Skip to content
May 9, 2026
  • 1986 – 40 years ago in Britain
  • Iran on the eve of the 1979 revolution
  • 1976 – 50 years ago in Britain
  • School summer holidays in the 1970s

The 70s 80s 90s Blog

Three Decades of History with TV historian Tony McMahon

  • Home
  • About the blog
  • My published books
  • Contact for interviews
Headlines
  • 1986 Britain

    1986 – 40 years ago in Britain

    4 months ago3 months ago
  • shah of iran

    Iran on the eve of the 1979 revolution

    4 months ago4 months ago
  • Drought 1976

    1976 – 50 years ago in Britain

    4 months ago4 months ago
  • 1975 summer holiday

    School summer holidays in the 1970s

    5 months ago3 months ago
  • Zoomer Boomer office culture

    Zoomers challenge Boomer office culture

    5 months ago3 months ago
  • hijacker

    Plane hijacked by samurai wielding terrorists

    6 months ago3 months ago
  • Home
  • unemployed

unemployed

  • 1981 riots
  • Culture
  • Politics

Misery of unemployment in the 1980s

The 70s 80s 90s Blog11 years ago6 years ago03 mins

As mass unemployment returns after Covid, Tony McMahon looks back at unemployment in the 1980s which scaled horrific heights

Read More
  • Politics

Love on the Dole under Thatcher

The 70s 80s 90s Blog13 years ago4 years ago23 mins

Love on the Dole was tough in the 1930s and still challenging in 1981 when the Jobs Express train campaign saw one couple pop the question

Read More
unemployment eighties
  • Culture

Monotony – unemployment in the eighties

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago6 years ago03 mins

Unemployment in the eighties was endemic in the United Kingdom with millions out of work and an underground dole culture emerged

Read More
  • Politics

Ken Livingstone in the 1980s

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago6 years ago04 mins

Ken Livingstone – always at the centre of controversy – meeting Irish Republicans and Soviet representatives

Read More

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

Boxing and racism in the 80s

Keep updated on my new posts

tonymcmahon@rostraconsulting.com

Join 1,185 other subscribers

Categories

Tony McMahon – your blogger – circa 1982

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

Are you looking for something?

Newsmatic - News WordPress Theme 2026. Powered By BlazeThemes.

Loading Comments...