Look Back To 1970: What Happened That Year

England defended the World Cup, the Beatles ended and eighteen-year-olds got the vote.

Here's 1970 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 1970

• 'The Wonder of You' by Elvis Presley and 'In the Summertime' by Mungo Jerry were two of the year's biggest sellers.
• The Beatles released Let It Be and announced their split in April.
• Dave Edmunds' 'I Hear You Knocking' was the Christmas number one.

In the news in 1970

• Edward Heath won the June general election.
• The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.
• The Isle of Wight Festival in August drew a crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands.

On screen in 1970

• Colour television licences were still new and most viewing was in black and white.
• Monty Python's Flying Circus was in its second series.
• Tomorrow's World and Blue Peter ran through the schedules.

In sport in 1970

• England were knocked out of the World Cup by West Germany in the quarter-final in Mexico.
• Chelsea beat Leeds United in an FA Cup final replay.
• Tony Jacklin won the US Open.

Everyday life in 1970

• The Chopper bike was launched in Britain and became the object of every playground argument.
• Pounds, shillings and pence were still in use, with decimalisation a year away.
• The Ford Cortina Mk III arrived.

If you were born in 1970

• Anyone born in 1970 was born the year the Beatles split.
• They were six during the 1976 heatwave and seven for the Silver Jubilee.
• Anyone born in 1970 turns 30 in 2000, 40 in 2010, 50 in 2020, 60 in 2030 and 70 in 2040.
• 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 1973
• Look back to 1972
• Look back to 1971
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• 1970s party playlist
• 70s kids' TV shows
• 70s quiz questions
• British Bulldog rules
• Kerby rules
• Sweets that disappeared
• Test card, Ceefax and three channels
• 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 1960s: 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
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

When did the Beatles split up?

Paul McCartney announced he was leaving in April 1970, and the band's break-up was formalised over the following two years.

What was the Christmas number one in 1970?

'I Hear You Knocking' by Dave Edmunds.

How old is someone born in 1970?

Subtract 1970 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2010, 50 in 2020, 60 in 2030 and 70 in 2040.

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.