What Happened in 1956 in the UK? A Remarkable Year of Change, Culture & Progress

What Happened in 1956 in the UK

In 2026, we mark the 70th anniversary of 1956 — a year that tested Britain’s global standing while quietly reshaping everyday life at home, what happened in 1956 in the UK. With Elizabeth II on the throne and Anthony Eden as Prime Minister, the country found itself balancing post-war progress, cultural change, and international crisis.

If you were born in 1956, you’re celebrating your 70th birthday this year; if you married in 1956, it’s your platinum (70th) wedding anniversary. From landmark laws and transport icons to rock ’n’ roll, television expansion, and the shadow of Suez, join us as we uncover the moments that defined 1956 in the UK.

Major Events of 1956 in the UK

  • 1 January 1956 – Possession of heroin becomes fully criminalised in the UK, marking a tougher stance on drugs.
  • February 1956 – The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is launched, encouraging young people to develop skills, fitness and service.
  • 17 April 1956 – Chancellor Harold Macmillan announces Premium Bonds, with sales planned to begin on 1 November 1956.
  • 5 July 1956 – The Clean Air Act receives Royal Assent, laying the foundations for tackling urban air pollution.
  • 10 July 1956 – A private member’s bill to abolish the death penalty is vetoed in the House of Lords; notably, no executions take place in the UK during 1956.
  • 29 November 1956 – Petrol rationing is introduced in response to the Suez Crisis, affecting daily life across the country.
  • 23 December 1956 – British and French troops withdraw from Suez under international pressure.

Global Events That Happened in 1956

  • 26 July 1956 – Egypt’s leader Gamal Abdel Nasser announces the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, triggering the Suez Crisis.
  • 24 October 1956 – The secret Protocol of Sèvres is agreed between the UK, France and Israel.
  • 6 November 1956 – British and French forces seize two major ports on the Suez Canal before declaring a ceasefire.
  • 23 December 1956 – UK and French troops complete their withdrawal from Suez.
  • Hungarian Revolution (Nov 1956): Soviet forces moved to crush the uprising; major casualties and a large refugee outflow followed.
  • US presidential election (6 Nov 1956): Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson.

UK Music of 1956

The mid-1950s marked a turning point in British listening habits, as traditional crooners shared chart space with the first wave of rock ’n’ roll. Elvis Presley was the most successful newcomer. Tommy Steele was the UK’s most successful new act.

The year started with Bill Haley & His Comets rocking around the clock and ended the year with the best selling single of the year, Just Walkin’ in the Rain by Johnnie Ray

Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Teenagers (feat. Frankie Lymon) was the first song to be written by a teenager, for teenagers, to be number one in the charts.

UK Albums Chart

  • 22 July 1956 – The first UK Albums Chart is published in Record Mirror.
    • Number one for the first two weeks: Frank Sinatra – Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!

UK Singles Chart – every number one in 1956

Start dateSongArtistWeeks at #1
6 Jan 1956(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the ClockBill Haley & His Comets3
20 Jan 1956Sixteen TonsTennessee Ernie Ford2
17 Feb 1956Memories Are Made of ThisDean Martin4
16 Mar 1956It’s Almost TomorrowDream Weavers1
30 Mar 1956Rock and Roll WaltzKay Starr2
6 Apr 1956It’s Almost TomorrowDream Weavers1
13 Apr 1956Poor People of ParisWinifred Atwell3
4 May 1956No Other LoveRonnie Hilton6
15 Jun 1956I’ll Be HomePat Boone5
20 Jul 1956Why Do Fools Fall in LoveTeenagers (feat. Frankie Lymon)3
10 Aug 1956Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)Doris Day6
21 Sep 1956Lay Down Your ArmsAnne Shelton4
19 Oct 1956A Woman in LoveFrankie Laine4
16 Nov 1956Just Walkin’ in the RainJohnnie Ray7

Top UK Movies of 1956

  • Around the World in 80 Days – A lavish cinematic event that captivated audiences worldwide. Won the Best Picture Oscar.
  • Reach for the Sky – Winner of the BAFTA for Best British Film, celebrating wartime heroism.
  • George Orwell’s novel ‘1984‘ was released as a film starring Edmond O’Brien, Michael Redgrave and Jan Sterling
  • The King and I directed by Walter Lang and starring Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr and Rita Moreno was a hit musical film in this year.

Science & Technology of 1956

  • 10 March 1956 – Peter Twiss sets a new airspeed record in the Fairey Delta 2, becoming the first person to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight.
  • 25 September 1956 – The TAT-1 transatlantic telephone cable between the UK and North America is inaugurated.
  • 17 October 1956 – The Queen opens the world’s first commercial nuclear power station at Calder Hall.
  • 21 November 1956 – The DIDO heavy-water research reactor opens at AERE Harwell.

Sports of 1956

  • 7 April 1956 – Manchester United win the Football League First Division title.
  • 5 May 1956 – FA Cup Final: Manchester City beat Birmingham City 3–1; goalkeeper Bert Trautmann plays on despite a broken neck.
  • 12 & 26 September 1956 – Manchester United become the first English team to compete in the European Cup, defeating Anderlecht 12–0 on aggregate.
  • 31 July 1956 – Jim Laker takes 19 wickets against Australia at Old Trafford.
  • 22 November – 8 December 1956 – Great Britain & Northern Ireland win 6 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze medals at the Melbourne Olympics.
  • 24 March 1956 – Grand National drama as Devon Loch collapses near the finish; E.S.B. wins at 100/7.

UK Television of 1956

  • 17 February 1956 – ITV expands beyond London as ATV Midlands begins broadcasting.
  • 18 February 1956 – ABC Weekend Television launches.
  • 3 May 1956 – Granada Television begins broadcasting from Manchester, extending ITV to the North.
  • 5 November 1956 – What the Papers Say airs for the first time.

Interesting Facts & Figures

  • Monarch: Elizabeth II
  • Prime Minister: Anthony Eden (Conservative)
  • Defining theme: The year is widely described as being dominated by the Suez Crisis.
  • Justice: No capital punishment carried out in the UK during 1956.

Births, Deaths & Marriages

Births

  • 4 January – Bernard Sumner, guitarist (Joy Division and New Order)
  • 6 January – Angus Deayton, actor and television presenter
  • 6 January – Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • 9 January – Imelda Staunton, English actress[49]
  • 17 January – Paul Young, pop singer and guitarist
  • 31 January – John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), punk rock singer-songwriter (Sex Pistols)
  • 8 February – Richard Sharp, banker and Chairman of the BBC
  • 12 March – Steve Harris, bass guitar player, founding member of Iron Maiden
  • 17 March – Frank McGarvey, footballer
  • 9 April – Nigel Slater, food writer
  • 19 April – Sue Barker, tennis player and television presenter
  • 25 April – Greg Richards, decathlete
  • 26 April – Koo Stark, actress
  • 13 May – Richard Madeley, television presenter
  • 5 July – Terry Chimes, rock drummer (The Clash)
  • 21 August – Kim Cattrall, screen actress
  • 14 September – Ray Wilkins, footballer and coach (died 2018)
  • 29 September – Sebastian Coe, athlete, co-ordinator of London 2012 Olympic Games
  • 1 October – Theresa May, Prime Minister, Conservative Party leader, MP for Maidenhead
  • 20 October – Danny Boyle, film director
  • 8 November – Richard Curtis, screenwriter
  • 26 November – John McCarthy, journalist and hostage
  • 7 December – Anna Soubry, politician
  • 28 December – Nigel Kennedy, violinist

Deaths

  • 31 January – A. A. Milne, author (born 1882)
  • 29 April – Harold Bride, Titanic survivor (born 1890)
  • 19 August – Bernard Griffin, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church; Archbishop of Westminster from 1943 until his death (born 1873)
  • 22 September – Frederick Soddy, chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1877)
  • 16 October – Jack Southworth, footballer (born 1866)
  • 17 October – Anne Crawford, film actress (leukemia) (born 1920)
  • 22 October – Hannah Mitchell, socialist and suffragette (born 1872)
  • 9 December – Charles Joughin, Titanic survivor (born 1878)
  • 13 December – Anthony Moorhouse, soldier (murdered in Egypt) (born 1935)

Marriages

There were 352,944 marriages in England and Wales in the year. So notable ones were:

  • 1 Jan – Actor Gene Hackman weds Fay Maltese. They divorce in 1986
  • 28 Jan – Future astronaut, Neil Armstrong marries a fellow student Janet Elizabeth Shearon.
  • 1 Mar – Rupert Murdoch, media magnate, marries his first wife Patricia Booker, they divorce in 1967
  • 18 April – Actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco
  • 23 Apr – Novelist C. S. Lewis weds poet Joy Davidman
  • 16 Jun – British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes marries American writer/poet Sylvia Plath
  • 29 Jun – Marilyn Monroe marries for the third time, to playwright Arthur Miller. They divorce in 1961
  • 12 Aug – Actor William Shatner marries Gloria Rand. They divorce in 1969
  • 14 Sep – Playwright Harold Pinter marries his first wife actress Vivien Merchant. They divorce in 1980.

UK Fashion of 1956

Fashion in 1956 still reflected the elegant, cinched-waist silhouette of the early post-war years, with full skirts and tailored jackets dominating women’s wear. At the same time, youth culture was beginning to assert itself: Teddy Boy styles — drape jackets, narrow trousers and bold details — became a visible symbol of teenage identity, closely linked to the rise of rock ’n’ roll.

UK Cost of Living in 1956

Everyday prices in 1956 were measured in shillings and pence, and the impact of the Suez Crisis was felt most clearly through fuel shortages and rationing.

ItemPrice in 1956
BreadUnwrapped 1½ lb loaf: 11.1d (average)
Milk7½d per pint
Eggs3s 10½d (May) to 5s 1d (September) per dozen
Petrol64.00d per gallon (annual average)

Pros and Cons of What Happened in 1956 in the UK

Pros

  • Landmark clean-air legislation improves public health.
  • Major technological milestones in energy and communications.
  • Cultural growth in music, theatre and television.

Cons

  • Suez Crisis damages Britain’s international standing.
  • Petrol rationing disrupts everyday life.
  • Continued nuclear weapons testing overseas.

Gift Ideas for 1956

What gifts might bring back the spirit of 1956?

  • Premium Bonds-themed commemorative print or keepsake
  • Routemaster bus memorabilia or model
  • Corgi Toys model car
  • Frank Sinatra Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! music gift
  • A 1956 yearbook or DVD of news headlines

Gift Ideas for 1956

Reflecting on what Happened in 1956 in the UK

Looking back, 1956 stands out as a year of sharp contrasts. Britain embraced innovation — from nuclear power to transatlantic communication — while simultaneously confronting the limits of its global influence. The legacy of the year lies as much in its achievements as in the lessons learned from crisis.

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