Friday's Angels
Friday's Angels enters the Official Singles Chart during the later phase of the original Generation X lineup.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1979 in Great Britain — Page 3
Explore 273 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1979.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1979
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 273 unique records.
273Unique records
3 of 7Page
35Named events on this page
28Named people on this page
6Places on this page
June
July
Playground Twist Chart Entry
Playground Twist enters the Official Singles Chart and reaches the UK Top Thirty.
Adrastea Discovery
With G. Edward Danielson, identifies Adrastea in Voyager 2 images of Jupiter's ring region.
Low Budget
The Kinks release Low Budget.
World Record
Sebastian Coe runs world record 3:49 mile in Oslo
London Docklands
Answers parliamentary questions concerning redevelopment of London Docklands.
Radioactive Waste Disposal
Answers a parliamentary question concerning radioactive-waste disposal.
August
Commonwealth
1st Commonwealth Conference to be held in Africa, Rhodesia is the main subject. 1-8 August, attends the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference at Lusaka
Conference of Commonwealth
1st Commonwealth Conference to be held in Africa, Rhodesia is the main subject. 1-8 August, attends the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference at Lusaka
Knebworth Festival
Returns Led Zeppelin to major British stages at Knebworth.
In Through the Out Door
Shapes In Through the Out Door with prominent keyboards and arrangements.
In Through the Out Door
Releases In Through the Out Door with Led Zeppelin.
September
Something That I Said
Something That I Said enters the Official Singles Chart and reaches number twenty-nine.
Tomorrow's Girls Chart Entry
Tomorrow's Girls enters the Official Singles Chart and reaches number twenty-eight.
Quadrophenia Film
Directs the film adaptation of Quadrophenia.
Cut Chart Entry
Cut enters the UK albums chart during the Slits' major commercial breakthrough.
Adventures of the Hersham Boys
The Adventures of the Hersham Boys reaches the UK Top Ten albums chart.
Mittageisen Single
Mittageisen enters the Official Singles Chart during a turbulent year for the Banshees.
Dismissal
Rick Wright is dropped from the Pink Floyd Partnership during final sessions for "The Wall", the move is Waters idea but he is backed by Gilmour
Pink Floyd
Rick Wright is dropped from the Pink Floyd Partnership during final sessions for "The Wall", the move is Waters idea but he is backed by Gilmour
October
A Different Kind of Tension
Buzzcocks' third album A Different Kind of Tension enters the UK albums chart.
Coming Up for Air
Coming Up for Air enters the UK albums chart and reaches number thirty-six.
Typical Girls Chart Entry
Typical Girls and I Heard It Through the Grapevine enter the Official Singles Chart as a double-sided release.
GLC
Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing
London Labour Briefing
Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing
Smash It Up Chart Entry
Smash It Up enters the Official Singles Chart during the successful Machine Gun Etiquette period.
Exchange Controls Abolished
Howe abolishes the remaining exchange controls on the movement of capital on 23 October 1979.
Reform of Trade
Exchange controls are removed
Found Out Too Late
Found Out Too Late enters the Official Singles Chart during 999's continuing late-1970s punk activity.
November
Home Ownership Finance
Answers a parliamentary question concerning finance for home ownership.
Anthony Blunt
Exposed as a former Soviet spy and stripped of his knighthood.
Pink Floyd
"Another Brick In The Wall Part II" is released, it goes straight to number one in the UK chart. It is the band's only number one
Pink Floyd
"Another Brick In The Wall Part II" is released, it goes straight to number one in the UK chart. It is the band's only number one
Home Thoughts from Abroad
Delivers the Dimbleby Lecture criticising Britain's two-party political system.
Radical Centre
Calls for a new radical centre capable of breaking established party alignments.
Pink Floyd
"The Wall" is finally released
Pink Floyd
"The Wall" is finally released
The Wall
Pink Floyd release The Wall, dominated by Waters's narrative concept
International Caps
Full international debut against Bulgaria
Jam
"The Eton Rifles" breaks The Jam into the Top 10, hitting the No. 3 spot
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.