1928 in the United Kingdom explained
Events from the year 1928 in the United Kingdom.
Incumbents
Events
- January – Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA.[1] [2]
- 1 January – Abolition of domestic slavery in the British Protectorate of Sierra Leone comes into effect.[3]
- 6–7 January – River Thames floods in London; 14 drown. On 7 January the moat at the Tower of London (drained in 1843 and planted with grass) is completely refilled by the river.
- 29 January – The country's leading World War general, Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, dies of a heart attack in London aged 66.
- 3 February – Funeral of Earl Haig takes place.
- 8 February – John Logie Baird broadcasts a transatlantic television signal from London to Hartsdale, New York.[4]
- 11–19 February – Great Britain and Northern Ireland compete at the Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland and win one bronze medal.
- 12 February
- 18 February – The Australian sport of Speedway is competitively demonstrated for the first time in the UK with a meet at High Beach in Epping Forest.
- 12 March – Malta becomes a British dominion.
- 1 April – Cinematograph Films Act 1927 comes into force, setting a minimum quota for British films to be shown in UK cinemas.
- 19 April – Publication of the original Oxford English Dictionary is completed after 70 years with issue of the last section ("wise – wyze") in Oxford.[6]
- May – The Scottish county of Forfarshire resolves to revert to its historic name of Angus.[7]
- 1 May – The London and North Eastern Railway's Flying Scotsman steam-hauled express train begins to run non-stop over the 393miles of the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Edinburgh.[8]
- 5 May – William Ralph "Dixie" Dean finishes the football season with a Football League record of 60 goals for First Division champions Everton.[9]
- 7 May – Passage of the Representation of the People Act lowers the voting age for women from 30 to 21 and removes remaining property qualifications, giving them equal suffrage with men from 2 July.[10]
- 16 May – Opening of Royal Tweed Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed, constructed from reinforced concrete to the design of L. G. Mouchel & Partners.[11]
- 17 May–12 August – Great Britain and Northern Ireland compete at the Olympics in Amsterdam and win 3 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze medals.
- 27 June – 25 people killed in the Darlington rail crash.
- 3 July – John Logie Baird demonstrates the world's first colour television transmission in Glasgow.[12]
- 27 July – Tich Freeman becomes the only bowler ever to take 200 first-class wickets before the end of July.
- 26 August – In Paisley, May Donoghue finds the remains of a snail in her ginger beer, leading to the landmark negligence case Donoghue v. Stevenson.[13]
- 15 September – Tich Freeman sets all-time record for number of wickets taken in an English cricket season.
- 28 September
- 10 October – Tyne Bridge opens, connecting Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead.[17]
- 9–16 November – Radclyffe Hall's novel The Well of Loneliness (published on 27 July by Jonathan Cape in London) is tried and convicted on the grounds of obscenity due to its theme of lesbian love, following a campaign by James Douglas in the Sunday Express newspaper.[18] [19]
- 12 November – Randall Davidson becomes the first Archbishop of Canterbury to retire, having served for twenty-five years, the longest in this office since the Reformation.[20] He is created 1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth three days later.
- 15 November – The Mary Stanford life-boat capsizes on service in Rye Harbour: all 17 crew lost.
- 22 November – Following passage of the Currency and Banknotes Act on 2 July, the Bank of England resumes responsibility for issue of banknotes from HM Treasury and issues pound and (for the first time) ten shilling notes, the first to be printed in colour and on both sides.[21]
- 23–25 November – A windstorm affects parts of northwestern Europe and kills 38 people, mainly in England.[22]
- 4 December – Cosmo Lang enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury,[23] the first bachelor to be appointed in 150 years.[24]
- 20 December – The first Harry Ramsden's fish and chip shop opens in Yorkshire.[10]
- 24 December – The first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols that was broadcast from King's College Chapel, Cambridge, by BBC Radio.[25]
Undated
Sport
Publications
Births
- 2 January – Harry Hyams, property speculator (died 2015)
- 3 January – Michael Barratt, television presenter (died 2022)
- 5 January – Denise Bryer, voice actress (died 2021)
- 11 January – Alan Bowness, art historian (died 2021)[32]
- 17 January
- 18 January – Terence Higgins, athlete and politician
- 19 January – Joan Regan, singer (died 2013)
- 24 January – Desmond Morris, anthropologist and writer
- 29 January – Peter Byrne, actor and director (died 2018)
- 2 February – Felix Pirani, theoretical physicist (died 2015)
- 8 February – Osian Ellis, Welsh harpist (died 2021)
- 10 February
- 13 February – Jack Lewis, Baron Lewis of Newnham, chemist and academic (died 2014)
- 14 February
- 17 February – Seán Mac Stíofáin, IRA terrorist (died 2001)
- 21 February – Cecil Sandford, English motorcycle racer (died 2023)
- 22 February – Bruce Forsyth, entertainer (died 2017)
- 23 February – David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort, peer (died 2017)
- 29 February
- 2 March – Katharine Whitehorn, journalist (died 2021)
- 4 March – Alan Sillitoe, writer (died 2010)
- 5 March – Diana Coupland, actress (died 2006)
- 6 March – Glyn Owen, actor (died 2004)
- 10 March – Arthur Milton, cricketer and footballer (died 2007)
- 12 March – Philip Jones, trumpeter (died 2000)
- 13 March – Jane Grigson, cookery writer (died 1990)
- 16 March
- 17 March
- 23 March
- 26 March – John H. Edwards, geneticist (died 2007)
- 29 March – Philip Locke, actor (died 2004)
- 30 March – Tom Sharpe, author (died 2013)
- 31 March – Dilys Hamlett, actress (died 2002)
- 2 April – April Cantelo, soprano (died 2024)
- 3 April – Jennifer Paterson, chef and broadcaster (died 1999)
- 4 April – Jimmy Logan, actor and producer (died 2001)
- 5 April – Michael Bryant, actor (died 2002)
- 6 April – Peter Townsend, sociologist (died 2009)
- 7 April – James White, science fiction writer (died 1999)
- 8 April – Eric Porter, actor (died 1995)
- 9 April – Ian Ward, physicist (died 2018)
- 14 April
- 19 April – Alexis Korner, musician (died 1984)
- 23 April – Bill Cotton, television executive (died 2008)
- 24 April – Tommy Docherty, football player and manager (died 2020)
- 25 April
- 30 April
- 1 May – Desmond Titterington, racing driver (died 2002)
- 8 May – John Bennett, actor (died 2005)
- 9 May – Colin Chapman, automotive engineer (died 1982)
- 10 May – John Forbes-Robertson, actor (died 2008)
- 12 May – Gordon Shattock, British veterinarian, Conservative politician and survivor of the Brighton hotel bombing (died 2010)
- 18 May
- 23 May – Jeannie Carson, actress
- 27 May – Thea Musgrave, Scottish composer
- 29 May – Frederick Jaeger, actor (born in Germany; died 2004)
- 31 May – Derek Ufton, cricketer and footballer (died 2021)
- 1 June – Bob Monkhouse, comedian and game show host (died 2003)[33]
- 3 June – Archie Hind, novelist (died 2008)
- 4 June – Paul Greening, naval officer and courtier (died 2008)
- 5 June – Tony Richardson, film director (died 1991)
- 6 June
- 7 June
- 8 June – John Russell, 27th Baron de Clifford, aristocrat (died 2018)
- 14 June – Rosemary Rue, physician (died 2004)
- 15 June – Adele Leigh, opera singer (died 2004)
- 17 June – Basil McIvor, politician (died 2004)
- 19 June
- 21 June – Maurice Line, librarian (died 2010)
- 25 June – Peter Sawyer, historian (died 2018)
- 28 June – Harold Evans, newspaper editor (died 2020)
- 29 June – Ian Bannen, Scottish actor (died 1999)
- 30 June – Tony Conyers, journalist (died 2011)
- 1 July – Jim Hankinson, footballer (died 2016)
- 2 July – John Timpson, journalist and radio presenter (died 2005)
- 3 July – Evelyn Anthony, writer (died 2018)
- 4 July – Patrick Tilley, science fiction author (died 2021)
- 5 July – Jeremy Moore, officer in the Royal Marines (died 2007)
- 6 July
- 7 July – Pat Hitchcock, actress (died 2021)
- 8 July – Gordon Hill, football player (died 2019)
- 10 July – Patsy Burt, racing driver (died 2001)
- 11 July
- Jane Gardam, writer
- Greville Janner, politician, barrister and writer (d. 2015)
- 12 July
- 14 July
- 16 July – Anita Brookner, novelist and art historian (died 2016)
- 20 July – Peter Ind, jazz double bassist and record producer (died 2021)
- 21 July
- 22 July – Jimmy Hill, footballer and television sports presenter (died 2015)
- 26 July – Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, politician[34]
- 4 August - Henry Sandon, antique expert and television personality (died 2023)
- 5 August – Carla Lane, born Romana Barrack, television comedy scriptwriter (died 2016)
- 6 August – Vince Powell, scriptwriter (died 2009)
- 7 August – Owen Luder, architect (died 2021)
- 8 August – Alfred Hayes, wrestler and wrestling announcer (died 2005)
- 10 August – Henry Sandon, antiques expert and television personality (died 2023)
- 12 August – Maureen Colquhoun, economist and politician (died 2021)
- 15 August – Nicolas Roeg, film director (died 2018)
- 19 August – Bernard Levin, writer and journalist (died 2004)
- 21 August
- 28 August – Charles Gray, actor (died 2000)
- 29 August – Peter Miles, actor (died 2018)
- 5 September – Joyce Hatto, pianist (died 2006)
- 6 September – Norman Holwell, speed skater (died 2020)
- 14 September – Angus Ogilvy, businessman (died 2004)
- 17 September – Roddy McDowall, actor (died 1998)
- 22 September – Eric Broadley, race car builder, founder of Lola Cars (died 2017)
- 27 September – Geoffrey Martin, historian (died 2007)
- 1 October – Jim Radford, peace activist and folk singer (died 2020)
- 8 October – Bill Maynard, comic actor (died 2018)
- 10 October – Sheila Walsh, novelist (died 2009)
- 11 October – Geoffrey Tordoff, politician (died 2019)
- 14 October – Peter Jackson, politician (died 2020)
- 17 October – Michael Palmer, senior British Army officer (died 2017)
- 18 October – Dick Taverne, politician
- 20 October – Michael O'Donnell, physician, journalist, medical campaigner and broadcaster (died 2019)
- 21 October – Ken Major, architect (died 2009)
- 28 October – Bill Rodgers, politician, member of the "Gang of Four"
- 29 October – Cecil Humphery-Smith, genealogist and heraldist (died 2021)
- 30 October
- 31 October – Michael J. Bird, writer (died 2001)
- 2 November – Paul Johnson, journalist, historian and author (died 2023)
- 5 November – John Bailey, lawyer and public servant (died 2021)
- 7 November – Arthur Davidson, politician (died 2018)
- 8 November – Edward Goldsmith, environmentalist and philosopher (died 2009)
- 12 November – Maureen Gardner, athlete (died 1974)
- 15 November – John Orchard, actor (died 1995)
- 17 November – Don Lawrence, comic book artist (died 2003)
- 22 November
- 26 November
- 6 December – Stanley Clinton-Davis, English politician, solicitor (died 2023)
- 10 December – Jeremy Morse, English banker, academic and crossword compiler (died 2016)
- 11 December
- 12 December – Lionel Blair, Canadian-born English actor, choreographer, dancer and television presenter (died 2021)
- 19 December – Antony Buck, politician (died 2003)
- 20 December – Donald Adams, actor and opera singer (died 1996)
- 29 December
Deaths
- 11 January – Thomas Hardy, novelist and poet (born 1840)
- 21 January – Sir John de Robeck, admiral (born 1862)
- 29 January – Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, soldier (born 1861)
- 15 February – H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1852)
- 21 March – Edward Walter Maunder, astronomer (born 1851)
- 24 March – Charlotte Mew, poet, suicide (born 1869)
- 5 April – Roy Kilner, cricketer (born 1890)
- 10 April – Stanley J. Weyman, novelist (born 1855)
- 15 April – Jane Ellen Harrison, scholar, linguist and feminist (born 1850)
- 1 May – Sir Ebenezer Howard, urban planner (born 1850)
- 3 May – Walter Biggar Blaikie, astronomer, engineer, historian and printer (born 1847)
- 5 May – Barry Pain, writer (born 1864)
- 16 May – Edmund Gosse, poet and critic (born 1849)
- 10 June – Dennis Eadie, Scottish-born character actor (born 1869)
- 13 June – Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire, politician and colonial governor (born 1843)
- 14 June – Emmeline Pankhurst, suffragette (born 1858)
- 1 July – John Elmes Beale, politician and merchant (born 1847)
- 6 July – Frederick Green, footballer (born 1851)
- 21 July – Dame Ellen Terry, actress (born 1847)
- 17 August – Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet, statesman and author (born 1838)
- 19 August – Richard Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane, politician and lawyer (born 1856)
- 30 August – Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, admiral (born 1862)
- 27 November – Frank Hedges Butler, wine merchant, founding member of the Aero Club of Great Britain (born 1855)
- 1 December – Arthur Gore, tennis player (born 1868)
- 2 December – Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, 2nd Governor-General of Australia (born 1852)
- 10 December – Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scottish-born architect (born 1868)
- 17 December – Eglantyne Jebb, human rights activist, co-founder of Save the Children (born 1876)
See also
Notes and References
- Griffith. Fred.. The Significance of Pneumococcal Types. Journal of Hygiene. Cambridge University Press . 27. 2. 113–159. 4626734. 20474956. 2167760. 10.1017/S0022172400031879 . January 1928.
- Downie. A. W.. Pneumococcal transformation - a backward view: Fourth Griffith Memorial Lecture. Journal of General Microbiology. 73. 1. 1–11. 1972. 10.1099/00221287-73-1-1. 4143929. free.
- News: 1928-01-03. 250,000 Slaves in Sierra Leone, Africa, Freed. Chicago Daily Tribune. 3.
- Web site: Transatlantic Television in 1928. Baird Television. Extract from The New York Times 1928-02-09.
- Web site: Haig Pit Disasters – 13th Dec. 1927 & 12th Feb. 1928. HealeyHero. 2010-10-18.
- OED (1933, 1978 vol. 1, pp. xxv, xxvl).
- News: Forfarshire's New Name. The Times. London. 1928-10-24. 8. 45032. It was last May that the Forfarshire County Council passed a resolution....
- Book: Palmer, Alan. Palmer . Veronica. 1992. The Chronology of British History. Century Ltd. London. 369–370. 0-7126-5616-2.
- Web site: Dixie Dean: Footballer, Gentleman, Evertonian. Mirror Football. Daily Mirror. 2011-11-30.
- Book: Penguin Pocket On This Day. Penguin Reference Library. 0-14-102715-0. 2006.
- Web site: Royal Tweed Bridge . Engineering Timelines. 2010-11-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120307231546/https://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=378. 2012-03-07.
- Book: The Hutchinson Factfinder. Helicon. 1999. 1-85986-000-1.
- Book: Chapman, Matthew. The Snail and the Ginger Beer: the story of Donoghue v Stevenson. London. Wildy, Simmons & Hill. 2010. 0-85490-049-7.
- Book: Dubey, R. C.. Text book of Microbiology. S. Chand & Company Ltd. New Delhi. 1999. 9788121926201. 579.
- Culture shock will highlight penicillin discovery. Royal Society of Chemistry. London. 2003-09-02. 2011-11-30. 27 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080627110440/http://www.rsc.org/pdf/pressoffice/2003/penicillin.pdf. dead.
- Web site: Sean. Blackwood. How cannabis was criminalised. Independent Drug Monitoring Unit. 2010-08-17.
- Web site: The Tyne Bridge. Bridges on the Tyne. 2006.
- Book: Baker, Michael. Our Three Selves: A Life of Radclyffe Hall. GMP Publishers. 1985. London. 0-85449-042-6.
- Book: Foster, Jeanette H.. Sex Variant Women in Literature: A Historical and Quantitative Survey. registration. Vantage Press. 1956. New York.
- Web site: Stuart. Mews. Davidson, Randall Thomas, Baron Davidson of Lambeth (1848–1930). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. 2004.
- Web site: United Kingdom Banknotes. 2010-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20100416224603/http://www.btinternet.com/~ianb/sterling.htm. 16 April 2010.
- News: Dead In Gale Sweeping Europe. https://archive.today/20120715135745/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1997948352.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+18,+1928&author=&pub=Daily+Boston+Globe+(1928-1960)&desc=DEAD+IN+GALE+SWEEPING+EUROPE&pqatl=google. dead. 15 July 2012. 21 February 2012. Daily Boston Globe. 18 November 1928.
- Web site: Alan. Wilkinson. Lang, (William) Cosmo Gordon, Baron Lang of Lambeth (1864–1945). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. 2004.
- Religion:York to Canterbury. Time. Time Inc.. New York. 6 August 1928. https://web.archive.org/web/20101121035432/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,787459,00.html. dead. 2010-11-21.
- .
- Web site: The Mond-Turner talks . . 1968. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120314122702/https://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-3225-f5.cfm . 14 March 2012 .
- Web site: Kelvin to Weir, and on to GB SYS 2005. 29 September 2005. Alan. Shaw. Royal Society of Edinburgh. https://web.archive.org/web/20090304090015/http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/enquiries/energy/evidence/ShawA1.pdf. 4 March 2009. dead.
- BBC: The Genius of Design – Designs for living
- Web site: The Nobel Prize in Physics 1928. 2008-01-28.
- Web site: Our History. British Home Stores. 2011-11-30. 8 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308154647/http://www.bhs.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/bhsstore/217968/1/1. dead.
- Book: Keating, H. R. F.. H. R. F. Keating. Whodunit? - a guide to crime, suspense and spy fiction. London. Windward. 1982. 0-7112-0249-4.
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article5484753.ece The Times
- News: Bob Monkhouse – The Times obituary . 31 August 2008 . Times Online . 29 December 2003 . London . Fiona . Hamilton.
- Web site: Ireland, Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958" index . FamilySearch . Also: Web site: BIRTHS entry for Sarah A Viner; citing Dublin South, Jul-Sep 1928, vol. 2, p. 527 . General Registry, Custom House, Dublin; FHL microfilm 101230 . 12 March 2014 .
- Web site: 2019-10-24. 1948 Olympic Silver Medallist Paul Bircher Dies. 2020-11-03. Hear The Boat Sing. en-GB.