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What is the first major news story that you can remember

(207 Posts)
HurdyGurdy Fri 24-Nov-17 16:42:42

This is something that was asked on another forum I am a member of, and it was interesting to see the different responses. Also shows that most of the forum members are a lot younger than me, because a lot of their answers were Hillsborough, Holly and Jessica, Princess of Wales dying, Jamie Bulger and Dunblane.

For me, it was Aberfan, and for my husband it was Torre Canyon.

Also interesting that no one really posted about any happy, or positive stories. Almost everyone's memories of first major news stories were sad ones.

So - what is your first memory of a major news story?

Smurf52 Sun 26-Nov-17 09:39:51

The 1962 Bay of Pigs saga when we were on the brink of nuclear war. Russia had sited missiles on Cuba aimed at the US. I remember saying to my mum atbthe time I'll never grow up and have kids! I was 10 at the time.

Esspee Sun 26-Nov-17 08:06:19

I remember watching the Coronation on our TV. All the neighbours were in our " kitchen" having brought dishes to share and their own dining room chairs which were lined up cinema style. As children we sat on the floor in front for the good bits (gilded carriage with waving queen) and under the table for the boring bits.

Fennel Sun 26-Nov-17 07:24:13

I can't think of anything I heard or read before my mid teens. (The Coronation, on the radio.)
We didn't have TV for ages, and I can't remember listening to the radio, nor seeing newspapers.
We listened to music a lot though, probably gramaphone records.

cornergran Sun 26-Nov-17 00:47:48

The death of King George and the Coronation (watched on my grandparents tiny tv) are the first national events I recall. More local to my home was the flooding of Canvey Island. A major focus for my parents so I’m not sure if it was the news reports I recall or their conversations. Later Abervan has remained with me. I recall the reporting at the time and learning later that my boyfriend, now my husband, had gone there to try to help.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Sun 26-Nov-17 00:13:31

I remember the assassination of JFK when I was about eight or nine.
On a happier note I recall reports of 'Beatlemania' when the Fab Four toured America.

singingnutty Sat 25-Nov-17 23:08:09

The Coronation. We got a TV and some neighbours came to watch. I probably remember it for that more than anything because nobody ever came into our house apart from my Granny.

Jalima1108 Sat 25-Nov-17 22:48:40

I remember a lot of the major news stories mentioned above. However, one thing I do remember is that Harold Macmillan who was then, I think, the Prime Minister, telling us that we'd 'never had it so good' and my father snorting in derision, saying 'what does he know!'.

Lilyflower Sat 25-Nov-17 22:30:42

I was about five when we were living in a delicatessen my parents had brought in Australia. I wasn’t impervious to the TV news although it did not matter much to my small world but I remember my father coming back from this he shopfront with an ashen and shocked face saying, ‘They’ve shot President Kennedy.’ I knew then from the reaction of adults that something shattering had happened in the world beyond our home.

Deedaa Sat 25-Nov-17 22:15:51

I remember seeing drawings of what the Queen's Coronation Dress was going to look like. I was 7 at the time.

Diddy1 Sat 25-Nov-17 22:09:48

The Aberfan disaster, and the assasination of JFK, such dreadful events, no one will forget.

Madgran77 Sat 25-Nov-17 21:39:07

Kennedy Assassination

stevej4491 Sat 25-Nov-17 21:32:20

First memory is of The Festival of Britain 1951 ? Then George V1 dying.Also my father died in 1951 when I was 7.

quizqueen Sat 25-Nov-17 21:26:47

Travelling back from holiday with my family (I was 13) from Great Yarmouth on the train, someone must have had a portable radio and shouted England had won the World Cup. It was the only time that we went away for a week as usually we could only afford day trips so I think it stuck in my mind because of that because I didn't usually pay any attention to football.

Hm999 Sat 25-Nov-17 21:14:37

I can remember a headline in Daily Express about Eisenhower visiting UK, because it called him Ike, and I thought that was an odd name. And I can remember the Norman Hartnell sketches of the Queen's dress to wear at Princess Margaret's wedding in the paper. (1959/1960) Strange to think newspapers being earlier memories than TV.
Earliest TV world memory was Take Your Pick being interuppted for 2 Newsflashes. JFK shot, and JFK dead. Not having thought about it for years, I was telling my son about it the week before last.

Redrobin51 Sat 25-Nov-17 20:21:03

Kennedy assasination but as it was in this country it was Abefan that really made a horrible impression of me. Just thinking of those poor children now makes me shudder.x

annifrance Sat 25-Nov-17 20:00:44

Coronation, I was 3 and my grandmother had just got a television,so we all went to watch. I was so bored!!

Then Suez and the Hungarian uprising in 1956.

aggie Sat 25-Nov-17 19:56:59

I remember Churchill telling us the war was over , we were all listening to the radio and had to not move as Dad thought keeping the sound low made the battery last longer hmm

Legs55 Sat 25-Nov-17 19:21:30

Sad memories begin with JFK, I remember Aberfan & Torre Canyon also but they were later. We had our first TV in 1963.

Remember getting a book after Princess Margaret married Anthony Armstrong-Jones also remember birth of Prince Andrew later Prince Edward.

I think seeing News on TV has a greater impact than hearing it on the Radio. I was born in 1955 & our Radio was always on, tuned to Home Service (Radio 4) in the morning , remember Jack de Manio & the time checks!!!!. Light programme (Radio 2) for the rest of the day.

fluttERBY123 Sat 25-Nov-17 18:41:35

When they went into Auschwitz. I can remember my mother looking at the paper and making some comment - it was her shock as much as anything I remember. What she told me must have stayed with me and I pieced it all together later in life.

Also We will fight them on the beaches, that was on the wireless. Churchill's voice is so familiar. Gran threw her apron over her face and wiped her eyes.

hulahoop Sat 25-Nov-17 18:23:37

Abervan I'm like you juggernaut can still weep about it.
I've just asked oh suez crisis is the one what he remembers

Cubagran Sat 25-Nov-17 18:14:37

I remember the Queen's wedding. I was 2 years old in 1947 and remember standing in front of the radio and Mum saying "shush, it's Princess Elizabeth's wedding." She had the service on from Westminster Abbey. The next thing I remember is the king dying in 1952.

Nanabilly Sat 25-Nov-17 18:10:08

I remember the aberfan disaster and I remember watching the funeral of Winston Churchill and my parents wondering why I wanted to watch it all. I loved the pomp and ceremony then and I still do.

RosemarySuperager Sat 25-Nov-17 17:58:45

I remember being terribly frightened by the television. It seemed to have awful things oozing out of it. I didn't understand it and so went out of the room when the news came on.

Years later I worked out it was the Bay of Pigs.

garnet25 Sat 25-Nov-17 17:33:05

The death of George VI, I remember my Mother saying "The King is dead, long live the Queen" and having to explain what she meant. Then the Coronation with street parties and flag waving.

sue421 Sat 25-Nov-17 17:11:46

When there was threat of nuclear war ...Bay of Pigs...Kennedy... science lessons being taken over by how to survive the bomb...reading leaflets how to build a bomb shelter...my dad going to lots of meetings as he was in Special Constable and also Red Cross....looking back pretty certain we would not have reached the under stairs cupboard in time! But I know I knew enough to be scared and when Kennedy made his speech that we were safe I know I was relieved, I was only 11 or 12.