Look Back To 1935: What Happened That Year

The Silver Jubilee, the first driving tests and the 30mph limit.

Here's 1935 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.

Popular music in 1935

• 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Begin the Beguine' were written this year.
• Gracie Fields and George Formby were the two biggest box office draws in Britain.
• Dance halls were the standard Saturday night out.

In the news in 1935

• George V's Silver Jubilee was celebrated on 6 May with street parties across the country.
• Driving tests became compulsory for new drivers in June.
• Stanley Baldwin became Prime Minister in June and won the November election.
• The Cat's Eye road stud was invented by Percy Shaw.

On screen in 1935

• The 39 Steps was released.
• Penguin Books launched in July and changed what people read on the bus.
• The BBC was preparing its television service for the following year.

In sport in 1935

• Arsenal won a third consecutive league title.
• Sheffield Wednesday won the FA Cup.
• Malcolm Campbell exceeded 300mph at Bonneville.

Everyday life in 1935

• Jubilee mugs, bunting and street teas were the model for every celebration since.
• Suburban semis with bay windows were going up in their hundreds of thousands.
• Sixpenny Penguins made paperback books a mass product.

If you were born in 1935

• Anyone born in 1935 was four when the war began.
• They were born in George V's Silver Jubilee year.
• Anyone born in 1935 turns 30 in 1965, 40 in 1975, 50 in 1985, 60 in 1995 and 70 in 2005.
• For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
• For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.

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How to write it so it lands

• The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
• Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
• Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.

Where to shop next

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Frequently asked questions

When was George V's Silver Jubilee?

6 May 1935, marking twenty-five years on the throne.

When did Penguin Books start?

July 1935, selling paperbacks for sixpence.

How old is someone born in 1935?

Subtract 1935 from the current year. They turn 40 in 1975, 50 in 1985, 60 in 1995 and 70 in 2005.

Do you sell anything to do with this year?

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