Wondering what happened in 1970 that made it into the headlines of the nation’s most renowned newspapers? Our unrivalled archive has a paper for every day in this fascinating year.
An authentic newspaper is a fantastic gift idea for birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion.
The 1970s conjures images of brightly coloured flare trousers, lava lamps, voluminous hair styles, and disco dance moves that may be better off forgotten. At least this is the image that recent film and television has painted of the decade. In reality, the 70’s wasn’t so glamorous and decadent. In Britain, the 1970s was a particularly difficult time both politically and economically, as the benefits of post-war affluence began to wear off. Our collection of authentic newspapers from the 1970s tell the stories of the decade with first hand accounts from those who lived the experience. An historic newspaper from a trusted outlet such as The Guardian, The Times, and The Financial Times is a wonderful keepsake gift that your loved one can treasure for years to come.
For a full review of the year, you can read our detailed 1970 timeline. Some key events from this year include the Concorde’s first supersonic flight, Britain’s most iconic rock band The Beatles split, and the largest rock festival of all time took place on The Isle of Wight, which attracted a crowd of 600,000 people and acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and The Doors. It was also a tragic year, with Jimi Hendrix’s death shocking the world. Hendrix died in London after overdosing.
A terrible monsoon hit Vietnam, which killed almost 300 and left 200,000 homeless. It was also a year of wonderment and discovery, when the USSR’s “Venera 7” completed the first successful landing on Venus. An authentic 1970 newspaper is a wonderful keepsake gift idea to remember all the fascinating events that took place as the world entered into a new decade.
3rd January 1970
The Beatles give their final studio performance.
14th February 1970
The iconic live album “The Who: Live at Leeds” is recorded.
12th March 1970
Teenagers in the United Kingdom vote for the first time, in a by-election in Bridgwater.
21st March 1970
“All Kinds of Everything”, sung by Dana, wins the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland.
25th March 1970
The Concorde makes its first supersonic flight.
10th April 1970
Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded and talks about the impending release of his first solo album.
16th April 1970
The National Westminster Bank begins trading in the United Kingdom. It had been established in 1968 following the merger of the National Provincial Bank and the Bank of Westminster.
18th June 1970
The Conservative Party wins the 1970 general election and Edward Heath becomes Prime Minister.
21st June 1970
Brazil defeats Italy 4-1 to win the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
26-30th August 1970
The Isle of Wight Festival takes place on East Afton Farm off the coast of England. 600,000 people attend the event, making it the largest rock festival of all time. Artists include Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago, Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Jethro Tull.
18th September 1970
Jimi Hendrix dies by choking on his own vomit, after falling unconscious due to a barbiturate overdose. He is in London at the time.
30th October 1970
The worst monsoon to hit Vietnam in six years causes large floods, killing 293 people and leaving 200,000 homeless. The terrible weather virtually halts the Vietnam War.
4th November 1970
Social workers in Los Angeles take custody of “Genie”, a thirteen-year-old girl who had been kept in solitary confinement since her birth.
15th December 1970
The USSR’s “Venera 7” becomes the first spacecraft to land successfully on Venus and transmit data back to Earth.