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Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1985 in Great Britain
Explore 209 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1985.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1985
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 209 unique records.
209Unique records
1 of 6Page
35Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
9Places on this page
January
Invention of Electric Car
Demonstrates the C5 battey-driven electric car
Nottinghamshire NUM Expulsion Vote
The national union voted to expel the Nottinghamshire area after a prolonged dispute over continued working.
NUM Nottinghamshire Dispute
The union voted to expel its Nottinghamshire area amid the bitter division over continued working.
Strike
Union votes to expel Nottinghamshire
Death of Wilfrid Brambell
Death of Wilfrid Brambell
Coal Negotiation Resumption
Contacts between the National Coal Board and the union continued while strike participation declined.
MacGregor Settlement Contacts
Discussions continued between the Coal Board and union while participation in the strike diminished.
NCB Confidential Discussions
National Coal Board and union contacts attempted to find an end to the prolonged dispute.
Frigate Orders
Addresses Commons questions concerning orders for Royal Navy frigates.
Award
Oxford University votes against the traditional honorary doctorate on a PM, the first Oxford-educated Prime Minister since the war to be denied the honour. Academics have led a campaign against honouring Mrs Thatcher in protest against the Governments cuts in funding for education
Chemical Weapons
Addresses Commons questions concerning chemical weapons and arms-control policy.
Trident Deterrent
Defends the Trident programme during Commons questioning.
Governor Appointed
Arthur Christopher Watson becomes Governor of Montserrat
February
Free movement between Spain & Gibraltar returns
Free movement between Spain & Gibraltar returns
RAF Molesworth
Makes and defends Government policy concerning RAF Molesworth.
Ponting Acquittal
Is acquitted after the Belgrano documents case.
Ponting Trial
Faces trial over leaked Belgrano documents.
Resignation of Clive Ponting
Ministry of Defence assistant secretary Clive Ponting resigns from his post over the Belgrano affair
General Belgrano
Takes part in a major Commons debate concerning the sinking of the General Belgrano during the Falklands War.
Congress of USA
Addresses the joint session of the US Congress
Strike
Miners reject peace plan by trades unionleaders and Government
NCB Labour Numbers
By late February more miners were returning to work while the NUM considered its options.
Strike
More than 50 perent of miners back at work
Death of David Byron
Death of David Byron
Arundells Home
Acquires Arundells in Salisbury which later becomes closely associated with his retirement years.
March
MacGregor Oversees Strike End
The NUM called off industrial action without obtaining an agreed programme of colliery closures.
NCB Strike Conclusion
The National Union of Mineworkers voted to call off the dispute without an agreement on closures.
Nottinghamshire Strike Ending
The national strike ended while Nottinghamshire remained divided over the years events.
NUM End Strike Vote
Delegates decided by ninety eight votes to ninety one to end the yearlong stoppage.
Strike
Delegates at an NUM conference decide 98 to 91 to end the strike
Strike
The year long miners strike is called off
Miners Return To Work
Miners began an organised return to the pits after NUM delegates voted to end the stoppage.
NCB Resumes Operations
After the strike ended the Board restored operations at affected coal mines amid continued industrial tensions.
NUM Pickets Return
Miners returned to their pits after the union conference ended the dispute without a closure settlement.
Strike
The year long miners strike is called off
Burial
Attends Chernenkos funeral in Moscow
Walker Plays Wembley League Cup Final
Walker plays in the Sunderland side beaten 1–0 by Norwich City in the League Cup final, the club's first appearance in that competition's final.
Birth of Keira Christina Knightley
Birth of Keira Christina Knightley
Privatization
Agrees to the total privatization of British Gas
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.