1961 Newspapers

Browse our archive of 1961 newspapers to find the perfect gift for a history buff, or someone born in this special year in history. Our collection is the largest in the world, featuring over 4 million genuine originals of newspapers such as The Times, The Guardian, and The Daily Mail. Understand all the excitement and change that took place in the 1960’s through the eyes of those who experienced it.
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1961 Newspaper Headlines Summary

1961 Newspaper Headlines Summary
Our collection of 1961 newspaper headlines feature reports about some of the year’s most jaw-dropping moments, and tragic disasters. Some of the most memorable 1961 news stories include The Beatles’ first show at the Cavern Club in their hometown Liverpool, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, and John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States. 1961 newspaper articles are a wonderful way to remember this year in history, and an original newspapers make the ideal gift for a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion.
1st January 1961
The farthing, used since the 13th century, ceases to be legal tender in the United Kingdom.
20th January 1961
John F. Kennedy becomes the 35th President of the United States.
9th February 1961
The Beatles perform for the first time at the Cavern Club in their hometown, Liverpool.
8th March 1961
Max Conrad sets a new world record by circumnavigating the earth on the ‘New Frontiers’ aeroplane in eight days, eighteen hours and forty-nine minutes.
12th April 1961
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space.
6th May 1961
Tottenham Hotspur FC becomes the first team in the 20th century to win the league and FA Cup double.
28th May 1961
Peter Benenson’s article “The Forgotten Prisoners” is published in several internationally read newspapers. This is later considered the founding of the human rights organisation, Amnesty International.
4th July 1961
The Soviet submarine ‘K-19’ suffers a reactor leak in the North Atlantic.
10th August 1961
Britain applies for membership in the European Economic Community.
13th August 1961
Construction of the Berlin Wall begins, restricting movement between East Berlin and West Berlin and forming a clear boundary between East Germany and West Germany.
10th September 1961
German driver Wolfgang Von Trips crashes his Ferrari into the stand during the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on the circuit of Monza. Fourteen spectators are killed and Von Trips also dies in the accident.
25th October 1961
The first edition of the satirical magazine “Private Eye“ is published in Britain.
27th October 1961
A stand-off between Soviet and American tanks in Berlin heightens Cold War tensions.
9th November 1961
Neil Armstrong records a world record speed of 6,587 km/hr in a ‘X-15’ rocket plane.
11th December 1961
The Vietnam War officially begins, as the first American helicopters arrive in Saigon along with 400 United States personnel.
19th December 1961
Goa is officially ceded to India after 400 years of Portuguese rule.
More from this Decade
1960 Newspapers
1962 Newspapers
1963 Newspapers
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1967 Newspapers
1968 Newspapers
1969 Newspapers

For a full review of the year, you can read our detailed 1970 timeline. Some key events from this year include the Concorde’s first supersonic flight, Britain’s most iconic rock band The Beatles split, and the largest rock festival of all time took place on The Isle of Wight, which attracted a crowd of 600,000 people and acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and The Doors. It was also a tragic year, with Jimi Hendrix’s death shocking the world. Hendrix died in London after overdosing.A terrible monsoon hit Vietnam, which killed almost 300 and left 200,000 homeless. It was also a year of wonderment and discovery, when the USSR’s “Venera 7” completed the first successful landing on Venus.

An authentic 1970 newspaper is a wonderful keepsake gift idea to remember all the fascinating events that took place as the world entered into a new decade.

3rd January 1970

The Beatles give their final studio performance.

14th February 1970

The
iconic live album “The Who: Live at Leeds” is recorded.

12th March 1970

Teenagers
in the United Kingdom vote for the first time, in a by-election in Bridgwater.

21st March 1970

“All
Kinds of Everything”, sung by Dana, wins the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest for
Ireland.

25th March 1970

The Concorde makes its first supersonic flight.

10th April 1970

Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded and talks about the
impending release of his first solo album.

16th April 1970

The National Westminster Bank begins trading in the United Kingdom. It had been
established in 1968 following the merger of the National Provincial Bank and
the Bank of Westminster.
18th June 1970
The Conservative Party wins the 1970 general election and Edward Heath becomes
Prime Minister.

21st June 1970

Brazil defeats Italy 4-1 to win the 1970 FIFA World Cup.

26-30th August 1970

The Isle of Wight Festival takes place on East Afton Farm off the coast of England.
600,000 people attend the event, making it the largest rock festival of all
time. Artists include Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago, Richie Havens,
John Sebastian, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and
Jethro Tull.

18th September 1970

Jimi Hendrix dies by choking on his own vomit, after falling unconscious due to a
barbiturate overdose. He is in London at the time.

30th October 1970

The worst monsoon to hit Vietnam in six years causes large floods, killing 293
people and leaving 200,000 homeless. The terrible weather virtually halts the
Vietnam War.

4th November 1970

Social workers in Los Angeles take custody of “Genie”, a thirteen-year-old girl who
had been kept in solitary confinement since her birth.

15th December 1970

The USSR’s “Venera 7” becomes the first spacecraft to land successfully on Venus
and transmit data back to Earth.

Our passion for history shows

3 million old newspapers in the archive.

100s of newspaper titles.

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Forget flowers. Sidestep the sock aisle. An original newspaper to commemorate a date from your recipient’s past is a memory that’ll last.

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Choose to have your paper folded in a matte black paper envelope for free, or opt for a small or large gift box. Include a certificate of authenticity, too.

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Original newspaper UX test - Historic Newspapers
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Your newspaper will come from the echoing halls of the Historic Newspapers archive in Western Scotland, overseen by our team of ten archivists.

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After you make your order, an archivist examines your paper, page by page. The paper is pressed flat and any flaws are rectified with archival repair tape.

Original newspaper UX test - Historic Newspapers
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Choose a gift box, and if you wish, add a bottle of the recipient’s favourite drink. However you choose to personalise your gift, it’ll be delivered within five days.

insights from our archivist
These aren’t replicas. They’re the actual newspapers that sat on newsstands up to 125 years ago. The one you buy could be the last copy in existence.
Prices can vary for several reasons, like popularity of a specific day, whether the paper is local or national, the paper’s age, and the number of copies left.
Missing papers give us a window into history. If a paper isn’t available for the date you’re after, it could be because that newspaper was on strike during the period.