Look Back To 1956: What Happened That Year

Suez, Elvis arriving in the chart and the start of skiffle.

Here's 1956 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.

In the charts in 1956

• Elvis Presley reached the UK chart for the first time with 'Heartbreak Hotel'.
• Lonnie Donegan's 'Rock Island Line' launched the skiffle boom.
• Johnnie Ray's 'Just Walkin' in the Rain' was number one at Christmas.

In the news in 1956

• The Suez crisis in the autumn led to petrol rationing that lasted into 1957.
• The Clean Air Act was passed after the Great Smog.
• Calder Hall, the world's first commercial nuclear power station, opened in October.
• The Hungarian uprising was crushed in November.

On screen in 1956

• Rock Around the Clock in cinemas led to seats being ripped out in some towns.
• Look Back in Anger opened at the Royal Court in May and the angry young men arrived.
• The Goon Show was still the biggest thing on radio.

In sport in 1956

• Manchester United won the league with the young side that became the Busby Babes.
• Manchester City's Bert Trautmann played on in the FA Cup final with a broken neck.
• Jim Laker took nineteen wickets in a Test against Australia at Old Trafford.

Everyday life in 1956

• Skiffle groups formed in front rooms with washboards and tea chest basses.
• Petrol coupons returned in December.
• Premium Bonds were introduced in November.

If you were born in 1956

• Anyone born in 1956 was born the year Elvis first charted in Britain.
• They arrived in the Suez year, with petrol rationing returning that Christmas.
• Anyone born in 1956 turns 30 in 1986, 40 in 1996, 50 in 2006, 60 in 2016 and 70 in 2026.
• 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.

Shop birthday cards

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

• Look back to 1959
• Look back to 1958
• Look back to 1957
• Look back to 1955
• Look back to 1954
• Look back to 1953
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• 1950s party playlist
• Wartime and 1950s party games
• Playground games by region
• Clapping games and skipping rhymes
• Seaside and beach games
• Sweets that disappeared
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors by era
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Milestone birthday cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was Elvis Presley's first UK hit?

'Heartbreak Hotel', which entered the UK chart in 1956.

What was Jim Laker's record?

Nineteen wickets in a single Test match, against Australia at Old Trafford in July 1956 - still unmatched.

How old is someone born in 1956?

Subtract 1956 from the current year. They turn 40 in 1996, 50 in 2006, 60 in 2016 and 70 in 2026.

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.