD JUNE 1981
Racehorse Shergar wins the Derby, while American First Lady Nancy Reagan will attend Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s Royal Wedding on Wednesday 29th July 1981, on her husband’s behalf, as Ronald Reagan is unable to attend.
THURSDAY 4TH JUNE 1981
James Earl Ray, the killer of Martin Luther King Junior, is stabbed at Tennessee’s Brushy Mountain State Prison.
FRIDAY 5TH JUNE 1981
“Big Brother” and “Celebrity Wife Swap” star Jade Goody is born.
SATURDAY 6TH JUNE 1981
Hollywood writer and producer Oliver Stone marries his wife, Elizabeth Stone.
SUNDAY 7TH JUNE 1981
Israel bombs a French-built nuclear plant near Iraq’s capital Baghdad.
MONDAY 8TH JUNE 1981
Ronald Reagan meets up with the Mexican president Lopez Portillo at Camp David.
TUESDAY 9TH JUNE 1981
Actress Natalie Portman is born in Jerusalem, Israel.
WEDNESDAY 10TH JUNE 1981
Sebastian Coe sets the 800 metres athletics record at one minute, 4.73 seconds in Florence.
THURSDAY 11TH JUNE 1981
The Nat West tower is opened by the Queen and becomes Europe’s tallest building in London.
FRIDAY 12TH JUNE 1981
Larry Holmes defeats Leon Spinks for the WBC heavyweight boxing title.
SATURDAY 13TH JUNE 1981
17-year old Marcus Serjeant has been arrested for shooting a replica gun at the Queen as she turned down Horseguards’ Parade on horseback, for the start of the “Trooping of the Colour” ceremony.
SUNDAY 14TH JUNE 1981
Novelist Danielle Steel marries John Traina.
MONDAY 15TH JUNE 1981
The first episode of the Thames Television ITV sitcom “Sorry, I’m A Stranger Here, Myself” is transmitted at 8.00 pm.
TUESDAY 16TH JUNE 1981
The Liberal Party and the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) plan to form an alliance.
WEDNESDAY 17TH JUNE 1981
Prince Charles visits New York City. 2,000 pro-Irish demonstrators protests outside Lincoln Center, where the Prince of Wales will attend the Royal Ballet Performance.
THURSDAY 18TH JUNE 1981
The world’s largest flag is unfurled in New York City.
FRIDAY 19TH JUNE 1981
George Washington’s false teeth are stolen from the Smithson Institute.
SATURDAY 20TH JUNE 1981
Local youths start rioting on a Peckham housing estate in south London.
SUNDAY 21ST JUNE 1981
One person dies and 16 people are injured at the Goodge Street station fire.
MONDAY 22ND JUNE 1981
Mark Chapman pleads guilty to shooting dead former Beatle John Lennon in New York. He killed the star on Monday 8th December 1980.
TUESDAY 23RD JUNE 1981
Actor and pop star Antony Costa, famous for being part of the group “Blue” is born in Edgware, Middlesex.
WEDNESDAY 24TH JUNE 1981
The Humber Bridge in Hull is opened to traffic. It will be officially opened by the Queen on Friday 17th July 1981.
THURSDAY 25TH JUNE 1981
British actress Sheridan Smith, who appeared in “Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps” and also “The Royle Family” is born.
FRIDAY 26TH JUNE 1981
East Midlands business leaders are to be given a say in the planning of syllabuses for the proposed 16 plus examinations. Plans to scrap the dual GCE O’Level and CSE system and replace them with the single examination came a stage nearer with the formation of the Midlands Examining Group.
SATURDAY 27TH JUNE 1981
Michael Jackson is number one in the charts with “One Day in Your Life”.
SUNDAY 28TH JUNE 1981
Arthur Reed, who was back in 1981 America’s oldest citizen, celebrated his 121st birthday. He died on Sunday 15th April 1984, aged 124.
MONDAY 29TH JUNE 1981
Morris Edwin Robert, who was armed with a machine gun, holds hostages in the FBI section in Atlanta, Georgia. He is shot three hours later after the hostages are freed.
TUESDAY 30TH JUNE 1981
Garret Fitzgerald is elected as Prime Minister of Ireland.
WEDNESDAY 1ST JULY 1981
As Lady Diana Spencer celebrates her 20th birthday, she says that she will not promise to obey Prince Charles when they marry at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 29th July 1981, it has been announced.
THURSDAY 2ND JULY 1981
Bjorn Borg defeats Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon and will meet John McEnroe in the final.
FRIDAY 3RD JULY 1981
Riots break out on the streets of Southall in south London.
SATURDAY 4TH JULY 1981
John McEnroe beats Bjorn Borg in the Wimbledon men’s final.
SUNDAY 5TH JULY 1981
Up to 30 police have been injured by 200 youths during a second might of rioting in Toxteth, Liverpool.
MONDAY 6TH JULY 1981
Sales of rude postcards have slumped in Skegness and worried Post Office officials are to organise a five-week campaign to persuade holiday visitors to send more postcards home.
TUESDAY 7TH JULY 1981
Princess Alexandra visits Nottingham to open the Institute of Hearing Research at Nottingham University; the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. She was also given a civic reception at Nottingham’s Council House.
WEDNESDAY 8TH JULY 1981
IRA Hunger striker Joe McDonnell has died after 61 days without food.
THURSDAY 9TH JULY 1981
Malcolm Anson, the chairman of the Imperial Tobacco Group has quit in a row over management policies.
FRIDAY 10TH JULY 1981
Riots are rife in Birmingham, Preston, Wolverhampton, Hull and Ellesmere Port.
SATURDAY 11TH JULY 1981
The Specials are number one in the charts with “Ghost Town”.
SUNDAY 12TH JULY 1981
“Allstars” member Rebecca Hunter is born in Northampton.
MONDAY 13TH JULY 1981
British Gas holds a 24-hour strike in protest at the British government’s plans to sell off 900 British Gas showrooms.
TUESDAY 14TH JULY 1981
The ATV logo that is used to introduce many ITV programmes is to disappear at the end of 1981. On New Year’s Day 1982, it will be replaced by Central Independent Television, it has been announced.
WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY 1981
Brixton experiences another bout of street violence.
THURSDAY 16TH JULY 1981
Singer and songwriter Harry Chapin is killed in a car accident, aged just 38.
FRIDAY 17TH JULY 1981
The Humber Bridge in Hull is officially opened by the Queen. It is the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world and it had been opened to traffic since Wednesday 24th June 1981.
SATURDAY 18TH JULY 1981
Nearly 200 people are in hospital in Dublin after a hunger strike demonstration turned violent.
SUNDAY 19TH JULY 1981
American actor Gene Autry marries Jacqueline Ellam.
MONDAY 20TH JULY 1981
Politician Michael Heseltine begins the probe into Liverpool’s inner-city problems.
TUESDAY 21ST JULY 1981
Ian Botham starts test cricket at Headingley in Leeds.
WEDNESDAY 22ND JULY 1981
Mehmet Ali Agca is sentenced to life imprisonment for the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II.
THURSDAY 23RD JULY 1981
British comedian Jim Davidson marries Julie Gullick. They later divorced in 1986.
FRIDAY 24TH JULY 1981
Prince Charles has admitted that he was caned at his first boarding school, a “Radio Times” article has revealed in an interview about his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer.
SATURDAY 25TH JULY 1981
Stores and supermarkets like Tesco and Safeway are stocking up on picnic items and convenience foods for the run up to the Royal Wedding on Wednesday 29th July 1981, local newspapers have reported.
SUNDAY 26TH JULY 1981
ITV transmits “Miss Universe 1981” at 2.30 pm. The contest was originally held in New York on Monday 20th July 1981. The winner was Miss Venezuela, otherwise known as 19-year-old Irene Saez Conde.
MONDAY 27TH JULY 1981
ITV transmits a special episode of “Coronation Street” at 7.30 pm, where Ken Barlow marries Deirdre Langton. Both characters had been married before. The vicar who conducted the service was not played by an actor, but someone who is actually a vicar in real life – the Reverend Frank Topping!
TUESDAY 28TH JULY 1981
Millions flock to Hyde Park to see the Royal Wedding of the Year and to watch the celebratory fireworks display. Many of them camped out of the procession route to St Paul’s Cathedral.
WEDNESDAY 29TH JULY 1981
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer are married at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Lady Diana is to be given the title of Diana, Princess of Wales. 600,000 people filled the streets of London and 750,000,000 people watched the wedding on television around the world, making it the most watched television broadcast so far. Over 28,000,000 people watched it on television in the United Kingdom, where it was broadcast on all terrestrial channels, while the date itself was marked as a national holiday. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie conducted the church service.
THURSDAY 30TH JULY 1981
Prince Charles and the newly named Princess Diana set off for their honeymoon on a Mediterranean Cruise.
FRIDAY 31ST JULY 1981
The House of Lords has rejected the government’s “short-sighted” plans to cut the BBC’s external services.
SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 1981
American music satellite channel MTV is launched. The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”, was the very first video to be played on the channel.
SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST 1981
Irish hunger striker Kieran Doherty dies aged 25.
MONDAY 3RD AUGUST 1981
Mafia chief Carlos Marcello is convicted in a FBI “BRILAB” sting operation.
TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST 1981
Actor Melvyn Douglas dies in New York aged 80.
WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST 1981
Olivia Newton John is awarded a “Gold Star” on Hollywood Boulevard.
THURSDAY 6TH AUGUST 1981
Ronald Reagan begins a month long holiday at California Ranch.
FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST 1981
Over 1,000,000 Solidarity members strike in Poland over food shortages.
SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 1981
“SCLUB7” pop singer Bradley McIntosh is born in London.
SUNDAY 9TH AUGUST 1981
32-year-old murderer Alan Reeve escapes from a hospital for the criminally insane; the second killer to do so in less than three weeks.
MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 1981
Ronald Reagan authorises production of the neutron bomb.
TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST 1981
Television South West, otherwise known as TSW, takes over Westward Television’s transmissions as the ITV company that serves the southwest, although they are still broadcasting as Westward by name and identity until New Year’s Day 1982 when the official launch of TSW takes place.
WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST 1981
An East German person successfully escapes across the Berlin Wall to West Germany.
THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST 1981
Thirteen people die when a helicopter ferrying gas rig workers crashes off the Norfolk coast.
FRIDAY 14TH AUGUST 1981
Karl Bohm, an Austrian conductor dies aged 86.
SATURDAY 15TH AUGUST 1981
Prince Charles and Princess Diana return from their Mediterranean Cruise honeymoon.
SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST 1981
New Zealand’s 13-0 defeat of Fiji sets the record for the highest score in World Cup soccer.
MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 1981
England retains “The Ashes” against Australia in cricket.
TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST 1981
Japan bans Californian fruit due to the medfly infestation.
WEDNESDAY 19TH AUGUST 1981
Jessie Matthews, a British actress and stage star of the 1920s and 1930s dies of cancer aged 74.
THURSDAY 20TH AUGUST 1981
The second Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election of the year takes place following the death of Bobby Sands. The first by-election took place on Thursday 9th April 1981.
FRIDAY 21ST AUGUST 1981
Owen Carron has been declared the winner of the second Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election of the year.
SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 1981
Violence in Belfast almost interrupts the funeral of IRA hunger striker Michael Devine taking place.
SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST 1981
The American Bankers Insurance Company offers the first anti-mugging insurance in Los Angeles.
MONDAY 24TH AUGUST 1981
Mark Chapman is jailed for life for murdering former Beatle John Lennon on Monday 8th December 1980. He had been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 1981
Voyager II reaches the vicinity of the planet Saturn.
WEDNESDAY 26TH AUGUST 1981
Pope John Paul II holds his first general audience at the Castel Gandolf residence, since his attempted assassination.
THURSDAY 27TH AUGUST 1981
Sirhan Sirhan, the imprisoned assassin of Robert F Kennedy, denies rumours that he intends to murder Ted Kennedy if he is paroled. The California state senator urges his eligibility for parole in 1984 to be cancelled.
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST 1981
John Hinckley Junior pleads innocent to attempting to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.
SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 1981
Aneka is number one in the charts with “Japanese Boy”. The singer was not Japanese or even Asian; she was actually born in Scotland and was a guest on the 1981 Hogmanay Show on New Year’s Eve!
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST 1981
The president of Iran, Mohammad Ali Rajai and his Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar are both assassinated in a bomb attack in Tehran.
MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 1981
A bomb explodes at the American army base in Reamstein in West Germany, injuring 20 people.
TUESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 1981
British garages start to sell fuel by the litre.
WEDNESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 1981
Baltimore police arrest a car thief who threatens Ronald Reagan’s life.
THURSDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 1981
Trevor Francis ended his 2½-year association with Nottingham Forest and manager Brian Clough by signing for Manchester City. 27-year old Francis became Britain’s first £1,000,000 footballer in 1979.
FRIDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The lead singer of 2000s pop group “Destiny’s Child”, Beyonce Knowles is born in Houston in Texas.
SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Soft Cell are number one in the charts with “Tainted Love”.
SUNDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The very first edition of “Sunday” magazine is published free with the News of the World.
MONDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Christy Brown, author of “My Left Foot” dies aged 49. She had be diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
TUESDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Leader of the Opposition Michael Foot made “behind the scenes” bids at the Trade Union congress in Blackpool to try and ensure that Tony Benn will not become his deputy.
WEDNESDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Margaret Thatcher said that she was not going to be “hustled” into a cabinet reshuffle, she said on BBC Radio Two’s “Jimmy Young Programme”.
THURSDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Picasso’s painting “Guernica” is moved from New York to Madrid.
FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The threat of fresh meat shortages is looming nationally because of a “work to rule” by British meat inspectors from Monday.
SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Elizabeth Ward from Arkansas is named Miss America 1981.
SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 1981
John McEnroe defeats Bjorn Borg in the American Open Tournament.
MONDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Marcus Serjeant, who fired blank shots at the Queen during a “trooping of the colour” ceremony earlier on in the year has pleaded guilty to a charge under the 1848 treason act and has been jailed for five years.
TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 1981
550 jobs are to go at cycle giant Raleigh, in what will be the biggest single blow the local industry for years.
WEDNESDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The Liberal Party assembly, meeting in Llandudno votes in favour of forming an electoral pact with the new Socialist Democratic Party (SDP).
THURSDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Ronald Reagan attends the opening of the Gerald Ford museum in Grand Rapids, near Michigan.
FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 1981
French president Francois Mitterand abolishes the guillotine.
SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Adam and the Ants are number one in the charts with “Prince Charming”.
SUNDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Belize declares its independence.
MONDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 1981
England cricketer Ian Botham appeared at Grimsby Crown Court charged with assaulting a Royal Naval apprentice mechanic outside a Scunthorpe nightclub.
TUESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 1981
Unemployment in Britain stands within a hairsbreadth of 3,000,000 after another 58,292 people joined the dole queue.
WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 1981
Nottinghamshire miners have decided to back Tony Benn for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party.
THURSDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER 1981
England cricketer Ian Botham has left Britain to join his family in Hollywood after being cleared of punching and kicking a young sailor.
FRIDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The Queen and Margaret Thatcher both visit Australia for a commonwealth conference.
SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The very first episode of “Game for a Laugh” is transmitted on ITV by London Weekend Television (LWT) at 6.10 pm. The original presenters were Henry Kelly, Sarah Kennedy, Matthew Kelly (no relation to Henry) and of course Jeremy Beadle.
SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Hollywood actor Robert Montgomery has died of cancer in New York aged 77.
MONDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The very first episode of “Bullseye” is transmitted on ITV at 7.00 pm by ATV in the Midlands. The darts quiz was presented by Jim Bowen for 12 years, assisted by darts scorer Tony Green.
TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 1981
Suzanne Shaw, who was a member of the early 2000s pop group “Hear’Say” and fiancé of Darren Day, is born.
WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 1981
The International Olympic Committee announces that the 1988 Summer Olympics will be held in Seoul in South Korea, while the 1988 Winter Games will be in Calgary, near Alberta in Canada.
THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER 1981
The auctioneers Christie’s auctions off the slippers that Judy Garland won in the film “The Wizard of Oz”.
FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER 1981
The International Olympic Committee admits two women as members.
SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER 1981
The IRA Maze hunger strikes come to an end in Belfast. A total of ten people have died in the strikes.
SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER 1981
Britain pledges reforms in the Maze Prison following the IRA’s halting of hunger strikes there.
MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER 1981
Margaret Thatcher launches an investigation in allegations that carmaker John De Lorean mishandled funds.
TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER 1981
Egyptian president Anwar El-Sadat has been assassinated by gunmen, who opened fire as he watched an aerial display as a military parade. Five of the attackers are sentenced to death in Cairo on Friday 5th March 1982.
WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER 1981
Defence secretary John Nott said in Bangkok that Britain was looking forward to training increased numbers of Thai officers and possibly other ranks.
THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER 1981
Princess Juliana Edenia Antonio of the Netherlands is born.
FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER 1981
Anatoly Karpov wins another game against Viktor Korchnoi in the World Chess Championship.
SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER 1981
The funeral for assassinated president Anwar El-Sadat is held in Cairo. He was assassinated on Tuesday 6th October 1981.
SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER 1981
Australian actor Beau Brady, who plays Noah Lawson in soap opera “Home and Away”, is born.
MONDAY 12TH OCTOBER 1981
British Leyland announces the closure of three plants, employing 2,850 people.
TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER 1981
West German Chancellor Helmut Schmitt is to have a pacemaker implanted.
WEDNESDAY 14TH OCTOBER 1981
A Chinese submarine explodes, while attempting a missile launch in the South China Sea.
THURSDAY 15TH OCTOBER 1981
Police tightened security around the Queen and Prince Philip after a mystery explosion in New Zealand the day before, when they dined with Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.
FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER 1981
Margaret Thatcher defends the economy at the annual Conservative Party conference.
SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER 1981
Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin are number one in the charts with “It’s My Party”.
SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 1981
Huddersfield’s town hall celebrates its 100th birthday.
MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER 1981
Kenichi Fukui and Raold Hoffman win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER 1981
The pre-trial hearing for John Hinckley, the “would-be” assassin of Ronald Reagan takes place.
WEDNESDAY 21ST OCTOBER 1981
Ronald Reagan departs for a north-south summit in Cancun.
THURSDAY 22ND OCTOBER 1981
The Croydon North West by-election takes place.
FRIDAY 23RD OCTOBER 1981
An earthquake is reported near Los Angeles.
SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER 1981
250,000 people march through London to protest over the sting of nuclear missiles in the United Kingdom. The rally was organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
SUNDAY 25TH OCTOBER 1981
Footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, who joined Nottingham Forest’s youth academy in 1997, was released by the club for being “too small” a year later, is born in London.
MONDAY 26TH OCTOBER 1981
Kenneth Howarth, a bomb disposal expert is killed in a Wimpy fast food restaurant in London’s Oxford Street while attempting to defuse an IRA bomb.
TUESDAY 27TH OCTOBER 1981
Radio West, the independent local radio station for the Bristol area goes on the air for the very first time at 6.00 am with David Cash being the first presenter to be heard on the air. It was later renamed Great Western Radio, or GWR in the mid 1980s.
WEDNESDAY 28TH OCTOBER 1981
A Rubik’s Cube competition is held in Paris in France.
THURSDAY 29TH OCTOBER 1981
Actress Barbara Stanwyck was hit over the head and pushed into a cupboard by a burglar who stole about £2,800 worth of jewellery from her home in California, police have said. The 74-year old actress was treated for minor cuts at Cedars Sinai Hospital.
FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER 1981
Nicholas Reed, the secretary of the United Kingdom’s pro-euthanasia group “Exit” has been jailed for 2½ years for aiding and abetting an assisted suicide.
SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER 1981
ITN newscaster Anna Ford and her new husband are spending the weekend in the country after marrying in secret at a London register office.
SUNDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 1981
British Leyland’s 58,000 workers go on strike over pay.
MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 1981
Citizen’s Band Radio becomes legal in the United Kingdom.
TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 1981
World Snooker champion Steve Davis had to flee a gang of skinheads in Belfast. They tried to kick him as he signed autographs before being driven off in a car, which was also attacked. He was also spat at. He escaped unhurt, but was “badly shaken” by the incident.
WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 1981
There is a delay in the launch of the space shuttle Columbia due to technical problems being announced.
THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 1981
On their 100th day of marriage, Prince Charles and Princess Diana announce that they are expecting a baby. The baby, which was later named William became second in line to throne and was born on Monday 21st June 1982.
FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 1981
The Queen opens the Tyne and Wear Metro system in the northeast.
SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 1981
A man challenges Californian law, which excludes males from commission on women’s rights.
SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 1981
English footballer Joe Cole, who played football for Chelsea and West Ham United, is born in Islington, north London.
MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 1981
Earthquakes are reported in Southern China and Siberia.
TUESDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 1981
Astronauts return to Cape Canaveral for the scheduled launch of space shuttle Columbia.
WEDNESDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 1981
Comedy double act Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball are Eamonn Andrews’ star guests on the Thames Television programme “This is Your Life” on ITV at 7.00 pm.
THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 1981
The Church of England’s general Synod votes to allow women to take holy orders.
FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER 1981
The balloon “Double Eagle V” makes a successful crossing of the Pacific Ocean.
SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 1981
The space shuttle Columbia is forced to cut short its flight due to cell failure.
SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER 1981
Anti-nuclear demonstrations are reported across America.
MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 1981
John Hinckley Junior, who was charged with the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, fails a suicide attempt.
TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 1981
“Girls Aloud” band member Sarah Harding is born.
WEDNESDAY 18TH NOVEMBER 1981
England qualifies for the 1982 World Cup finals. The result was England 1 – Hungary 0.
THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 1981
Nine people were injured with skin burns in an explosion at a foods processing factory at Banbury in Oxfordshire.
FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 1981
“Girls Aloud” band member Kimberley Walsh is born.
SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 1981
Queen and David Bowie are both at number one in the charts with their hit “Under Presure”.
SUNDAY 22ND NOVEMBER 1981
“A1” band member Ben Adams is born in Middlesex.
MONDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 1981
“Grange Hill” actress Laura Hammett is born.
TUESDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 1981
The first air-launched cruise missile test is launched.
WEDNESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 1981
Lord Scarman’s inquiry into the Brixton Riots blames racial tension, the report criticised police and government.
THURSDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 1981
Pop singer Natasha Bedingfield is born in London.
FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 1981
“Hollyoaks” and “Footballer’s Wives” actor Gary Lucy is born.
SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 1981
Terrorist bombings are reported in Northern Ireland and Puerto Rico.
SUNDAY 29TH NOVEMBER 1981
Actress Natalie Wood is found dead after drowning aged 43.
MONDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 1981
Astronauts Jack Lousma and Gordon Fullerton are the named crew for the third flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia.
TUESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 1981
178 people are dead after a Yugoslav DC-9 crashes in France.
WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER 1981
The cost of a colour television licence rises £12 to £46, while a monochrome television licence rises £3 to £15.
THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER 1981
“Abba” group member Benny Andersson marries Mona Norkit.
FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER 1981
The government is to increase its support for the arts by more than 8% in 1982. The figures were released by arts minister Paul Channon show a rise in the overall grant from £178,700,000 to £193,600,000 for 1982-1983.
SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER 1981
Julio Iglesias is number one in the charts with “Begin the Beguine – (Volver a Empezar)”
SUNDAY 6TH DECEMBER 1981
Martina Navratilova defeats Chris Evert Lloyd at the Australian Open.
MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER 1981
Central Independent Television, the new ITV company, which starts transmission for the East Midlands from Giltbrook on Friday 1st January 1982, denied BBC claims that half its potential viewers will need to spend up to £30 to have their aerials realigned.
TUESDAY 8TH DECEMBER 1981
Arthur Scargill is elected as President of the National Union of Mineworkers.
WEDNESDAY 9TH DECEMBER 1981
Michael Heseltine announces £95,000,000 for British inner cities.
THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER 1981
A virus that was later known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS is being discovered in homosexual men. It is causing increasing concern in America.
FRIDAY 11TH DECEMBER 1981
Muhammed Ali’s 61st and final fight saw him to lose to Trevor Berbick.
SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER 1981
The Human League is number one in the charts with “Don’t You Want Me?” This became the Christmas number one for 1981.
SUNDAY 13TH DECEMBER 1981
Poland’s military rulers have declared a state of emergency after imposing martial law and placing leaders of the Solidarity trade union under arrest.
MONDAY 14TH DECEMBER 1981
Israel announces plans to annex The Golan Heights, captured from Syria in 1973.
TUESDAY 15TH DECEMBER 1981
The Automobile Association, or AA has warned that there will be more ice on the way. The bad weather had brought minor crashes on the roads and sub zero temperatures were expected with the possibility of freezing fog earlier on in the week saw fresh snowfalls for much of Britain.
WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 1981
Eight people are dead after a Cornish lifeboat is sunk at Penlee.
THURSDAY 17TH DECEMBER 1981
More snow and showers are on the way, warn Britain’s weathermen. They forecast freezing temperatures and wintry showers, especially near the east coast for the weekend.
FRIDAY 18TH DECEMBER 1981
The Special Delegate Conference of the National Union of Mineworkers today overwhelmingly voted to reject the National Coal Board’s 10.5% offer and to ballot members taking strike action, if necessary.
SATURDAY 19TH DECEMBER 1981
“Allstars” band member Sam Bloom is born in Manchester.
SUNDAY 20TH DECEMBER 1981
A separate search is underway for eight members of an RNLI lifeboat crew, which is missing and feared dead off the Cornish coast.
MONDAY 21ST DECEMBER 1981
The England Football Team’s mascot, “Bulldog Bobby” is likely to be left out of the England manager Ron Green’s squad for the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain. Sports minister Neil Macfarlane wants the caricature sidelined by the Football Association, as he fears it will incite trouble and encourage England’s hooligan element.
TUESDAY 22ND DECEMBER 1981
Actress Elizabeth Taylor has been separated from her sixth husband, Senator John Warner after five years of marriage.
WEDNESDAY 23RD DECEMBER 1981
Aidan David, the cute actor who played the sexy Jason Forster in the television drama Casualty is born. Jason Forster is famous for his black tracksuit bottoms and his arse while climbing over a fence in the episode Second Best.
THURSDAY 24TH DECEMBER 1981
Ronald Reagan denounced Russia as a force of tyranny in Poland, and he called on all Americans to burn a candle in their windows to support “the brave Polish people”.
FRIDAY 25TH DECEMBER 1981
Larry Grayson and Isla St Clair appear in their final “Generation Game”, just after the Queen’s Christmas Message on BBC 1 at 3.15 pm, while Kiri Te Kanawa is Eamonn Andrews’ star guest in Thames Television’s “This is Your Life” on ITV at 5.15 pm, which was also the final Thames programme to go out after 5.15 pm on a Friday. Christmas Day also marked the very last time that London Weekend Television took over from Thames in London at 7.00 pm on a Friday, because as of next Friday, which was New Year’s Day, 1982, LWT took over from Thames at 5.15 pm instead, with “Play Your Cards Right” being the first LWT programme to be transmitted at 5.15 pm.
SATURDAY 26TH DECEMBER 1981
The final Saturday morning edition of “Tiswas” to be made by ATV is transmitted. Central Independent Television took over from ATV on New Year’s Day 1982.
SUNDAY 27TH DECEMBER 1981
Pianist Hoagy Carmichael has died from a heart attack aged 82.
MONDAY 28TH DECEMBER 1981
Hollywood actress Sienna Miller is born.
TUESDAY 29TH DECEMBER 1981
Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough was looking forward to being discharged from hospital after being diagnosed with a mystery illness, so he can spend a happy new year with his family.
WEDNESDAY 30TH DECEMBER 1981
Nottingham Forest striker Justin Fashanu escaped injury when his car was involved in a collision with a bus on the Friar Lane roundabout at the top of Maid Marian Way in Nottingham.
THURSDAY 31ST DECEMBER 1981
ATV in the Midlands, Southern Television in the south and Westward Television in the southwest are to go off the air at just after midnight for the last time after over 20 years’ broadcasting. They will be replaced by Central Independent Television in the midlands, Television South or TVS in the south and Television South West or TSW in the southwest at about 9.30 am on Friday 1st January 1982.