Look Back To 1981: What Happened That Year

A royal wedding, riots in several cities and the first London Marathon.

Here's 1981 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 1981

• Adam and the Ants were the biggest chart act of the year, with 'Stand and Deliver' and 'Prince Charming' both reaching number one.
• Soft Cell's 'Tainted Love' was one of the year's biggest sellers.
• The Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' was the Christmas number one.

In the news in 1981

• Charles, Prince of Wales, married Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral on 29 July, and the day was a public holiday.
• There were riots in Brixton in April and Toxteth in July.
• Unemployment passed two and a half million during the year.

On screen in 1981

• Only Fools and Horses began in September, quietly, to small audiences.
• Brideshead Revisited ran on ITV and was the television event of the year.
• Raiders of the Lost Ark and Chariots of Fire were the films everyone saw.

In sport in 1981

• The first London Marathon was run on 29 March.
• Ian Botham's Ashes: his innings at Headingley turned a Test England were expected to lose.
• Tottenham Hotspur won the FA Cup after a replay, with Ricky Villa's goal.

Everyday life in 1981

• The ZX81 home computer went on sale and sold in enormous numbers by the standards of the time.
• Royal wedding souvenir mugs and tins ended up in every kitchen cupboard in the country.
• The video recorder was still a rented item for most households.

If you were born in 1981

• Anyone born in 1981 shares a birth year with the first London Marathon.
• They arrived the same summer as the Charles and Diana wedding, so the souvenirs are easy to find.
• Anyone born in 1981 turns 30 in 2011, 40 in 2021, 50 in 2031, 60 in 2041 and 70 in 2051.
• 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 1984
• Look back to 1983
• Look back to 1982
• Look back to 1980
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• 1980s party playlist
• 80s kids' TV shows
• 80s quiz questions
• Toys of the 80s and 90s
• Computers and consoles we grew up with
• Saturday morning TV
• Cassette tapes and taping the charts
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: 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
• Wedding cards
• Wedding cards guide
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

When did Charles and Diana get married?

29 July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral. The day was declared a public holiday in the UK.

What was the Christmas number one in 1981?

'Don't You Want Me' by the Human League.

How old is someone born in 1981?

Subtract 1981 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2021, 50 in 2031, 60 in 2041 and 70 in 2051.

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.