World Events in 1960
Sharpeville Massacre
South African police opened fire on a crowd of black protesters in Sharpeville, killing 69 people. The massacre drew worldwide condemnation and became a turning point in the anti-apartheid movement.
U-2 Spy Plane Incident
American pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet airspace in a CIA U-2 reconnaissance plane. The incident collapsed the Paris Summit and deepened Cold War tensions between the US and USSR.
John F. Kennedy Elected President
JFK narrowly defeated Richard Nixon in one of the closest presidential elections in US history. At 43, he became the youngest elected president, promising a 'New Frontier' of progress.
Congo Crisis Begins
Following independence from Belgium, the Congo descended into political turmoil and violence. Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba struggled against secession and military intervention, beginning years of instability.
Rome Summer Olympics
The Games of the XVII Olympiad were held in Rome, featuring Cassius Clay winning boxing gold and Abebe Bikila running the marathon barefoot to victory. It was the first Olympics widely broadcast on television.
Music in 1960
"It's Now or Never"
Elvis Presley
Spent eight weeks at number one and became the best-selling single of 1960 in the UK, with over one million copies sold.
"The Theme from A Summer Place"
Percy Faith
Topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks and became the number one single of the entire year in the US.
#1 Film of 1960
Ben-Hur
Box Office: $74 million
William Wyler's epic swept the 1960 Academy Awards with a record 11 Oscars, a feat not matched until Titanic in 1998. Charlton Heston starred in the iconic chariot race.
Born in 1960
Hugh Grant
English actor known for romantic comedies including Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill
Bono
Irish musician and lead singer of rock band U2
Diego Maradona
Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Belgian actor and martial artist known for action films
Colin Firth
English actor known for Pride and Prejudice, The King's Speech, and Bridget Jones's Diary
Lost in 1960
Albert Camus
French-Algerian Nobel Prize-winning author of The Stranger and The Plague
Age 46
Clark Gable
American actor known as the 'King of Hollywood', starred in Gone with the Wind
Age 59
Sylvia Pankhurst
British suffragette and campaigner for women's rights
Age 78
Mack Sennett
Canadian-American filmmaker known as the 'King of Comedy' in silent films
Age 80
Technology in 1960
Television was now in most homes, transistor radios were hugely popular, and the first communication experiments via satellite were underway. Jet air travel was becoming mainstream following the introduction of the Boeing 707.
- ● The first working laser was demonstrated by Theodore Maiman
- ● TIROS-1, the first weather satellite, was launched by NASA
- ● The halogen lamp was invented
- ● The Boeing 707 made transatlantic jet travel routine
Cost of Living in 1960
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £2,530 | $12,700 |
| Average salary | £700 | $5,315 |
| Pint of milk | 4d (old pence) | $0.13 |
| Loaf of bread | 5d | $0.20 |
| Dozen eggs | 3s 6d | $0.57 |
| Pint of beer | 1s 1d | $0.30 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | 4s 6d | $0.31 |
| Cinema ticket | 2s 6d | $0.69 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1960
The 1950s conservatism was giving way to youthful energy and restlessness. Rock and roll was firmly established, cinemas were booming, and television ownership was becoming the norm in British and American homes. In sport, the Rome Olympics captivated audiences, while English football was evolving with the abolition of the maximum wage on the horizon.
In the News in 1960
The Sharpeville massacre in South Africa shocked the world. The U-2 spy plane incident torpedoed the Paris Summit between Eisenhower and Khrushchev. Princess Margaret married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. The farthing ceased to be legal tender in the UK.