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October 3, 2026
  • Was TV better in the 1970s and 1980s?
  • Summer of 1976 and Climate Change
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The 70s 80s 90s Blog

Three Decades of History with TV historian Tony McMahon

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    Was TV better in the 1970s and 1980s?

    3 weeks ago3 weeks ago
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    Summer of 1976 and Climate Change

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  • 1986 Britain

    1986 – 40 years ago in Britain

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  • shah of iran

    Iran on the eve of the 1979 revolution

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  • Drought 1976

    1976 – 50 years ago in Britain

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    School summer holidays in the 1970s

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Short Sharp Shock
  • crime
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Short Sharp Shock abolished by Thatcher

The 70s 80s 90s Blog12 months ago12 months ago210 mins

When the Tories came to power in 1979, fighting crime was high on the agenda. There was even a flirtation with the idea of restoring capital punishment, which Thatcher was understood to favour. But the landmark policy was the introduction of the so-called Short Sharp Shock regime with special detention centres imposing military-style discipline on…

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  • crime

The Guardian Angels – on the London tube

The 70s 80s 90s Blog9 years ago6 years ago23 mins

The Guardian Angels were set up in New York in the late 1970s to patrol the subway but when they came to London – the idea flopped badly

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  • 1981 riots
  • Culture
  • Politics

Toxteth riot aftermath: students attacked

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago6 years ago24 mins

In the aftermath of the Toxteth riots there was an increase in attacks on Liverpool University students and even some attacks on members of staff

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  • Culture
  • Music

The front cover for ‘Original Rude Boy’ that didn’t make it…

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago6 years ago01 mins

A proposed front cover for the biography of Neville Staple – Original Rude Boy – published by Aurum Press

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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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