Events in British History
Events 201 - 231 of 231
Event of Interest
1981-05-05 After 66 days on hunger strike, 26-year-old Provisional IRA member and British MP Bobby Sands dies in Prison Maze. Nine more hunger strikers die in the next 3 months.
- 1982-04-02 Several thousand Argentine troops invade and seize the Falkland Islands from the United Kingdom
- 1982-05-02 Falklands War: Argentine cruiser General Belgrano is sunk by British submarine HMS Conqueror, killing more than 350 men
Argentine Soldiers Surrender in the Falklands
1982-06-14 Argentina surrenders to the United Kingdom, ending the 74-day Falklands Islands conflict
Torvill and Dean's Perfect Score
1984-02-14 Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously dominate the ice dancing at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics; perform to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" in free dance routine; record 9-of-9 perfect scores for artistic impression [1]
- 1986-10-27 British government deregulates financial markets in a "Big Bang", enhancing London's status as a financial capital while increasing income inequality
Event of Interest
1987-06-11 Margaret Thatcher is the first British Prime Minister in 160 years to win a third consecutive term
- 1988-05-24 Section 28 passed as law by Parliament in the United Kingdom prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality. Repealed 2001/2004
"A Bit of Fry and Laurie"
1989-01-13 British comedy sketch show series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie debuts on BBC1
Latest Wonder of the World
1990-12-01 British and French workers meet in the middle of the Channel Tunnel under the English Channel
Cracker
1993-09-27 British crime series "Cracker" created by Jimmy McGovern starring Robbie Coltrane debuts on ITV in the UK
- 1994-11-30 Beatles' 1st album in 25 years, "Live at the BBC", is released in Britain
Back for Good
1995-03-27 "Back for Good" single released by British boy band Take That, reaches No. 1 in 31 countries
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
1995-10-02 British band Oasis release their second studio album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?", sells record 347,000 copies 1st week
- 1996-07-03 UK House of Commons announces that the Stone of Scone, aka the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish (and subsequently English and British monarchs), will be returned to Scotland after 700 years in Westminster Abbey
Wannabe
1996-07-08 British girls group the Spice Girls release their debut single "Wannabe" in the UK
- 1997-06-30 British lease on the New Territories in Hong Kong expires, established by the Second Convention of Peking
- 1997-07-01 United Kingdom returns Hong Kong and the New Territories to the People's Republic of China
- 1998-04-10 The Good Friday Agreement [Belfast Agreement] for Northern Ireland is signed by the British and Irish governments
- 1998-12-16 Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox - the United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq to degrade its ability to produce, store, maintain, and deliver weapons of mass destruction
Invasion of Iraq
2003-03-19 Airstrikes by an American and British-led coalition signal the beginning of the Invasion of Iraq, without United Nations support and in defiance of world opinion
- 2005-02-07 Britain's Ellen MacArthur becomes the then fastest person to sail solo around the world, taking 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds
- 2007-07-31 Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland comes to an end, longest-running British Army operation ever
St. Cuthbert Gospel
2012-04-17 The 8th century St. Cuthbert Gospel, Europe's oldest intact book, is purchased by the British Library for 9 million pounds
London Olympics Opening Ceremony
2012-07-27 Queen Elizabeth II opens the 30th Olympics in London, United Kingdom (with some help from 007)
- 2015-08-21 1st British unmanned drone hit on a UK citizen outside a conflict - ISIS fighter Reyaad Khan in Raqqa, Syria
- 2015-09-09 Queen Elizabeth II becomes Great Britain's longest-reigning monarch at 63 years and seven months, beating the previous record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria
Britain Votes for Brexit
2016-06-23 United Kingdom votes in the Brexit referendum to leave the European Union
- 2019-03-25 British Airways flight from London mistakenly flies to Edinburgh, Scotland instead of Düsseldorf, Germany when wrong flight plan submitted
Johnson's Landslide Win
2019-12-12 British General Election won by Boris Johnson's Conservative Party in landslide win with 80 seat majority. Scottish National Party also wins 48 of 59 seats in Scotland.
Lewis Hamilton
2020-11-15 British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton clinches 4th straight and record equalling 7th F1 World Drivers C'ship by winning Turkish GP at Intercity Istanbul Park, Tuzla
Ada Lovelace
Alan Sugar
Alan Turing
Aldous Huxley
Alec Guinness
Alec Issigonis