Britain and the World 1962

BRITAIN AND THE WORLD SINCE 1953

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	1962
Jan1	The Beatles auditioned for Decca records, only to be rejected because the company felt "groups of guitars are on the way out."
Jan27	Soviet government changed all place names honouring Molotov, Kaganovich and Malenkov, who had been involved in an attempt to oust Nikita Khrushchev in 1957.
	The New Zealand runner Peter Snell breaks the world mile record
Feb3	US announces its trade embargo with Cuba
Feb4	The Sunday Times becomes the first paper to print a colour supplement
Feb10	In an exchange of spies, Gary Powers the U2 pilot is pepatriated to USA
Feb20	Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., becomes first American to orbit Earth
Mar8	Negotiations open in Geneva between France and the Algerian FLN. Even though an armistice is initiated from Mar 19, the OAS still continue its terrorist attacks. On May 2 a bomb explodes in Algeria killing 110 people
Apr4	James Hanratty is hanged in Bedford Goal for A6 Murder - many believe he was innocent
May5	12 East Germans escape via a tunnel under the Berlin Wall
May8	Trams run for the last time in London
May14	Juan Carlos marries the Greek Princess Sophia in Athens
May23	Raoul Salan the founder of the OAS is sentenced to life imprisonment in France
May25	Consecration of new Coventry Cathedral (previously destroyed in WW2 blitz)
May31	Adolf Eichmann is hanged in Israel
Jun3	An air crash at Orly Airport in Paris kills 130 people but miraculously two stewardesses survive
Jun15	First nuclear generated electricity to supplied National Grid (from Berkeley, Glos)
Jun17	Brazil beat Czechoslovakia in Seventh World Cup Final in Santiago Chile
Jun30	Rwanda and Burundi gain independence from Belgium
Jul4	Island records founded by Chris Blackwell
Jul10	First live TV between US and Europe (Telstar)
Jul12	Rolling Stones first appearance at the Marquee Club Wardour Street London
Jul31	Federation of Malaysia formed
	Algeria is proclaimed independent with Ben Bella being the first President
Aug5	The death of Marilyn Monroe
	Jamaica gains independence. On 31st of the month Trinidad and Tobago gain independence
Aug16	Pete Best, original drummer with The Beatles, is fired and is replaced eventually by Richard Starkey.
Aug17	Peter Fechter, 18, was shot by East German guards as he attempted to flee across the Berlin Wall. Left to bleed to death, his case was the most notorious in the history of the Wall. In July 1996, two former guards were charged with his manslaughter.
Aug18	Two days after the sacking of Pete Best, Ringo Starr starts as drummer with the Beatles
Aug22	U.S. ship Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered ship, completed her maiden voyage from Yorktown, Virginia, to Savannah, Georgia.
Aug27	United States launched the "Mariner Two" space probe, which flew past Venus the following December.
Sep21	British TV quiz programme University Challenge was first transmitted and was chaired by Bamber Gascoigne
Sept25	Sonny Liston defeats Floyd Patterson in the first round of the Heavyweight championship (rematch 24.7.63)
Sep26	Civil war erupts in Yemen
Oct5	The Beatles' first hit, "Love Me Do," was first released in the United Kingdom.
Oct24	Cuban missile crisis - brink of nuclear war
Nov30	U Thant elected Secretary General of the United Nations
Dec8	A rebellion occurs in Brunei,Sarawak and Sabah that requires the intervention of British troops but a day later the rebels lay down their weapons
Dec22	No frost-free nights in Britain till 5 Mar 1963 - For details of the UK's "Big Freeze" please click here

Last Updated 16/09/02 09:30

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