Step back in time: to 1963
Take a trip down memory lane with a nostalgic look back at 1963.
Welcome back to all the excitement of the Swinging Sixties; Beatlemania was beginning to take hold just as the snow thawed from the worst winter in more than twenty years.
The 60s were a time of optimism and change around the world and a golden age for fashion, art and music – mid-way through the decade we can already see some of the exciting changes begin to come about.
So grab a cuppa and step back in time with us to 1963…
Pop Culture
Popular Culture offers a glimpse into the lives of people and the big and little things that made up the everyday. Here’s a snapshot of life and pop culture in 1963.
The price of things: In 1963 a gallon of petrol cost 5 shillings.
A brand new Ford Cortina car cost £675. The average house price in Great Britain in 1963 is £3,160.
Lawrence of Arabia wins Best Picture at the 35th Academy Awards.
22 March – The Beatles release their first album, Please Please Me and Beatlemania begins to take hold across Britain. The album holds an unbroken 30-week spell at the top of the charts, and is replaced only by the group’s second album, With the Beatles.
The Sindy fashion doll is first released in stores.
23 November – The first-ever episode of cult classic Dr Who is broadcast on BBC Television.
The Astro lava lamp is launched by Edward Craven-Walker, and goes on to enjoy enormous success in homes around the country.
American Express introduces credit cards into the UK.
Mop top hair, made famous by the Beatles and other musicians of this era, becomes a popular hairstyle with young men around the country.
World Events
1963 wasn’t just an important year in Britain. Here’s a look at some of the most significant events that took place in 1963 around the globe.
Winter 1963 – Britain has the worst winter in nearly 20 years. Low temperatures mean snow is on the ground until April in some areas.
March 1963 – The Duke and Duchess of Argyll divorce in a highly-publicised and salacious case. Suspecting his wife of an affair, the Duke hires a private investigator to break into a locked cupboard while the Duchess is away from home, where he finds nude photographs of her and another man, believed to be the Minister of Defence Duncan Sandys.
6 April – The Polaris Sales Agreement with the United States leads to the commencement of construction of nuclear submarine facilities at Faslane Naval Base.
8 August – The infamous Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire. A Royal Mail train heading between Glasgow and London is apprehended by a 15-strong gang of robbers, the group stole over £2.6 million and fled to Leatherslade Farm. Evidence recovered there would lead to the arrest and conviction of most of the gang.
10 October – After seven years, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan announces his resignation tat the age of 69 on the grounds of ill health.
22 November – American President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas while travelling with his wife in a presidential motorcade.
Sporting Moments
From big upsets to big wins, here are some of the most significant moments to take place in sport in 1963.
11 May – Everton F.C. win the Football League First Division title.
1 May – Tottenham Hotspur become the first British football team to win a European trophy at the European Cup Winners’ Cup after a 5-1 win over Atlético Madrid in Rotterdam.
Famous Births
Some big personalities came into the world in 1963. Here’s a few of the famous faces born this year.
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- 16 January – James May
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- 26 January – Jose Mourinho
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- 25 June – George Michael
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- 30 July – Lisa Kudrow
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- 9 August – Whitney Houston
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- 3 November – Ian Wright
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- 10 November – Hugh Bonneville
Music
Nothing takes us back like music; these were some of the best-selling artists and most popular songs on the radio in 1963.
Best selling single of the year: The Beatles – From Me to You
Christmas number 1: The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand
Other popular songs
Gerry and the Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone
Cliff Richards & The Shadows – Summer Holiday
How old were you in 1963? Does this timeline bring back any memories?
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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