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April 16, 2026
  • 1986 – 40 years ago in Britain
  • Iran on the eve of the 1979 revolution
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The 70s 80s 90s Blog

Three Decades of History with TV historian Tony McMahon

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  • 1986 Britain

    1986 – 40 years ago in Britain

    3 months ago3 months ago
  • shah of iran

    Iran on the eve of the 1979 revolution

    3 months ago3 months ago
  • Drought 1976

    1976 – 50 years ago in Britain

    3 months ago3 months ago
  • 1975 summer holiday

    School summer holidays in the 1970s

    4 months ago3 months ago
  • Zoomer Boomer office culture

    Zoomers challenge Boomer office culture

    4 months ago3 months ago
  • hijacker

    Plane hijacked by samurai wielding terrorists

    6 months ago3 months ago
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  • 2013

2013

Neville Staple biography
  • Music

Neville Staple playing Gangsters!

The 70s 80s 90s Blog12 years ago3 years ago12 mins

Neville Staple playing Gangsters!

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  • Politics

Thatcher purges moderates in 1983

The 70s 80s 90s Blog12 years ago4 years ago06 mins

In 1983, Thatcher emerged triumphant from a general election and set about a purge of moderates from her cabinet as Tony McMahon reports

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survive nuclear war
  • Politics

How to survive a nuclear war

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago020 mins

Back in 1980, the UK government gave advice on how to survive a nuclear war that was rubbished at the time as Tony McMahon discovers

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  • Politics

Queen’s Speech for a nuclear war

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago24 mins

In 2003, it was revealed that in the event of a nuclear war the Queen would deliver a special speech before being bundled to safety as Tony McMahon discovers

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Callaghan Scotland
  • Politics

SNP topples Labour PM Callaghan in 1979

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago08 mins

In 1979, SNP MPs toppled the Labour government of James Callaghan opening the door to over a decade of Margaret Thatcher as Tony McMahon discovers

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peter tatchell
  • Politics

Peter Tatchell runs for Labour in 1983

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago516 mins

In 1983 Peter Tatchell ran as the Labour candidate in the Bermondsey by-election facing a barrage of homophobia

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  • Music

David Bowie – it wasn’t always adulation

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago01 mins

David Bowie – it wasn’t always adulation. Critics of Bowie could often be very harsh and bitter.

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  • 1981 riots
  • Politics

Liverpool student demo ends in tragedy

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago28 mins

1982 – what issues gripped the left?

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  • Politics

Observing the 80s – Sussex Uni looks back at AIDS, the Falklands, etc

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago3 years ago01 mins

Sussex University is compiling an online archive of news and ephemera from the 1980s called ‘Observing the 80s’ – a joint project between the Mass Observation Project, the British Library Oral History Collections and the University of Sussex Library.  Click HERE for the related blog.

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  • Politics

Video of Thatcher’s hearse going past

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago3 years ago01 mins

Video of Thatcher’s hearse going past on the Strand in London – at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher

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Buy Original Rude Boy – biography of Neville Staple, The Specials

Boxing and racism in the 80s

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Tony McMahon – your blogger – circa 1982

TV historian Tony McMahon journeys through the politics, culture, and history of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

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