Take a step back in time with us as we look at a series of events which have occurred in past Octobers.
1 Year Ago
Sir Michael Caine retires from acting after his final film, The Great Escaper; while Amazon unveils plans to start using drones for UK package deliveries by the end of 2024.
5 Years Ago
A week’s worth of rain in one hour causes widespread flooding in the Midlands, Wales and Southern England.
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s becomes the first major UK supermarket to stop selling fireworks, and Cream drummer Ginger Baker dies.
10 Years Ago
There’s a live episode of EastEnders for its 30th anniversary, while both Gravesend and Kew Gardens record a temperature of 23.6C, making Halloween 2014 the warmest ever.
15 Years Ago
Britain’s Jenson Button clinches the Formula One Championship and ITV announces plans to drop the ‘bongs’ of Big Ben from the opening credits of News at Ten.
20 Years Ago
Arsenal’s record-breaking 49-game unbeaten run ends with a 2-0 loss to Manchester United, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, passes away at Kensington Palace aged 102 – the oldest British Royal ever.
25 Years Ago
The opening episode of BBC’s Walking with Dinosaurs becomes the UK’s most-watched science programme.
30 Years Ago
Cookery show Ready Steady Cook debuts on BBC2 – it has now clocked up over 1,900 shows.
In other news, Rover Group introduces the Rover 100 – an updated Metro – and the UK version of the music channel VH1 launches.
35 Years Ago
The Guildford Four are freed from prison after the High Court overturns their convictions, and a 0-0 draw with Poland sees England qualify for the 1990 World Cup.
40 Years Ago
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is passed, codifying police powers for investigating suspects.
In sport, John Lowe hits the first televised nine-dart finish.
50 Years Ago
Five historically all-male University of Oxford colleges admit women undergraduates for the first time. In the second General Election of the year, Labour win with a three-seat majority.
60 Years Ago
Northern Rhodesia gains independence as the Republic of Zambia, ending 73 years of British governance.
Britain brings back four golds, 12 silver and two bronze medals from the Tokyo Olympics.
75 Years Ago
Valerie Hunter Gordon receives a UK patent for the disposable nappy.
Meanwhile, on the BBC, How Do You View?, the first-ever British TV comedy series, featuring Terry-Thomas, is broadcast.
All these events in Octobers past.
