Posted on by astyrra_713s8o

christabellamotte:

Things that are never mentioned in Marauders fic and I don’t understand why:

  • The Damned release first single marketed as “punk rock”; Sex Pistols swear for the first time on TV, Anarchy in the UK drops (all 1976); Fleetwood Mac release Rumours; The Clash released; death of John Lennon (1980) and Sid Vicious (1979) (x) (x) (x) (x)
  • Ongoing violent IRA confrontations, including upwards of 20 bombings in London’s West End, the death of the UK ambassador to Ireland, the assassination of Lord Montbatten, hunger strikes in Maze Prison, and infinite demonstrations across the country (x) (x – the thing has more than 150 references honestly the is one of the most comprehensive articles on wiki) (x)
  • Hull Prison riots (1976) (x)
  • The 1976 drought and June-July heatwave (this is the one they’re referring to in the opening chapters of OotP – how’s that for important continuity) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)
  • Southend pier fire (1976)
  • Racial violence and riots (especially during the early 1980s) (x) (x) (x)
  • M5 completed (1977)
  • First appearance of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (as if this wouldn’t have tied in with similar magical legislation???)
  • THE FUCKING COD WARS (x)
  • Commercial plane travel becomes affordable for the general public (well, some of them) (with the launch of the Concorde in 1976) (x) (x)
  • Intercity trains between London and Bristol make cross-country travel more accessible (only the most important development in British rail since Dickens and the model (125) that Australian, American and a massive number of European long-distance train services are based on, many still operating) (x) (x) (x)
  • Loads of strikes (firemen, undertakers), culminating in the WINTER OF FUCKING DISCONTENT (1978-79, ends on Valentines day 1979, though strikes continue through 1979 and 1980, when Thatcher halves benefits to strikers) (though admittedly there is fairly good fic for this one) (x) (x) 
  • THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER (ongoing, sentenced in 1981)
  • Heyday of The Gay News (censored in 1977, closed in 1983)
  • Licences for coloured TVs overtake black and whites for the first time in 1977 (x)
  • Radio Caroline (pirate radio ship) (sunk 1980) (x) (x) (x) (x)
  • British economy slides into recession (1980) (x) (x) (x – not limited to the 1980 recession but an invaluable document all the same) (x) (x)
  • Sixpence withdrawn from circulation (1980)
  • Murdoch purchases The Times and The Sunday Times (1981)
  • Scottish and Welsh devolution referendums (1979) (sorry I know they’re unique and important events but for space’s sake I’m lumping them in together) (x) (x – NB every image is a link) (x) (x) (x)
  • UMM HOW ABOUT THATCHER COMING TO POWER AFTER THE 1979 GENERAL ELECTION HOW DOES NO-ONE TALK ABOUT THIS??? (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)
  • Severe blizzards in the South West (1978)
  • First IVF baby!! (1978) (x) (x) (x)
  • Euthanasia activist sentenced (1981)
  • 1976 was supposedly Britain’s best year ever (x)