1930s Calendar: Every Year, Events, TV And Music

The 1930s in order, one year at a time.

Each year below gives the headline event, what people were watching and what they were listening to, with a link to the full page for that year.

Good for a quiz round, a reminiscence session or working out what to put in a milestone birthday card.

1930

• 1930 - The R101 disaster, rising unemployment and Amy Johnson flying to Australia.
• News: Amy Johnson flew solo from England to Australia in May.
• Screen: Talking pictures had taken over the cinemas within two years of arriving.
• Music: Dance bands led by Jack Hylton and Ambrose dominated the ballrooms and the wireless.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1930

1931

• 1931 - The National Government, the gold standard abandoned and the means test.
• News: A financial crisis led to the formation of a National Government in August.
• Screen: Cinema was the cheapest night out and the most popular.
• Music: Noel Coward's songs and the dance bands were the mainstream.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1931

1932

• 1932 - Broadcasting House opened, the Empire Service began and hunger marches reached London.
• News: The BBC Empire Service, later the World Service, began on 19 December.
• Screen: The BBC made experimental television broadcasts using the Baird system.
• Music: Henry Hall took over the BBC Dance Orchestra in March.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1932

1933

• 1933 - Bodyline, the first Loch Ness photograph and the opening of the Tube map.
• News: Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January.
• Screen: King Kong and The Private Life of Henry VIII were released.
• Music: 'Stormy Weather' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1933

1934

• 1934 - Driving tests announced, Belisha beacons and the Queen Mary being built.
• News: The Road Traffic Act introduced a 30mph limit in built-up areas and compulsory driving tests from 1935.
• Screen: The Man Who Knew Too Much and It Happened One Night were released.
• Music: 'Blue Moon' and 'Anything Goes' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1934

1935

• 1935 - The Silver Jubilee, the first driving tests and the 30mph limit.
• News: George V's Silver Jubilee was celebrated on 6 May with street parties across the country.
• Screen: The 39 Steps was released.
• Music: 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Begin the Beguine' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1935

1936

• 1936 - Three kings in one year, the Jarrow March, Butlin's and the first television service.
• News: George V died in January; Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December and George VI became King.
• Screen: The BBC began the world's first regular high-definition television service on 2 November, from Alexandra Palace.
• Music: 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'Pennies from Heaven' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1936

1937

• 1937 - The coronation of George VI, the Hindenburg and the first Billy Butlin summer.
• News: George VI was crowned on 12 May and the coronation was televised in part - the BBC's first outside broadcast of that scale.
• Screen: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in December in America and reached Britain the next year.
• Music: 'A Foggy Day' and 'Whistle While You Work' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1937

1938

• 1938 - Munich, gas masks and the Holidays with Pay Act.
• News: Neville Chamberlain returned from Munich on 30 September with the agreement he called peace for our time.
• Screen: The Lady Vanishes was released.
• Music: 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and 'Jeepers Creepers' were written this year.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1938

1939

• 1939 - Evacuation, the blackout, the declaration of war and television going off air.
• News: Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September, after the invasion of Poland on 1 September.
• Screen: BBC television closed at noon on 1 September and did not return until 1946.
• Music: Vera Lynn recorded 'We'll Meet Again' in the autumn.
• Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1939

Pop culture milestones of the 1930s

• 1930 - Talking pictures had taken over the cinemas within two years of arriving. Dance bands led by Jack Hylton and Ambrose dominated the ballrooms and the wireless.
• 1931 - Cinema was the cheapest night out and the most popular. Noel Coward's songs and the dance bands were the mainstream.
• 1932 - The BBC made experimental television broadcasts using the Baird system. Henry Hall took over the BBC Dance Orchestra in March.
• 1933 - King Kong and The Private Life of Henry VIII were released. 'Stormy Weather' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' were written this year.
• 1934 - The Man Who Knew Too Much and It Happened One Night were released. 'Blue Moon' and 'Anything Goes' were written this year.
• 1935 - The 39 Steps was released. 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Begin the Beguine' were written this year.
• 1936 - The BBC began the world's first regular high-definition television service on 2 November, from Alexandra Palace. 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'Pennies from Heaven' were written this year.
• 1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in December in America and reached Britain the next year. 'A Foggy Day' and 'Whistle While You Work' were written this year.
• 1938 - The Lady Vanishes was released. 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and 'Jeepers Creepers' were written this year.
• 1939 - BBC television closed at noon on 1 September and did not return until 1946. Vera Lynn recorded 'We'll Meet Again' in the autumn.

Holidays and annual dates

• 1 January - New Year's Day, a bank holiday across the UK (2 January too in Scotland).
• 25 January - Burns Night.
• 14 February - Valentine's Day.
• 1 March - St David's Day.
• 17 March - St Patrick's Day.
• Mothering Sunday - the fourth Sunday of Lent, so it moves with Easter (March, sometimes late February).
• Good Friday and Easter Monday - the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March sets the date.
• 23 April - St George's Day.
• First Monday in May - the early May bank holiday (added in 1978).
• Last Monday in May - the spring bank holiday (fixed to that Monday in 1971).
• Third Sunday in June - Father's Day.
• 12 July - a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
• First Monday in August - the summer bank holiday in Scotland.
• Last Monday in August - the summer bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• 31 October - Halloween.
• 5 November - Bonfire Night.
• 11 November - Armistice Day, with Remembrance Sunday on the second Sunday of the month.
• 30 November - St Andrew's Day, a bank holiday in Scotland.
• 25 and 26 December - Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
• 31 December - New Year's Eve, Hogmanay in Scotland.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• For a guess-the-year round, read the three lines for a year and hide the date.
• For a card, use the year they were born rather than the decade.
• In a reminiscence session, stop on whatever gets a reaction rather than finishing the list.

Where to shop next

• 1930s history: events, politics and culture
• 1930s music: songs, genres and trends
• 1930s films and directors
• 1930s books, films and TV
• 1930s books: novels and authors
• 1930s art: artists and styles
• 1930s fashion: styles, designers and trends
• 1930s food: dishes, restaurants and trends
• 1930s travel: destinations and holidays
• 1930s technology: gadgets and computers
• 1930s shopping guide: what to buy
• 1930s games: board, card and video
• 1930s trivia: fun facts
• 1930s quiz: questions and answers
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The decade before: the 1920s
• The decade after: the 1940s
• All decade guides in one place
• Card messages by occasion: every guide in one place
• Card hub: cards, badges and messages by occasion
• Decade history by era
• Decade calendars: every year from 1920
• Decade music: songs, genres and trends
• Decade films: best movies and directors
• Decade books: novels, authors and reading trends
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends
• Decade fashion: styles, designers and trends
• Decade food: dishes, restaurants and eating trends
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays
• Decade technology: gadgets and computers
• Decade shopping guides
• Decade games: board, card and video games by era
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade quizzes: questions and answers by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade quiz: test your memory
• Shop art prints and posters
• Shop greetings cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Shop funny cards
• Milestone birthday cards
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Look back to 1930
• Look back to 1931
• Look back to 1932
• Look back to 1933
• Look back to 1934
• Look back to 1935
• Look back to 1936
• Look back to 1937
• Look back to 1938
• Look back to 1939
• Victorian and vintage parlour games
• Village fete and church hall games
• Traditional British party games
• Seaside and beach games
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Funny Father's Day cards
• Good luck cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1930s?

The R101 disaster, rising unemployment and Amy Johnson flying to Australia. The calendar above runs through every year from 1930 to 1939, with the main event, the television and film, and the music for each one.

What was on television in the 1930s?

Each year on this page lists what people were watching that year. For the full television and film picture, open the year page itself.

Where do these facts come from?

They are the same checked facts used on our year pages - real, dateable events only. The official UK singles chart begins in November 1952, so earlier years list popular songs rather than chart positions.

Do you sell anything to do with this decade?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page is free to read and free to copy.