23 February –
Rolls-Royce ask the government for £50,000,000 towards the development of the RB 211-50
Airbusjet engine.
27 February–1 March – First National Women's Liberation Conference held, at
Ruskin College, Oxford.[9]
March
2 March –
Rhodesian Prime MinisterIan Smith declares
Rhodesia a republic, breaking all ties with the
British Crown four years after the declaration of independence. The Government refuses to recognise the new state as long as the Rhodesian Government opposes majority rule.[10]
18 April –
British Leyland announces that the
Morris Minor, its longest-running model which has been in production since 1948, will be discontinued at the start of next year and be replaced with a new
larger car available as a four-door saloon and three-door fastback coupe, and possibly a five-door estate by 1975.
21 April – The moderate Alliance Party is formed in Northern Ireland, initially as a platform for liberal Unionists and pro-
O'Neill voters. From the outset though, it declares as neither Unionist nor Nationalist, instead declaring as 'Other'.
19 May – The government makes a £20,000,000 loan available to help save the financially troubled luxury car and aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.
29 May – Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act abolishes actions for
breach of promise and the right of a husband to claim
damages for
adultery with his wife.[20]
4 June –
Tonga becomes independent from the UK.[2]
10 June – Just a few months after the Conservatives had enjoyed opinion poll leads of more than 20 points, the polls are showing Labour several points ahead of the Conservatives with eight days to go before the general election. If Labour were to win the election, it would be a record third consecutive win for them and would probably result in the end of
Edward Heath's five-year reign as Conservative leader.[24]
The bodies of two children are found buried in shallow graves in woodland at
Waltham Abbey, Essex. They are believed to be those of Susan Blatchford (11) and Gary Hanlon (12), who were last seen alive near their homes in
North London on 31 March this year. These become known as the "
Babes in the Wood murders"[26] and remain unsolved until a confession in 1998.
British Leyland creates a niche in the
four-wheel drive market by launching its luxury
Range Rover, which is to be marketed as a more upmarket and urban alternative to the utilitarian
Land Rover that has been in production since 1948.[27]
14 July – 5 speedway riders die in Lokeren, Belgium when a minibus carrying members of the West Ham speedway team crashes into a petrol tanker after a brief tour. One of those killed is Phil Bishop, a founding member of the team from before WW2.
5 October –
BBC Radio 4 first broadcasts consumer affairs magazine programme You and Yours; it will still be running forty years later.
10 October –
Fiji becomes independent from the United Kingdom.[40]
12 October – After a failed launch only eighteen months previously,
British Leyland announce a much improved
Austin Maxi featuring a new gearchange, increased engine size and much improved trim, answering many of the critical points raised by the motoring press at the car's original launch.
23 October – The
Mark III Ford Cortina goes on sale.[44] At launch a full range of models is offered including two-door and estate variants. Unlike previous models, this Cortina has been developed as a Ford Europe model sharing the floor-pan with the similar German Ford Taunus.
^National Westminster Bank Act 1969 and National Westminster Bank Act 1969 (Appointed Day) Order 1969; registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985, No. 929027
^Department of the Environment (Merrison Committee of Inquiry) (1973). Inquiry into the Basis of Design and Method of Erection of Steel Box Girder Bridges. London:
HMSO.
^Durham, Dick (1989). The Last Sailorman. Lavenham: Terence Dalton. p. 142.
ISBN0-86138-067-3.
^Oates, Peter (January 2010).
"The Jam 'Ole Run"(PDF). Southampton Canal Society Newsletter (444). Archived from
the original(PDF) on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
23 February –
Rolls-Royce ask the government for £50,000,000 towards the development of the RB 211-50
Airbusjet engine.
27 February–1 March – First National Women's Liberation Conference held, at
Ruskin College, Oxford.[9]
March
2 March –
Rhodesian Prime MinisterIan Smith declares
Rhodesia a republic, breaking all ties with the
British Crown four years after the declaration of independence. The Government refuses to recognise the new state as long as the Rhodesian Government opposes majority rule.[10]
18 April –
British Leyland announces that the
Morris Minor, its longest-running model which has been in production since 1948, will be discontinued at the start of next year and be replaced with a new
larger car available as a four-door saloon and three-door fastback coupe, and possibly a five-door estate by 1975.
21 April – The moderate Alliance Party is formed in Northern Ireland, initially as a platform for liberal Unionists and pro-
O'Neill voters. From the outset though, it declares as neither Unionist nor Nationalist, instead declaring as 'Other'.
19 May – The government makes a £20,000,000 loan available to help save the financially troubled luxury car and aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.
29 May – Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act abolishes actions for
breach of promise and the right of a husband to claim
damages for
adultery with his wife.[20]
4 June –
Tonga becomes independent from the UK.[2]
10 June – Just a few months after the Conservatives had enjoyed opinion poll leads of more than 20 points, the polls are showing Labour several points ahead of the Conservatives with eight days to go before the general election. If Labour were to win the election, it would be a record third consecutive win for them and would probably result in the end of
Edward Heath's five-year reign as Conservative leader.[24]
The bodies of two children are found buried in shallow graves in woodland at
Waltham Abbey, Essex. They are believed to be those of Susan Blatchford (11) and Gary Hanlon (12), who were last seen alive near their homes in
North London on 31 March this year. These become known as the "
Babes in the Wood murders"[26] and remain unsolved until a confession in 1998.
British Leyland creates a niche in the
four-wheel drive market by launching its luxury
Range Rover, which is to be marketed as a more upmarket and urban alternative to the utilitarian
Land Rover that has been in production since 1948.[27]
14 July – 5 speedway riders die in Lokeren, Belgium when a minibus carrying members of the West Ham speedway team crashes into a petrol tanker after a brief tour. One of those killed is Phil Bishop, a founding member of the team from before WW2.
5 October –
BBC Radio 4 first broadcasts consumer affairs magazine programme You and Yours; it will still be running forty years later.
10 October –
Fiji becomes independent from the United Kingdom.[40]
12 October – After a failed launch only eighteen months previously,
British Leyland announce a much improved
Austin Maxi featuring a new gearchange, increased engine size and much improved trim, answering many of the critical points raised by the motoring press at the car's original launch.
23 October – The
Mark III Ford Cortina goes on sale.[44] At launch a full range of models is offered including two-door and estate variants. Unlike previous models, this Cortina has been developed as a Ford Europe model sharing the floor-pan with the similar German Ford Taunus.
^National Westminster Bank Act 1969 and National Westminster Bank Act 1969 (Appointed Day) Order 1969; registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985, No. 929027
^Department of the Environment (Merrison Committee of Inquiry) (1973). Inquiry into the Basis of Design and Method of Erection of Steel Box Girder Bridges. London:
HMSO.
^Durham, Dick (1989). The Last Sailorman. Lavenham: Terence Dalton. p. 142.
ISBN0-86138-067-3.
^Oates, Peter (January 2010).
"The Jam 'Ole Run"(PDF). Southampton Canal Society Newsletter (444). Archived from
the original(PDF) on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2012.