Look Back To 1968: What Happened That Year

Manchester United in Europe, Dad's Army and a year of protest.

Here's 1968 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 1968

• The Beatles' 'Hey Jude' was the year's best-selling single.
• Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World' was number one for four weeks in the spring.
• The Scaffold's 'Lily the Pink' was number one at Christmas.

In the news in 1968

• Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in April and Robert Kennedy in June.
• Student protests spread across Europe, with demonstrations in Grosvenor Square in March and October.
• The Ronan Point tower block partially collapsed in May.

On screen in 1968

• Dad's Army began on 31 July.
• 2001: A Space Odyssey and Oliver! were the films of the year.
• Blue Peter and Magpie split the after-school audience.

In sport in 1968

• Manchester United beat Benfica at Wembley in May to become the first English club to win the European Cup.
• Britain won five golds at the Mexico Olympics, including David Hemery in the 400 metres hurdles.
• Manchester City won the league.

Everyday life in 1968

• The first and second class post system began in September.
• Decimal five and ten new pence coins entered circulation ahead of 1971.
• Hot pants, maxi coats and long hair were all arriving at once.

If you were born in 1968

• Anyone born in 1968 is the same age as Dad's Army.
• They were born the year Manchester United won the European Cup.
• Anyone born in 1968 turns 30 in 1998, 40 in 2008, 50 in 2018, 60 in 2028 and 70 in 2038.
• 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 1969
• Look back to 1967
• Look back to 1966
• Look back to 1965
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• 1960s party playlist
• Playground games by region
• Knock down ginger
• Conkers rules
• Marbles rules
• School dinners we all remember
• 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 1950s: 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
• Funny Father's Day cards
• Mother's Day gifts
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

When did Dad's Army start?

31 July 1968, on BBC One.

What was the Christmas number one in 1968?

'Lily the Pink' by the Scaffold.

How old is someone born in 1968?

Subtract 1968 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2008, 50 in 2018, 60 in 2028 and 70 in 2038.

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.