Dec
Winter of Discontent Begins
A wave of strikes by public sector workers began in the winter. Rubbish piled up in Leicester Square. In Liverpool, the dead went unburied. Callaghan's government looked helpless. The stage was set for Thatcher.
🇬🇧United Kingdom · 70s
Winter of Discontent
The rubbish piled up, the dead went unburied, and Britain prepared to change direction forever.
What happened
5 milestones of 1978
Jul 25
First Test-Tube Baby Born
Louise Brown was born at Oldham General Hospital — the world's first baby conceived through IVF. Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe's breakthrough gave hope to millions of infertile couples worldwide.
Sep 7
Georgi Markov Assassination
Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was assassinated on Waterloo Bridge with a poisoned umbrella tip containing ricin. He worked for the BBC World Service. Cold War espionage in broad daylight in London.
Nov 30
The Times Stops Publishing
Industrial disputes shut down The Times and The Sunday Times for nearly a year. Print unions at their most militant. Fleet Street was dying. Rupert Murdoch was watching.
Apr 22
Nottingham Forest Win the League
Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest won the First Division title, just a year after promotion. The greatest managerial feat in English football history. They'd win the European Cup the next year.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Grease
Randal Kleiser — Travolta and Newton-John. UK's biggest film of the year.
Superman
Richard Donner — Christopher Reeve. Pinewood Studios. 'You'll believe a man can fly.'
Midnight Express
Alan Parker — British director. Turkish prison. Harrowing. Oscar-winning.
The Deer Hunter
Michael Cimino — De Niro in Vietnam. Russian roulette. Devastating.
Watership Down
Martin Rosen — Animated rabbits. Children traumatized. 'Bright Eyes' by Art Garfunkel.
What was on TV
Grange Hill
1978-2008 — Phil Redmond's comprehensive school drama. Tucker Jenkins. 'Just Say No' came later.
Pennies from Heaven
1978 — Dennis Potter's masterpiece. Bob Hoskins lip-syncing to 1930s songs.
Dallas
1978-1991 — JR Ewing arrived on British screens. 'Who shot JR?' was coming.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio)
1978 — Douglas Adams on BBC Radio 4. '42' entered the language.
World Cup Coverage
Jun 1978 — Argentina '78. Scotland went to the World Cup. It didn't go well.
How much things cost
Currency: GBP
Pint of milk11p
Loaf of bread25p
Pint of bitter35p
Average house£15,594
Gallon of petrol80p
Cinema ticket£1.00
Inflation: 8.3%
Inflation easing but strikes everywhere. The social contract broken. Britain felt ungovernable.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Pint of milkONS
1978 (GBP)
11p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Loaf of breadONS
1978 (GBP)
25p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Pint of bitterBBPA
1978 (GBP)
35p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Average houseONS
1978 (GBP)
£15,594
→
Today's value (£)
--
Gallon of petrolAA
1978 (GBP)
80p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Cinema ticketBFI
1978 (GBP)
£1.00
→
Today's value (£)
--
Technology
IVF
Louise Brown — the world's first test-tube baby, born in Oldham.
Space Invaders
The arcade game arrived from Japan — a cultural phenomenon.
Laserdisc
First optical disc format — precursor to DVDs.
Home computers
Apple II and Commodore PET available — hobbyist market growing.
Concorde
Regular supersonic service London-New York.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Punk giving way to New Wave — sharper, more stylishDisco fashion — Saturday Night Fever suits and dressesPunk and disco coexisting uneasily in the same clubs
Slang
Gobsmacked— Astonished, shocked
Brill— Brilliant
Minging— Disgusting
Behavior
- Winter of Discontent soured the public on unions and Labour
- Kate Bush performing Wuthering Heights on Top of the Pops was unforgettable
- Grease soundtrack played everywhere — roller skating returned
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