Look Back To The 1960s: The Whole Decade

The Beatles, the World Cup, the moon landing and the decade Britain stopped looking like the 1950s.

Below is the decade in sections, and a link to every single year from 1960 to 1969.

The music

• The Beatles had seventeen UK number one singles during the decade, starting with 'From Me to You' in 1963.
• Beatlemania properly began in late 1963, and the band appeared on the Royal Variety Performance that November.
• The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who and the Small Faces made the middle of the decade the most competitive the chart has ever been.
• Pirate radio, led by Radio Caroline from 1964, played the records the BBC would not; Radio 1 launched in September 1967 in response.
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released in June 1967.
• Motown and soul crossed over to the British chart and shaped the mod scene.

The news

• John F. Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November 1963.
• Harold Wilson won the 1964 general election and again in 1966.
• The Aberfan disaster on 21 October 1966 killed 116 children and 28 adults.
• The death penalty for murder was suspended in 1965 and abolished permanently in 1969.
• Apollo 11 landed on the Moon on 20 July 1969, watched live in Britain in the middle of the night.
• The Abortion Act and the decriminalisation of homosexual acts between consenting adults both came in 1967.

On screen

• Coronation Street began on 9 December 1960 and has run ever since.
• Doctor Who began on 23 November 1963, the day after the Kennedy assassination.
• BBC Two launched in April 1964 and colour television came to it in July 1967.
• Dad's Army began in 1968; Steptoe and Son and Till Death Us Do Part ran through the decade.
• James Bond arrived on screen with Dr. No in 1962.
• Top of the Pops began on 1 January 1964, broadcast from a converted church in Manchester.

Everyday life

• The mini skirt, Carnaby Street and the boutique changed what young people wore.
• The Mini went from a new small car in 1959 to the symbol of the decade.
• Motorway building accelerated and the family car became normal.
• Tower blocks and new towns replaced a lot of Victorian housing.
• The contraceptive pill became available on the NHS during the decade.
• Half crowns, ten bob notes and pounds, shillings and pence were still the money.

Year by year

• 1960 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1961 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1962 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1963 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1964 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1965 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1966 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1967 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1968 - see the full page for that year, linked below.
• 1969 - see the full page for that year, linked below.

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How to write it so it lands

• Each year has its own page with the charts, the news and the everyday detail.
• For a party, pull three facts from one year and run it as a guess-the-year round.
• For a card, use the year they were born rather than the decade.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 1969
• Look back to 1968
• Look back to 1967
• Look back to 1966
• Look back to 1965
• Look back to 1964
• Look back to 1963
• Look back to 1962
• Look back to 1961
• Look back to 1960
• 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 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
• Birthday cards for kids
• Funny Father's Day cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

When did the Beatles have their first UK number one?

'From Me to You' topped the main chart in April 1963, and 'Please Please Me' had already reached number one on some charts earlier that year.

When did Coronation Street start?

9 December 1960, on ITV.

When did colour television start in Britain?

BBC Two began regular colour broadcasts on 1 July 1967. BBC One and ITV followed in November 1969.

When did England win the World Cup?

30 July 1966, beating West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley.

Do you sell anything to do with this decade?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. The pages themselves are free to read and free to copy.