Oct 13
Beatlemania Explodes
The Beatles appeared on Sunday Night at the London Palladium — 15 million viewers. 'Please Please Me' hit #1 in February. By October, the word 'Beatlemania' was born.
🇬🇧United Kingdom · 60s
The Big Freeze and the British Invasion
Beatlemania, the Great Train Robbery, and the Profumo scandal.
What happened
4 milestones of 1963
Aug 8
The Great Train Robbery
A gang led by Bruce Reynolds stole £2.6 million from a Royal Mail train. The largest robbery in British history. Ronnie Biggs became a folk anti-hero.
Mar-Jun
Profumo Affair
War Minister John Profumo resigned after lying to Parliament about his affair with Christine Keeler, who was also linked to a Soviet attaché. Sex, spies, and scandal toppled the Tories.
Sex scandal — note the human cost to Keeler and others exploited
Nov 23
Doctor Who First Episode
The first episode of Doctor Who aired on BBC — the day after JFK was assassinated. William Hartnell was the first Doctor. The TARDIS materialized and never left.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Tom Jones
Tony Richardson — Best Picture at the Oscars. Albert Finney's romp through 18th-century England.
From Russia with Love
Terence Young — Sean Connery's second Bond. The franchise was established.
Billy Liar
John Schlesinger — Tom Courtenay's dreamer. Julie Christie's dazzling debut.
Lord of the Flies
Peter Brook — Major UK release — TMDB 6.7
The Haunting
Robert Wise — Major UK release — TMDB 7.1
What was on TV
Doctor Who
1963-present — The TARDIS first materialized. British TV's greatest creation.
Ready Steady Go!
1963-1966 — 'The weekend starts here!' Pop music on TV.
That Was The Week That Was
1962-1963 — David Frost's satire show changed political comedy.
How much things cost
Currency: GBP
Pint of milk5d
Pint of bitter1s 5d
Average house£3,160
Beatles LP32s 6d
Inflation: 2.0%
Consumer boom continuing. Harold Wilson would promise the 'white heat of technology' next year.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Pint of milkONS
1963 (GBP)
5d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Pint of bitterBBPA
1963 (GBP)
1s 5d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Average houseONS
1963 (GBP)
£3,160
→
Today's value (£)
--
Beatles LPRecord Collector
1963 (GBP)
32s 6d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Technology
Telstar
First transatlantic TV satellite broadcasts (launched 1962) were changing expectations.
BBC2
A third channel was being planned — more choice coming to British screens.
Hovercrafts
Cross-Channel hovercraft services being tested.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Mod style peaked — sharp suits, parkasMary Quant's boutique on King's RoadMods vs. Rockers tension buildingThe Beatle haircut
Slang
Gear— Excellent, great (Beatle-speak)
Fab— Fabulous
Bird— Girl, young woman
Behavior
- Beatlemania created mass teen hysteria
- Mods and Rockers clashed on seaside weekends
- Satire boom — the Establishment was being questioned
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