Oct-Nov
Lady Chatterley Trial
Penguin Books was prosecuted for publishing D.H. Lawrence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover.' The jury found it not guilty. The prosecutor asked: 'Is this a book you'd want your wife or servants to read?' Britain laughed.
🇬🇧United Kingdom · 60s
Beyond the Fringe
The Beatles formed, Lady Chatterley went free, and satire was born.
What happened
4 milestones of 1960
Aug
Beyond the Fringe Debuts
Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett, and Jonathan Miller performed at the Edinburgh Festival. British satire was born. The Establishment Club and Private Eye would follow.
Year-round
The Beatles Form in Liverpool
John Lennon's Quarrymen evolved into The Beatles. They played Hamburg's Reeperbahn. Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best were still in the band. History was being rehearsed.
Feb 3
Wind of Change in Africa
PM Harold Macmillan gave his 'Wind of Change' speech in South Africa, acknowledging that decolonisation was inevitable. The British Empire was winding down.
Decolonisation — acknowledge colonial harm alongside political transition
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Karel Reisz — Albert Finney. Kitchen sink realism. Working-class Britain on screen.
Peeping Tom
Michael Powell — Destroyed Powell's career but became a cult classic.
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Ken Hughes — Peter Finch as Wilde. Brave for its time.
Sink the Bismarck!
Lewis Gilbert — Major UK release — TMDB 6.9
The Brides of Dracula
Terence Fisher — Major UK release — TMDB 6.7
What was on TV
Coronation Street
1960-present — The world's longest-running soap opera began on ITV. Weatherfield forever.
Danger Man
1960-1968 — Patrick McGoohan as a secret agent — before James Bond.
Face to Face
1959-1962 — John Freeman's penetrating interviews. TV journalism at its finest.
How much things cost
Currency: GBP
Pint of milk5d
Pint of bitter1s 3d
Average house£2,530
Fish and chips1s 6d
Inflation: 1.0%
Macmillan's 'never had it so good' era. Consumer goods becoming affordable. The austerity decade was over.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Pint of milkONS
1960 (GBP)
5d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Pint of bitterBBPA
1960 (GBP)
1s 3d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Average houseONS
1960 (GBP)
£2,530
→
Today's value (£)
--
Fish and chipsNFFF
1960 (GBP)
1s 6d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Technology
Mini car
BMC's Mini (launched 1959) was transforming British motoring.
Dansette record players
Portable record players let teenagers play music in their bedrooms.
Mods and scooters
Vespa and Lambretta scooters became symbols of youth culture.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Italian-influenced Mod style emergingWinklepickersSlim suitsBeehive hairstyles
Slang
Fab— Fabulous, wonderful
Gear— Great, cool
Square— Uncool, old-fashioned
Behavior
- Youth culture was asserting independence from parents
- Espresso bars replaced tea rooms as teen hangouts
- CND marches — nuclear disarmament became a cause
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