1976 in the United Kingdom

none November 2020 January 2013 1976 Constituent countries of the United Kingdom England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Popular culture 1976 British Grand Prix 1976 English cricket season Football: England Scotland 1976 in British television 1976 in British music 1976 in British radio UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 Events from the year 1976 in the United Kingdom. This year is notable for the prolonged drought and subsequent heat wave. Incumbents Monarch – Elizabeth II Prime Minister - Harold Wilson (Labour) (until 5 April), James Callaghan (Labour) (starting 5 April) Events January thumb|310px|Concorde January – UK market launch of the Chrysler Alpine, the British-badged version of the French-built Simca 1307 which was voted European Car of the Year before Christmas. British production of the large five-door family hatchback is planned to commence at the Ryton plant near Coventry later this year.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/chrysler-alpine-remembering-the-most-unlikely-car-of-the-year/ Chrysler Alpine: Remembering the most unlikely Car of the Year The Telegraph 8 April 2016 2 January – Hurricane-force winds of up to 105 mph kill 22 people across Britain and cause millions of pounds worth of damage to buildings and vehicles.http://www.expressandstar.com/days/1976-2000/1976.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070408161628/http://www.expressandstar.com/days/1976-2000/1976.html 8 April 2007 Those were the days 5 January – Ten Protestant men are killed in the Kingsmill massacre at South Armagh, Northern Ireland, by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, using the alias "South Armagh Republican Action Force".https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/5/newsid_2500000/2500393.stm Ten dead in Northern Ireland ambush BBC News 2008-02-05 5 January 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080106162402/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/5/newsid_2500000/2500393.stm 6 January 2008 live 7 January – Third Cod War: British and Icelandic ships clash at sea.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/7/newsid_2506000/2506347.stm Iceland and Britain clash at sea BBC News 2008-02-05 7 January 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121501/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/7/newsid_2506000/2506347.stm 7 March 2008 live 12 January – The best-selling author of crime fiction Agatha Christie dies aged 85 at her home in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. 18 January – The Scottish Labour Party is formed as a breakaway from the UK-wide party. 20 January – 42-year-old married woman Emily Jackson is stabbed to death in Leeds; it is revealed that she was a part-time prostitute. Police believe she may have been killed by the same man who murdered Wilma McCann in the city three months previously.Emily Jackson http://www.execulink.com/~kbrannen/victim07.htm 2013-03-07 21 January – The first commercial Concorde flight takes offPenguin Pocket On This Day Penguin Reference Library 0-14-102715-0 2006 from Heathrow Airport for Bahrain. 29 January – Twelve Provisional Irish Republican Army bombs explode in London's West End.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/29/newsid_2506000/2506083.stm Explosions rock London's West End BBC News 2008-02-05 29 January 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080201140340/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/29/newsid_2506000/2506083.stm 1 February 2008 live February 2 February – The Queen opens the new National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, situated near the city's airport. 4–15 February – Great Britain and Northern Ireland compete at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, and win one gold medal. 11 February – John Curry becomes Britain's first gold medalist in skating at the Winter Olympics. 19 February – Iceland breaks off diplomatic relations with the UK over the Cod War. March thumb|200px|Bernard Montgomery March – Production of the Hillman Imp ends after thirteen years.Mini Steps Backwards http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/car-development/dev-imp.html Rootes-Chrysler.co.uk 2013-03-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20070204050054/http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/car-development/dev-imp.html 4 February 2007 dead It is due to be replaced next year by a three-door hatchback based on a shortened Avenger floorpan.Chrysler Sunbeam: rushed supermini to champion rally car http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/car-development/dev-sunbeam.html Rootes-Chrysler.co.uk 2013-03-07 1 March – Merlyn Rees ends Special Category Status for those sentenced for crimes relating to the civil violence in Northern Ireland. 2 March – The Prince of Wales opens Brent Cross Shopping Centre in London. 4 March The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved in Northern Ireland, resulting in Direct rule over Northern Ireland by the Government of the United Kingdom in London. The Maguire Seven are found guilty in London of possessing explosives for use by the Provisional Irish Republican Army and subsequently jailed for 14 years; their convictions will be overturned in 1991. The 1976 Coventry North West by-election is held. 11 March – The Carshalton by-election and the Wirral by-election are held. 16 March – Harold Wilson announces his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/16/newsid_2524000/2524099.stm Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigns BBC News 2008-02-05 16 March 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121446/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/16/newsid_2524000/2524099.stm 7 March 2008 live to take effect on 5 April. 19 March – Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon announce that they are to separate after 16 years of marriage.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/19/newsid_4243000/4243211.stm Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon to split BBC News 2008-02-05 19 March 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121601/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/19/newsid_4243000/4243211.stm 7 March 2008 live 24 March – General and war hero Bernard Montgomery, Viscount Montgomery dies aged 88 at his home in the village of Isington, Hampshire. 26 March – Anita Roddick opens the first branch of The Body Shop, the retail chain for skin care products and cosmetics, in Brighton.http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/services/aboutus_history.aspx Our History The Body Shop 2009 2010-07-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20100814132117/http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/services/aboutus_history.aspx 14 August 2010 dead April April – Anne Warburton becomes the first female British ambassador to take up her post (to Denmark). 1 April – Punk rock band Buzzcocks play their first gig, in Bolton.Jon Savage Savage Jon 1991 England's Dreaming: The Sex Pistols and Punk Rock London Faber 978-0-312-28822-8 2 April – The funeral of Bernard Montgomery is held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle prior to burial in Binsted churchyard in Hampshire. 3 April – The United Kingdom wins the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time with the song "Save Your Kisses for Me", sung by Brotherhood of Man in The Hague. It remains one of the biggest-selling Eurovision songs ever. 5 April – James Callaghan becomes Prime Minister upon the resignation of Harold Wilson,https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/5/newsid_4074000/4074428.stm Callaghan is new prime minister BBC News 2008-02-05 5 April 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121651/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/5/newsid_4074000/4074428.stm 7 March 2008 live defeating five others in the leadership contest. Callaghan, 64, was previously Foreign Secretary and had served as a chancellor and later Home Secretary under Wilson in government from 1964 until 1970, thus becoming the only person ever to hold all four Great Offices of State.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3107623.stm BBC News Labour's PMs of the past 30 July 2003 9 April – Young Liberals president Peter Hain is cleared of stealing £490 from a branch of Barclays Bank in 1975.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/9/newsid_2523000/2523609.stm 1976: Young Liberal leader cleared of robbery BBC News 2008-02-05 9 April 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080112153205/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/9/newsid_2523000/2523609.stm 12 January 2008 live 26 April – Comedy actor and Carry On star Sid James, 62, dies on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre having suffered a fatal heart attack, which many in the audience initially mistake for part of the show. May 1 May – Southampton F.C. win the first major trophy of their 91-year history when a goal from Bobby Stokes gives the Football League Second Division club a surprise 1–0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. 4 May – Liverpool F.C. clinch their ninth Football League title with a 3–1 away win over relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers, fighting off a close challenge from underdogs Queen's Park Rangers.May 1976 http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/thirty50c.htm Thirty Years Ago Bob Dunning 3 February 2007 2013-03-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20121115131543/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/thirty50c.htm 15 November 2012 dead 6 May – Local council elections produce disappointing results for the Labour Party, who win just 15 seats and lose 829 that they had held, compared to the Conservatives who win 1,044 new seats and lose a mere 22. This setback comes despite the party enjoying a narrow lead in the opinion polls under new leader James Callaghan.Tories gain council seats https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mj9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PD4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5503,2233425&dq=opinion+poll+thatcher&hl=en Leader-Post Regina, Saskatchewan 7 May 1976 67 2013-03-07 9 May – 20-year-old Leeds prostitute Marcella Claxton is badly injured in a hammer attack.Marcella Claxton http://www.execulink.com/~kbrannen/victim08.htm 2013-03-07 10 May – Jeremy Thorpe resigns as leader of the Liberal party.Palmer Alan Palmer Veronica 1992 The Chronology of British History Century Ltd London 438–439 0-7126-5616-2 19 May Liverpool F.C. win the UEFA Cup for the second time by completing a 4–3 aggregate victory over the Belgian side Club Brugge K.V.UEFA Cup won for second time http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/history/timeline/1970-1995/uefa-cup-won-for-second-time Liverpool FC 2013-03-07 A royal charter is granted to the Chartered Society of Designers. 27 May – Harold Wilson's Resignation Honours List is published. It controversially awards honours to many wealthy businessmen, and comes to be known satirically as the "Lavender List". June June – British Leyland launches its new Rover SD1, a large rear-wheel drive five-door hatchback featuring a 3.5 V8 Buick engine. Smaller engined versions are due next year, when the SD1 completely replaces the Rover P6 and Triumph 2000 ranges. 1 June – The UK and Iceland end the Third Cod War, with the UK accepting Iceland's extension of its territorial waters to 200 nautical miles in exchange for defined fishing rights, reducing the agreed take by British trawlers by four fifths. 4 June – Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall: Punk rock band the Sex Pistols play the first of two influential concerts in Manchester.David Nolan (American author) David Nolan I Swear I Was There: The Gig That Changed the World 2006 14 June – The trial of multiple murderer Donald Neilson, known as the "Black Panther", begins at Oxford Crown Court; he will be convicted and serve the remainder of his life in prison 22 June–16 July – 1976 British Isles heat wave reaches its peak with the temperature attaining 80 °F (26.7 °C) every day of this period. For fifteen consecutive days, 23 June–7 July inclusive, it reaches 90 °F (32.2 °C) in London; and five consecutive days – the first being 26 June – see the temperature exceed 95 °F (35 °C).https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twoother/twocontent.aspx?type=libgen&id=1432 TWO content 24 June – 1976 Rotherham by-election: Labour retain the seat. 28 June – In the heatwave, the temperature reaches 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) in Southampton, the highest recorded for June in the UK until 2026. 29 June – The Seychelles become independent of the UK.https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/seychelles/ https://web.archive.org/web/20210110114046/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/seychelles dead 10 January 2021 CIA, The World Factbook, Seychelles 2008-02-15 July thumb|Low water level at Burrator Reservoir in July 1976 3 July – The heat wave peaks with temperatures reaching 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) in Cheltenham. 4 July – London punk rock band The Clash play their first gig, opening for the Sex Pistols in Sheffield. 6 July – London punk rock band The Damned play their first gig, opening for the Sex Pistols. 7 July – David Steel is elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party. 10 July – Three British and one American mercenaries are shot by firing squad in Angola. 14 July – Ford launches a new small three-door hatchback, the Fiesta – its first front-wheel drive transverse engined production model – which is similar in concept to the Vauxhall Chevette and German car maker Volkswagen's new Polo. It will be built in several factories across Europe, including the Dagenham plant in Essex (where 3,000 jobs will be created), and continental sales begin later this year, although it will not go on sale in Britain until January 1977.Fiesta is Ford's economy car https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B5RAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1736,2757038&dq=volkswagen-polo&hl=en Glasgow Herald 14 July 1976 2013-03-07 5 15 July – 1976 Thurrock by-election: Labour retain the seat. 16 July – First of a series of articles by Geraldine Norman in The Times (London) which will expose a number of paintings attributed to Samuel Palmer as the work of Tom Keating,Magnus Magnusson Magnus Magnusson Fakers, Forgers & Phoneys Edinburgh Mainstream 2007 2006 978-1-84596-210-4 32–6 which he does not deny.https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathonkeats/2012/12/14/the-ultimate-in-reality-tv-try-televised-art-forgery-book-excerpt-2/#706cd4e024ae The Ultimate In Reality TV? Try Televised Art Forgery. [Book Excerpt #2] Keats Jonathon Forbes 2016-05-05 17 July–1 August – Great Britain and Northern Ireland compete at the Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and win 3 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze medals. 21 July – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, new UK ambassador to Ireland, and a civil servant, Judith Cooke, are killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army landmine at Sandyford, County Dublin. 22 July – Dangerous Wild Animals Act requires licences for the keeping of certain animals in captivity. 27 July – United Kingdom breaks diplomatic relations with Uganda. 29 July – A fire destroys the head of Southend Pier.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/29/newsid_2493000/2493483.stm Fire engulfs Southend Pier BBC News 2008-02-05 29 July 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080119062625/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/29/newsid_2493000/2493483.stm 19 January 2008 live August August Drought at its most severe. Parts of South West England go for 45 days with no rain in July and August. Government and Trades Union Congress agree a more severe Stage II one-year limit on pay rises. 5 August – The Great Clock of Westminster (or Big Ben) suffers internal damage and stops running for over nine months. 6 August – John Stonehouse, the last person to have served as Postmaster General, is sentenced to seven years in jail for fraud. 14 August – 10,000 Protestant and Catholic women demonstrate for peace in Northern Ireland. 30 August – 100 police officers and 60 carnival-goers are injured during riots at the Notting Hill Carnival.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/30/newsid_2511000/2511059.stm Notting Hill Carnival ends in riot BBC News 2008-02-05 30 August 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121434/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/30/newsid_2511000/2511059.stm 7 March 2008 live September September – Chrysler Europe abandons the 69-year-old Hillman marque for its British-made cars and adopts the Chrysler name for the entire range. 1 September – Drought measures are introduced in Yorkshire.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/1/newsid_2492000/2492981.stm Water crisis deepens BBC News 2008-02-05 1 September 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121544/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/1/newsid_2492000/2492981.stm 7 March 2008 live 3 September – Riot at Hull Prison ends.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/3/newsid_2495000/2495283.stm Hull prison riot ends BBC News 2008-02-05 3 September 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121427/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/3/newsid_2495000/2495283.stm 7 March 2008 live 4 September – Peace March in Derry attracts 25,000 people in a call to end violence in Northern Ireland. 9 September – The Royal Shakespeare Company opens a memorable production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench in the lead roles, directed by Trevor Nunn. 12 September – Portsmouth football club, who were FA Cup winners in 1939 and league champions in 1949 and 1950 but are now in the Football League Third Division, are reported to be on the brink of bankruptcy with huge debts.September 1976 http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/thirty52a.htm Thirty Years Ago Bob Dunning 4 February 2007 2013-03-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20121115131212/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/thirty52a.htm 15 November 2012 dead 23 September – A fire on the destroyer HMS Glasgow while being fitted out at Swan Hunter' yard at Wallsend on Tyne kills eight men.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/23/newsid_2528000/2528517.stm British warship blaze kills eight BBC News 2008-02-05 23 September 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121609/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/23/newsid_2528000/2528517.stm 7 March 2008 live 29 September – The Ford Cortina Mark IV is launched.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jN49AAAAIBAJ&sjid=M0gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3153,6066976&dq=new-cortina&hl=en Gordon Anderson New Cortina steps into sports car class Glasgow Herald 29 September 1976 2013-03-07 5 October thumb|200px|InterCity 125 4 October – The InterCity 125 high-speed train is introduced into passenger service on British Rail, initially London Paddington, Bristol and Cardiff;https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/4/newsid_2486000/2486817.stm New train speeds into service BBC News 2008-02-05 4 October 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121557/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/4/newsid_2486000/2486817.stm 7 March 2008 live the units will still be in front-line service on these routes until withdrawn from them 43 years later (and will continue in service elsewhere). 15 October – Two members of the Ulster Defence Regiment are jailed for 35 years for murder of the members of the Republic of Ireland cabaret performers Miami Showband.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/15/newsid_2534000/2534941.stm UDR men jailed for Showband killings BBC News 2008-02-05 15 October 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121616/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/15/newsid_2534000/2534941.stm 7 March 2008 live 22 October – The Damned release "New Rose", the first single marketed as "punk rock". 24 October – Racing driver James Hunt becomes Formula One world champion. 25 October – Opening of the Royal National Theatre on the South Bank in London, in premises designed by Sir Denys Lasdun.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/25/newsid_2478000/2478397.stm "Queen opens National Theatre in London" BBC On This Day 2008-02-05 25 October 1976 BBC News https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121507/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/25/newsid_2478000/2478397.stm 7 March 2008 live 27 October – Keith Joseph delivers an influential policy speech "Monetarism is Not Enough", published by the Centre for Policy Studies. 29 October – Opening of Selby Coalfield.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/29/newsid_2467000/2467783.stm Duchess opens massive Selby coalfield BBC News 2008-02-05 29 October 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121620/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/29/newsid_2467000/2467783.stm 7 March 2008 live November 4 November - Parliamentary by-elections are held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central, Walsall North and Workington. 12 November – Disappearance of Renee MacRae and her 3-year-old son Andrew from Inverness in Scotland; this becomes Britain's longest-running missing persons case.The bone detective https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/apr/30/women.gender 2009-05-13 2008-04-30 The Guardian London Julie Bindel Julie Bindel 16 November – The seven perpetrators of an £8,000,000 van robbery at the Bank of America in Mayfair are sentenced to a total of 100 years in jail.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/16/newsid_2540000/2540073.stm Bank robbers jailed for 100 years BBC News 2008-02-05 16 November 1976 https://web.archive.org/web/20080307121630/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/16/newsid_2540000/2540073.stm 7 March 2008 live 22 November – Education Act gives the Secretary of State for Education the power to ask local education authorities to plan for non-selective (i.e. comprehensive) secondary education, put into effect by DES Circulars 11/76 and 12/76 (25 November).Education in England: a history Derek Gillard 2018 https://education-uk.org/history/timeline.html HDA 2020-10-24 December 1 December – Punk rock band the Sex Pistols achieve public notoriety as they say several swear words live on Bill Grundy's ITV show, following the release of their debut single Anarchy in the U.K. on 26 November;Anarchy in the U.K. Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595898/anarchy_in_the_uk 2004-12-09 2007-10-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20071012084358/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595898/anarchy_in_the_uk 2007-10-12 dead Grundy is suspended for inciting them. 2 December – 1976 Cambridge by-election: the Conservatives retain the seat. 4 December – The notable composer Benjamin Britten (granted a life peerage in July) dies of heart failure aged 63 at his home in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. On 7 December his funeral takes place at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh, where he is laid to rest. 10 December – Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan win the Nobel Peace Prize.http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1976/ The Nobel Peace Prize 1976 2008-02-05 15 December – Denis Healey announces to Parliament that he has successfully negotiated a £2,300,000,000 loan for Britain from the International Monetary Fund on condition that £2,500,000,000 is cut from public expenditure; the NHS, education and social benefit sectors are not affected by these cuts.Andrew Andrew Marr Marr A History of Modern Britain London Macmillan 2007 978-1-4050-0538-8 366–8 Undated Inflation stands at 16.5% – lower than last year's level, but still one of the highest since records began in 1750.http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-020.pdf Inflation: the Value of the Pound 1750-1998 www.parliament.uk 2026-06-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20060219130455/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-020.pdf 2006-02-19 dead Wayback Machine However, at one stage during this year inflation exceeds 24%.Andrew Roberts Andrew Roberts (historian) Republicans and the Thatcher Legacy https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304447804576414234208381582?mod=WSJ_article_MoreIn_Opinion The Wall Street Journal New York 30 June 2011 2013-03-07 Republished as: http://www.ruthfullyyours.com/2011/06/30/andrew-roberts-republicans-and-the-thatcher-legacy/ Andrew Roberts: Republicans and the Thatcher Legacy Ruthfully Yours Ruth King 30 June 2011 2013-03-07 Opening of Rutland Water, the largest reservoir in England by surface area (1,212 hectares (2,995 acres)).Data sheet: Rutland Water http://www.uklakes.net/lakeinfo.php?WBID=36479 UKLakes.net 2010-07-06 First purpose-built (Thai style) Buddhist temple built in Britain, the Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon, London.First places of devotion http://www.vaguelyinteresting.co.uk/?p=2416#more-2416 Vaguely Interesting 2013-03-06 2015-01-05 Cadbury launches the Double Decker chocolate bar.http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/about_chocolate/brand_stories/double_decker.htm Cadbury Double Decker Cadbury 24 November 2005 30 April 2025 24 November 2005 https://web.archive.org/web/20051124031314/http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/about_chocolate/brand_stories/double_decker.htm dead Publications Kingsley Amis's novel The Alteration. Jeffrey Archer's first novel Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. Agatha Christie's last published novel, the final Miss Marple story Sleeping Murder (posthumous). Richard Dawkins' book The Selfish Gene. Terry Pratchett's novel The Dark Side of the Sun. Births 19 January – Marsha Thomason, actress 21 January – Emma Bunton, pop singer (Spice Girls) 2 February – James Hickman, swimmer 4 February – Stevie Knight, wrestler and promoter 8 February – Abi Titmuss, television presenter and model 10 February – Keeley Hawes, actress 12 February – Jenni Falconer, radio and television presenter 20 February – Ed Graham, drummer (The Darkness) 29 February – Zoë Baker, UK-New Zealand swimmer and coach 22 March – Victoria Atkins, politician 23 March – Chris Hoy, Olympic gold medal-winning cyclistChris Hoy Biography, Medals, & Facts Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Hoy www.britannica.com 4 December 2022 en 10 April – Clare Buckfield, actress 15 April – Steve Williams, rower 18 April – Sean Maguire, actor and singer 19 April – Trudy Harrison, politician 29 April – Ana Boulter, television presenter 8 May – Ian "H" Watkins, pop singer 14 May – Martine McCutcheon, actress and singer 21 May – Stuart Bingham, snooker player 5 June – Cherilyn Mackrory, politician 6 June Ross Noble, comedian Geoff Rowley, skateboarder and businessman 13 June – Jason "J" Brown, pop musician (5ive) 14 June – Alan Carr, comedian and broadcaster 16 June – Cian Ciaran, musician 23 June – Helen Whately, politician 25 June Iestyn Harris, rugby player Gavin Williamson, politician 28 June – Lorraine Stanley, actress 1 July – Kellie Bright, actress 6 July – Chris Philp, politician 7 July – Natasha Collins, actress and model (died 2008) 8 July – Ellen MacArthur, yachtswoman 12 July – Anna Friel, actress 13 July Emma Bonney, billiards and snooker player Lisa Riley, actress and television presenter 14 July – Geraint Jones, cricketer 19 July – Benedict Cumberbatch, English actorBenedict Cumberbatch https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bc66eef1f https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181006/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bc66eef1f dead 24 June 2016 BFI 8 January 2022 en 27 July – Demis Hassabis, AI researcher 9 August Aled Haydn-Jones, radio producer Rhona Mitra, actress 10 August – Sam Gyimah, politician 13 August – Roddy Woomble, musician 15 August – Robert Macfarlane, writer 1 September – Clare Connor, cricketer 6 September Ian Ashbee, footballer Naomie Harris, actress 11 September – Neil Willey, backstroke swimmer 15 September - Paul Thomson, drummer (Franz Ferdinand) 16 September – Tina Barrett, singer (S Club 7) 6 October – Lady Victoria Hervey, model and socialite 13 October – Jennie Bimson, field hockey player 18 October – Emma Hayes, football manager 23 October – Cat Deeley, television presenter 25 October – Steve Jones, footballer 29 October – Stephen Craigan, footballer 3 November – Ian Gillespie, former cricketer 7 November – Andrew Davies, cricketer 13 November – Kelly Sotherton, heptathlete, long jumper and relay runner 8 December – Dominic Monaghan, actor 12 December – Dan Hawkins, rock guitarist (The Darkness) 17 December – Andrew Simpson, competition sailor (died 2013) 18 December – Jaime King, breaststroke swimmer 20 December – Adam Powell, game designer date unknown Steffan Cravos, Welsh rap musician Neil Maskell, actor Amanda Pritchard, health service executive Tai Shani, artist Deaths 5 January – Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger (born 1935) 12 January – Agatha Christie, detective fiction writer (born 1890)Agatha Christie Biography, Novels, & Facts https://www.britannica.com/biography/Agatha-Christie Encyclopedia Britannica 14 September 2020 en 13 January – Margaret Leighton, actress (born 1922) 11 February – Charlie Naughton, actor (born 1886) 12 February – John Lewis, Marxist philosopher (born 1889) 23 February – L. S. Lowry, painter (born 1887) 19 March – Paul Kossoff, rock guitarist (Free) (born 1950) 24 March Bernard Montgomery, field marshal (born 1887) E. H. Shepard, artist and book illustrator (born 1879) 22 April – Colin MacInnes, novelist (born 1914) 26 April – Sid James, actor and comedian (born 1913 in South Africa) 28 April – Richard Hughes, novelist (born 1900) 7 May George Curzon, actor (born 1898) Alison Uttley, writer (born 1884) 14 May – Keith Relf, musician (The Yardbirds) (born 1943) 6 June – David Jacobs, athlete (born 1888) 9 June – Dame Sybil Thorndike, actress (born 1882) 11 June – Amy Gentry, rower (born 1903) 28 June – Sir Stanley Baker, actor (born 1928) 5 July – Frank Bellamy, comics artist (born 1917) 13 July – Frederick Hawksworth, railway mechanical engineer (born 1884) 21 July – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, diplomat, Ambassador to Ireland (murdered by IRA) (born 1921) 22 July – Sir Mortimer Wheeler, archaeologist (born 1890) 12 August – Tom Driberg, journalist ("William Hickey") and politician (born 1905) 13 August – Robert Stopford, former Bishop of London (born 1901) 19 August – Alastair Sim, actor (born 1900) 30 August – David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, politician (born 1903) 1 September – Percy Shaw, inventor (born 1890)Percy Shaw 5 September – Arthur Gilligan, cricketer (born 1894) 1 October – George Stacey Hodson, Royal Air Force officer (born 1899) 14 October – Dame Edith Evans, actress (born 1888) 20 November – Martin D'Arcy, Catholic intellectual (born 1888) 4 December – Benjamin Britten, composer (born 1913) See also List of British films of 1976 References 1976 Category:Years of the 20th century in the United Kingdom Category:1976 by country Category:1970s in the United Kingdom Category:1976 in Europe