Events from the year 1996 in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. This year is noted for the

Dunblane Massacre The Dunblane massacre took place at Dunblane Primary School in Dunblane, near Stirling, Scotland, on 13 March 1996, when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 pupils and one teacher, and injured 15 others, before killing himself. It remains the deadlie ...

, the divorces of the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

and

Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title held by the wife of the duke of York. Three of the eleven dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, whilst two of ...

and of the

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

and

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...

and the birth of

Dolly the sheep Dolly (5 July 1996 – 14 February 2003) was a female Finnish Dorset sheep and the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell. She was cloned by associates of the Roslin Institute in Scotland, using the process of nuclear transfer from a ...

Incumbents

Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

–

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

–

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament ...

(

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

) *

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

– 51st

Events

January

* 10 January –

Terry Venables Terence Frederick Venables (born 6 January 1943), often referred to as El Tel, is an English former football player and manager, and an author. During the 1960s and '70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queen ...

announces that he will resign as manager of the

England national football team The England national football team has represented England in international Association football, football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in Engl ...

after this summer's European Championships, which will be hosted in England. * 13 January – NUM leader

Arthur Scargill Arthur Scargill (born 11 January 1938) is a British trade unionist who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1982 to 2002. He is best known for leading the UK miners' strike (1984–85), a major event in the history of ...

announces that he is defecting from the Labour Party to set up his own Socialist Labour Party. * 19 January ** The first

MORI Mori is a Japanese and Italian surname, and also a Persian pet name for Morteza. It is also the name of two clans in Japan, and one clan in India. Italian surname *Barbara Mori, Uruguayan-Mexican actress * Camilo Mori, Chilean painter * Cesare ...

poll of 1996 shows Labour still comfortably ahead of the

s with a showing of 55% and a lead of 26 points. ** Ian and Kevin Maxwell, sons of the late media mogul

Robert Maxwell Ian Robert Maxwell (born Ján Ludvík Hyman Binyamin Hoch; 10 June 1923 – 5 November 1991) was a Czechoslovak-born British media proprietor, member of parliament (MP), suspected spy, and fraudster. Early in his life, Maxwell escaped from N ...

, are cleared of fraud at the

Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...

after a trial lasting eleven days. * 23–26 January – Much of Britain is struck with sub-zero temperatures and snowstorms. Schools and transport are disrupted.

February

* 4 February – First two passenger train operating companies begin operation of their service

franchise Franchise may refer to: Business and law * Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees * Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...

s as part of the

privatisation of British Rail The privatisation of British Rail was the process by which ownership and operation of the railways of Great Britain passed from government control into private hands. Begun in 1994, it had been completed by 1997. The deregulation of the industr ...

South West Trains Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited, trading as South West Trains (SWT), was an English train operating company owned by Stagecoach, which operated the South Western franchise between February 1996 and August 2017. SWT operated the majorit ...

(part of the

Stagecoach Group Stagecoach Group is a transport group based in Perth, Scotland. It operates buses, express coaches and a tram service in the United Kingdom. History Stagecoach was born out of deregulation of the British express coach market in the early ...

) and

Great Western Trains Great Western Railway (GWR) is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that operates the Greater Western passenger railway franchise. It manages 197 stations and its trains call at over 270. GWR operates long-distance inter-cit ...

( management buyout). * 5 February – The first

genetically modified Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of Genetic engineering techniques, technologies used to change the gene ...

food products go on sale in the UK. * 9 February ** The

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reun ...

carry out the

Docklands bombing The London Docklands bombing (also known as the South Quay bombing or erroneously referred to as the Canary Wharf bombing) occurred on 9 February 1996, when the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a powerful truck bomb in South Q ...

in London, a truck bomb which kills two men (whose bodies are discovered the following day) and injures 39 people. This incident ends the 17-month ceasefire in Northern Ireland. ** The

Parole Board A parole board is a panel of people who decide whether an offender should be released from prison on parole after serving at least a minimum portion of their sentence as prescribed by the sentencing judge. Parole boards are used in many jurisdiction ...

announces that Moors Murderer

Myra Hindley The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward E ...

could soon be transferred to an open prison. Hindley, 53 and in her thirtieth year of imprisonment, is currently being held at Durham Prison, but if

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...

Michael Howard Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne (born Michael Hecht; 7 July 1941) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005. He previously held cabinet posi ...

backs the Parole Board's recommendation, Hindley could soon be transferred to a prison with a more relaxed regime. * 13 February –

Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singe ...

, the most successful British band of the 1990s, announce that they are splitting up. * 15 February – A report on the

Arms-to-Iraq The Arms-to-Iraq affair concerned the uncovering of the government-endorsed sale of arms by British companies to Iraq, then under the rule of Saddam Hussein. The scandal contributed to the growing dissatisfaction with the Conservative government o ...

affair is critical of government ministers. * 18 February – An IRA bomb explodes on a

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...

, killing the transporter, Edward O'Brien, and injuring eight other people, including the driver. * 19–20 February – Approximately 1,000 passengers are trapped in the Channel Tunnel when two

Eurostar Eurostar is an international high-speed rail service connecting the United Kingdom with France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Most Eurostar trains travel through the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France, owned and operated sep ...

trains break down due to electronic failures caused by snow and ice. * 22 February – Conservative MP

Peter Thurnham Peter Giles Thurnham (21 August 1938 – 10 May 2008) was a British politician. He was Member of Parliament for Bolton North East from 1983 to 1997, originally as a Conservative before resigning to become an independent in February 1996 and ...

announces his resignation from the House of Commons, reducing the

Conservative Government Conservative or Tory government may refer to: Canada In Canadian politics, a Conservative government may refer to the following governments administered by the Conservative Party of Canada or one of its historical predecessors: * 1st Canadian Mi ...

's majority to just two seats. Resignations and by-election defeats have cost the Conservatives nineteen seats since the general election just under four years ago. * 28 February ** The Princess of Wales agrees to give

The Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers o ...

a divorce, more than three years after separating. **

Sandra Gregory Sandra Gregory (born 1965) is a British teacher who was imprisoned for four years in Thailand after being caught trying to smuggle heroin out of Bangkok's Don Muang Airport. She was then transferred to a UK prison for three years, before being ...

, a British teacher, is sentenced to 25 years in prison in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

for drug smuggling, three years after her arrest at

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Airport. Her co-accused, Robert Lock, is cleared of the same charge and returns home.

March

* 13 March – A gunman kills sixteen children, a teacher and himself in the

Dunblane massacre The Dunblane massacre took place at Dunblane Primary School in Dunblane, near Stirling, Scotland, on 13 March 1996, when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 pupils and one teacher, and injured 15 others, before killing himself. It remains the deadlie ...

. The killer is quickly identified as 43-year-old former scout leader Thomas Hamilton. It is the worst killing spree in the United Kingdom since the

Hungerford massacre The Hungerford massacre was a spree shooting in Hungerford, England, United Kingdom, on 19 August 1987, when 27-year-old Michael Ryan shot dead sixteen people, including an unarmed police officer and his own mother, before shooting himself. The ...

in 1987. * 20 March **

unveils plans to give courts the power to hand down heavier prison sentences, including sending burglars to prison for at least three years after a third offence and all drug dealers to prison for at least six years. The plans spark controversy, with some critics pointing out that it will increase the prison population by at least 20%. **

United Kingdom BSE outbreak The United Kingdom was afflicted with an outbreak of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease"), and its human equivalent variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), in the 1980s and 1990s. Over four million head of ca ...

Secretary of State for Health The secretary of state for health and social care, also referred to as the health secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care. The incumbent ...

Stephen Dorrell Stephen James Dorrell (born 25 March 1952) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He served as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Loughborough between 1979 and 1997 and then for Charnwood from 1997 to 2015. Dorrell most recentl ...

announces a link between the potentially-fatal

variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), commonly referred to as "mad cow disease" or "human mad cow disease" to distinguish it from its BSE counterpart, is a fatal type of brain disease within the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy fa ...

and the eating of beef infected with

bovine spongiform encephalopathy Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is an incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behavior, trouble walking, and weight loss. Later in the course of t ...

. * 22 March – The

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

prohibits exports of British beef because of the

BSE BSE may refer to: Medicine * Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, a neurodegenerative disease of cattle * Breast self-examination Stock exchanges * Bahrain Stock Exchange, Bahrain * Baku Stock Exchange, Azerbaijan * B ...

crisis. * 29 March – Three British soldiers are sentenced to life imprisonment in

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

for the abduction, attempted rape and manslaughter of

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

woman Louise Jensen. The three soldiers are Allan Ford from

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, Justin Fowler from Falmouth and Jeffrey Pernell from Oldbury.

April

* 1 April – The Local Government etc. (Scotland) and Local Government (Wales) Acts of 1994 come into effect, creating new unitary authorities. * 16 April – South East Staffordshire by-election: In a 22-point swing, Labour wins the Staffordshire South East seat from the Conservative Party at a by-election, cutting the Conservative Government's majority to just three seats almost exactly four years after they began the current term of Parliament with a 21-seat majority. * 17 April – The

and

are divorced after ten years of marriage and four years after their separation.

May

* 2 May ** The Conservatives lose 578 seats in local council elections, while Labour increases its total number of councillors nationally to almost 11,000. ** The

Football Association The Football Association (also known as The FA) is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world an ...

announces that

Glenn Hoddle Glenn Hoddle (born 27 October 1957) is an English former football player and manager. He currently works as a television pundit and commentator for ITV Sport and BT Sport. He played as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco, Chelsea and ...

, the current

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

manager, will succeed

as manager of the

after next month's European Championships, which England is hosting for the first time. * 5 May –

Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...

win the FA Premier League title for the third time in four seasons. * 11 May – Manchester United win the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...

for a record ninth time by beating

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

1–0 and become the first team to win the double of the league title and FA Cup twice. * 17 May – Timothy Morss and Brett Tyler are found guilty of the

murder of Daniel Handley Daniel Charles Handley (27 April 1985 – 2 October 1994) was a British child who was abducted from a street near his home and murdered in 1994 by Timothy John Morss (born 11 March 1963) and his boyfriend, Brett Tyler (born 21 June 1965). Both me ...

, who disappeared near his

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

home in October 1994 and whose body was found near

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

five months later. The

trial judge sentences them to

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...

and recommends that neither of them is ever released. * 30 May ** the Duke and

complete their divorce proceedings. The former Duchess loses the title ''HRH'' and becomes Sarah, Duchess of York. ** Sara Thornton, a

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...

woman who was jailed for life in 1990 for the murder of her abusive husband Malcolm the previous year, is released from prison after the Court of Appeal reduces her conviction to manslaughter.

June

* 8 June – The European Football Championships begin in England, with the host nation drawing 1–1 with

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

in the opening game. * 13 June – The parliament of

Guernsey Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency. It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

, votes to legalise

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

86 years after it was outlawed. * 15 June – A bombing takes place in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. * 16 June – Launch of '' The Planet on Sunday'', a new Sunday tabloid focusing on environmental issues. Publication of the newspaper ceases after one edition because the owner is unhappy with its content. * 19 June – The government selects the

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

Peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

site on the banks of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

as the location for the

Millennium Dome The Millennium Dome was the original name of the large dome-shaped building on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East (London sub region), South East London, England, which housed a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millenn ...

exhibition which is set to open for the year 2000. * 21 June – The latest MORI poll shows the Conservatives on 31%, their best showing for three years, but they are still 21 points behind Labour with just under a year to go before the next general election is due to be held. * 26 June – England's hopes of being European champions of football for the first time are ended with a penalty shootout defeat to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

after a 1–1 draw in the semi-final. * 30 June – Germany wins the European Championship final with a 2–1 victory over the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

Wembley Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in north-west Londo ...

July

* 5 July –

, the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell, is born at the

Roslin Institute The Roslin Institute is an animal sciences research institute at Easter Bush, Midlothian, Scotland, part of the University of Edinburgh, and is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. It is best known for creat ...

. * 8 July – The

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...

' debut single ''

Wannabe "Wannabe" is the debut single by English girl group the Spice Girls. Written and composed by the group members in collaboration with Matt Rowe and Richard "Biff" Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produ ...

'' is released. * 12 July – South African President

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

visits the UK. * 15 July – A Provisional Irish Republican Army unit plotting to disrupt the London electricity supply is arrested in Operation AIRLINES. * 18 July – Howard Hughes, 31, is found guilty of the

murder of Sophie Hook The murder of Sophie Hook was a widely reported child murder which took place in Llandudno, North Wales, in July 1995. Sophie Louise Hook (27 May 1988 – 30 July 1995) was a seven-year-old British child who was murdered in Llandudno, Wa ...

in Llandudno,

North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

, twelve months ago. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

Crown Court The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all Indictable offence, indictable offences, some Hybrid offence, either way offences and appeals lied to it by the Magistrates' court, magistrates' court ...

and the trial judge Mr Justice Curtis recommends that he is never released. * 19 July–9 August –

Great Britain and Northern Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

compete at the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, Georgia, United States, and win 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 6 Bronze medals. The only gold medal is won by

Matthew Pinsent Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent, (; born 10 October 1970) is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals. Since retiring, he has worked as a sports br ...

and Steve Redgrave in rowing (men's coxless pair). * 30 July –

Alan Shearer Alan Shearer CBE DL (born 13 August 1970) is an English football pundit and retired football player and manager who played as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation and one of the greatest players in Premie ...

becomes the most expensive footballer in the world in a £15,000,000 transfer from

Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second tier of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. T ...

Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...

August

* 14 August – Unemployment has fallen to 2,126,200 – its lowest level since the summer of 1991. * 28 August – The

and

complete their divorce proceedings after fifteen years of marriage. Their separation was first announced nearly four years ago. The former Princess of Wales loses her style of ''Royal Highness'' and assumes the style Diana, Princess of Wales.

September

* September **

Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...

launches its new Ka city car, which makes use of a shortened Fiesta chassis. A revamped

Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a large family car manufactured by Ford since 1993. The first Ford model declared as a "world car", the Mondeo was intended to consolidate several Ford model lines worldwide (the European Sierra, the Telstar in Asia and Austr ...

goes on sale next month. ** Launch of the second generation

Nissan Primera The is a Mid-size car, large family car which was produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1990 to 2007, for the markets in Japan and Europe. In Japan, it replaced the Nissan Stanza, Auster/Stanza, and was exclusive to ''Nissan Motor Comp ...

, built at Nissan's

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

factory A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...

. **

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

shows the first episode of lifestyle reality television show ''

Changing Rooms ''Changing Rooms'' is a do-it-yourself home improvement show broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC between 1996 and 2004. The series was revived on Channel 4 in 2021. The show was one of a number of home improvement and lifestyle shows p ...

''. * 5 September –

Matthew Harding Matthew Charles Harding (26 December 1953 – 22 October 1996) was a British businessman, vice-chairman of Chelsea Football Club and a major financial supporter of New Labour. Early years and education Harding was born in Haywards Heath, S ...

, vice-chairman of

Chelsea FC Chelsea Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, West London. Founded in 1905, they play their home games at Stamford Bridge. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football. Th ...

, makes a £1,000,000 donation to the Labour Party – the largest donation made to the party by any individual. * 20 September – Jockey

Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE (born 16 November 1942) is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing. Life and career Best known as "Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland in 1942. He was apprenticed ...

is injured by a horse at

Newbury, Berkshire Newbury is a market town in the county of Berkshire, England, and is home to the administrative headquarters of West Berkshire Council. The town centre around its large market square retains a rare medieval Cloth Hall, an adjoining half timbere ...

October

*2 October – Lawyer and politician John Taylor is made a

Life Peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

as Baron Taylor of Warwick, the first

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

peer. * 7 October – The Thiepval barracks bombing in

Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...

(Northern Ireland) injures many people, including a soldier who later dies from his injuries. * 12 October – The Conservative government's majority has dwindled to a single seat following the defection of

to the Liberal Democrats. * 13 October ** Racing driver

Damon Hill Damon Graham Devereux Hill, (born 17 September 1960) is a British former professional racing driver from England and the 1996 Formula One World Champion. He is the son of Graham Hill, and, along with Nico Rosberg, one of two sons of a Formu ...

wins the

Japanese Grand Prix The Japanese Grand Prix ( ja, 日本グランプリ, Nihon-guranpuri) is a motor racing event in the calendar of the Formula One, Formula One World Championship. Historically, Japan has been one of the last races of the season, and as such the ...

thus, clinching the Drivers' World Championship. **

The Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...

opens

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...

's new

Riverside Ground The Riverside Ground, known for sponsorship reasons as the Seat Unique Riverside, is a cricket venue in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England. It is home to Durham County Cricket Club, and has also hosted several international matches. H ...

Chester-le-Street Chester-le-Street (), also known as Chester, is a market town and civil parish in County Durham, England, around north of Durham and also close to Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne. It is located on the River Wear, which runs out to sea at ...

, the first new purpose-built first-class county cricket ground in the UK for over 100 years. * 16 October – The government announces plans to make possession of handguns illegal in the UK, following the

November

* 3 November –

Barry Porter George Barrington Porter (11 June 1939 – 3 November 1996) was a British lawyer and Conservative Party politician. Early life Educated at Birkenhead School and the University of Oxford, he trained as a solicitor and was a partner and later a ...

, Conservative MP for

Wirral South Wirral South is a constituency in Merseyside, England represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Alison McGovern of the Labour Party since 2010. Constituency profile Wirral South covers the central part of the Wirral peninsu ...

, dies of cancer aged 57. * 8 November – With the next general election, no more than six months away, Labour still look set for a return to power after eighteen years in opposition, but the Conservatives have cut their lead to seventeen points in the latest MORI opinion poll – one of the narrowest gaps seen between the two leading parties in any opinion poll over the last three years. * 13 November – The

Stone of Scone The Stone of Scone (; gd, An Lia Fàil; sco, Stane o Scuin)—also known as the Stone of Destiny, and often referred to in England as The Coronation Stone—is an oblong block of red sandstone that has been used for centuries in the coronati ...

is taken away from

King Edward's Chair The Coronation Chair, known historically as St Edward's Chair or King Edward's Chair, is an ancient wooden chair on which British monarchs sit when they are invested with regalia and crowned at their coronations. It was commissioned in 1296 by ...

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, its location since 1296, and returned to

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. * 18 November – Channel Tunnel fire – The Channel Tunnel is closed when a truck on a

transporter wagon A transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon ( UIC) or railroad car (US) designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge. In most cases, a transporter wagon is a n ...

catches fire, disrupting

Eurotunnel Shuttle Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (sometimes shortened to Le Shuttle or The Shuttle) is a railway shuttle service between Coquelles (near Calais) in Pas-de-Calais, France and Cheriton, Kent, Cheriton (near Folkestone) in Kent, United Kingdom. It conveys ro ...

and Eurostar services. * 24 November –

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

airs

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

for the first time with

There's No Disgrace Like Home "There's No Disgrace Like Home" is the fourth episode of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox network in the United States on January 28, 1990. In the episode, Homer Simpson, ...

being the first episode. * 30 November – The

is installed in

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

700 years after it was removed from

by King

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...

December

* 7 December – Sir John Gorst, 68-year-old Conservative MP for Hendon North in London, resigns the party whip, leaving the Conservative Party without a majority in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

. * 10 December **

James Mirrlees Sir James Alexander Mirrlees (5 July 1936 – 29 August 2018) was a British economist and winner of the 1996 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. He was knighted in the 1997 Birthday Honours. Early life and education Born in Minnigaf ...

wins the

Nobel Prize in Economics The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel ( sv, Sveriges riksbanks pris i ekonomisk vetenskap till Alfred Nobels minne), is an economics award administered ...

jointly with

William Vickrey William Spencer Vickrey (21 June 1914 – 11 October 1996) was a Canadian-American professor of economics and Nobel Laureate. Vickrey was awarded the 1996 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences with James Mirrlees for their research into the e ...

"for their fundamental contributions to the economic theory of incentives under asymmetric information". **

Harold Kroto Sir Harold Walter Kroto (born Harold Walter Krotoschiner; 7 October 1939 – 30 April 2016), known as Harry Kroto, was an English chemist. He shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Robert Curl and Richard Smalley for their discovery o ...

wins the

Nobel Prize in Chemistry ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , alt = A golden medallion with an embossed image of a bearded man facing left in profile. To the left of the man is the text "ALFR•" then "NOBEL", and on the right, the text (smaller) "NAT•" then "M ...

jointly with

Robert Curl Robert Floyd Curl Jr. (August 23, 1933 – July 3, 2022) was an American chemist who was Pitzer–Schlumberger Professor of Natural Sciences and Professor of Chemistry at Rice University. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for ...

and

Richard Smalley Richard Errett Smalley (June 6, 1943 – October 28, 2005) was an American chemist who was the Gene and Norman Hackerman Professor of Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy at Rice University. In 1996, along with Robert Curl, also a professor of ch ...

"for their discovery of fullerenes". * 18 December – Unemployment has fallen below 2,000,000 for the first time in almost six years, four years since it peaked at nearly 3,000,000 during the recession. Despite the strong economic recovery and falling unemployment, the Conservatives are still trailing behind Labour in the opinion polls, a stark contrast to their performance at the last election, where they retained power despite Britain being in recession.

Undated

* Remaining provincial branches of the

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government of ...

, at Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, are closed. * More than 4% of the UK population (some 2,500,000 people) now have internet access. * New car sales in the United Kingdom are above 2,000,000 for this year, a level last seen in 1990. *

Panathlon Foundation The Panathlon Foundation is a charity that gives children with disabilities and special needs in England and Wales opportunities to engage in competitive sport that they are so often otherwise denied. Formed in 1996 by Ashley Iceton, the Pana ...

is formed by Ashley Iceton.

Publications

* Iain M. Banks's novel ''

Excession ''Excession'' is a 1996 science fiction novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks. It is the fifth in the Culture series, a series of ten science fiction novels which feature a utopian fictional interstellar society called the Culture. It con ...

''. *

Seamus Deane Seamus Francis Deane (9 February 194012 May 2021) was an Irish poet, novelist, critic, and intellectual historian. He was noted for his debut novel, ''Reading in the Dark'', which won several literary awards and was nominated for the Booker Pri ...

's novel ''

Reading in the Dark ''Reading in the Dark'' is a novel written by Seamus Deane in 1996. The novel is set in Derry, Northern Ireland and extends from February 1945 through July 1971. The book won the 1996 ''Guardian'' Fiction Prize and the 1996 South Bank Show An ...

''. *

Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his ''Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first nov ...

Discworld ''Discworld'' is a comic fantasy"Humorous Fantasy" in David Pringle, ed., ''The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy'' (pp.31-33). London, Carlton,2006. book series written by the English author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat pla ...

novels ''

Feet of Clay Feet of clay is an idiom used to refer to a weakness or character flaw, especially in people of prominence and power. It can also be used to refer to larger groups, such as societies, businesses, and empires. An entity with feet of clay may appe ...

'' and ''

Hogfather ''Hogfather'' is the 20th ''Discworld'' novel by Terry Pratchett, and a 1997 British Fantasy Award nominee. It was first released in 1996 and published by Victor Gollancz. It came in 137th place in The Big Read, a BBC survey of the most loved ...

''; and his Johnny Maxwell novel ''

Johnny and the Bomb ''Johnny and the Bomb'' is a 1996 novel by Terry Pratchett. It is the third novel to feature Johnny Maxwell and his friends, and deals with the rules and consequences of time travel. The first two novels in the ''Johnny Maxwell Trilogy'' are '' ...

''. *

Graham Swift Graham Colin Swift FRSL (born 4 May 1949) is an English writer. Born in London, England, he was educated at Dulwich College, London, Queens' College, Cambridge, and later the University of York. Career Some of Swift's books have been filmed, ...

's novel ''

Last Orders ''Last Orders'' is a 1996 novel by British writer Graham Swift. The book won the 1996 Booker Prize. In 2001, it was adapted for the film ''Last Orders (film), Last Orders'' by Australian writer and director Fred Schepisi. Plot The story makes ...

''. *

Meera Syal Meera Syal FRSL (born Feroza Syal; 27 June 1961) is a English comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, ...

's semi-autobiographical novel ''

Anita and Me ''Anita and Me'' is Meera Syal's debut novel, and was first published in 1996. It is a semi-autobiographical novel, based on Syal's childhood in the mining village of Essington, Staffordshire, which won the Betty Trask Award. The story revolv ...

''.

Births

January

* 3 January –

Florence Pugh Florence Pugh ( ; born 3 January 1996) is an English actress. She made her acting debut in 2014 in the drama film '' The Falling''. Pugh gained recognition in 2016 for her leading role as a young bride in the independent drama ''Lady Macbeth' ...

, actress * 4 January – Jade Jones, athlete * 5 January –

Maxim Baldry Maxim Alexander Baldry is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor in the film ''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' (2007). More recently, he is known for his roles in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' (2016–2017) and miniseries '' Years an ...

, English actor * 8 January –

Hiram Boateng Hiram Kojo Kwarteng Boateng (born 8 January 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Mansfield Town. Club career Crystal Palace Born in Wandsworth, Boateng joined the academy of Crystal Palac ...

, footballer * 10 January –

Lauren McCrostie Lauren McCrostie is a British actress. She appeared in ''Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'', '' The Falling'' and short films ''Second Skin'' and ''Brothers''. Career McCrostie attended Dulwich Village Infants' School, Dulwich Hamle ...

, actress * 11 January –

Charlie Coulson Charlie William Coulson (born 11 January 1996 in Kettering, England) is an English footballer who plays for Deeping Rangers. Career Coulson joined Peterborough United at the age of 13, having previously played for Rushden & Diamonds. He was dr ...

, footballer * 17 January –

Kirsty Hickey Kirsty Nicole Hickey (born 17 January 1996) is an English actress. Personal life Kirsty was born in London. In 2006 she attended Sylvia Young Theatre School. Television career In 2004, Hickey appeared on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in ...

, actor, singer and dancer * 21 January – Kyle Lander, footballer * 23 January –

Ruben Loftus-Cheek Ruben Ira Loftus-Cheek (born 23 January 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Chelsea. Early life Loftus-Cheek was born in Lewisham, Greater London. He grew up in Swanley, Kent and attended High Firs Pr ...

, footballer * 26 January –

Tyger Drew-Honey Lindzi James Tyger Drew-Honey (born 26 January 1996) is an English actor and television presenter. He is best known for his role as Jake Brockman in the British sitcom '' Outnumbered'', Citizen Khan as Richard Scab before later appearing in '' H ...

, actor * 29 January –

Megan Jossa Megan Carmel Hollie Jossa is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Courtney Mitchell in BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2006. She is the real life cousin of former ''EastEnders'' actress Jacqueline Jossa, who played Lauren ...

, actress

February

* 1 February ** Josh Bates, motorcycle speedway rider **

Dionne Bromfield Dionne Julia Bromfield (born 1 February 1996) is a British soul music singer, television presenter and television personality. Her debut album, '' Introducing Dionne Bromfield'', was released in 2009 by Amy Winehouse's Lioness Records label. Sh ...

, singer-songwriter and television presenter * 7 February –

Nathan Curtis Nathan Robert Curtis (born 7 February 1996) is an English footballer who last played for Belper Town as a winger and striker. Career Curtis made his senior debut for Bradford City on 18 December 2012 in the FA Cup, appearing as a substitute ...

, footballer * 14 February –

Bethany Firth Bethany Charlotte Firth, (born 14 February 1996) is a Northern Irish swimmer. Since 2014 she has competed for Great Britain; previously, Firth had represented Ireland. A six time Paralympic gold medalist, she has won gold in her specialist even ...

, swimmer * 20 February – Patrick Brough, footballer * 21 February –

Sophie Turner Sophie Belinda Jonas (née Turner; born 21 February 1996) is an English actress. Turner made her acting debut as Sansa Stark on the HBO epic fantasy television series '' Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she received a Primetime Emmy A ...

, actress

March

* 11 March – William Lenney, YouTuber * 12 March – Byron Lawrence, footballer * 16 March – Ivan Toney, footballer * 17 March –

Lydia Lloyd-Henry Lydia Lloyd-Henry (born 17 March 1996) is an English actress. She was born in Manchester, England. She played Amber Sharpe in ''Hollyoaks''. ''Hollyoaks'' In January 2010, it was announced that Lucy Allan had stepped down from the position of ...

, actress * 19 March –

Kaiya Jones Kaiya Jones (born 19 March 1996) is a Scottish-born Australian actress best known for playing the role of Sophie Ramsay in the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''. She previously played Jess Cooper in the third series of ''The Saddle Club''. ...

, Scottish-born Australian actress * 20 March – Charley Hull, golfer * 21 March –

Adam Ellis Adam Ellis (born 21 March 1996) is a British grasstrack and speedway rider and former British champion. Biography Born in Marmande, France, Ellis began grasstrack racing in 2009, going on to finish second in the 250cc French Grasstrack Champ ...

, French-born grasstrack and speedway rider * 22 March ** Jonathan Mason, actor **

Izzy Meikle-Small Isobel "Izzy" Meikle-Small (born 22 March 1996) is a British actress who has appeared in various feature films and TV shows. Career Meikle-Small is best known for portraying young Kathy H. in the 2010 film '' Never Let Me Go''. She played the y ...

, actress * 31 March – Barney Gibson, cricketer

April

* 3 April –

Anna Jobarteh Anna Jobarteh is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Ruth Kirby on the BBC school drama '' Waterloo Road''. She also played a role in thriller series ''Paradox'' in 2009, when she played the role of Dionne Hudson. She later starre ...

, actress * 5 April – Lowri Shone, ballerina * 8 April –

Lorna Fitzgerald Lorna Katie Fitzgerald (born 17 April 1996) is a British actress from Northampton. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders''. Since leaving ''EastEnders'' in January 2018, Fitzgerald has develo ...

, actress * 11 April –

Dele Alli Bamidele Jermaine Alli ( ; born 11 April 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for club Beşiktaş, on loan from Premier League club Everton. Born and raised in Milton Keynes, he joined the youth ...

, footballer * 12 April –

Georgia Hall Georgia Kelly Hall (born 12 April 1996) is an English professional golfer. She plays on the Ladies European Tour, and the LPGA Tour. In 2018 she won the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham; it was her first victory in a major championship. ...

, golfer * 17 April –

, actress * 23 April –

Charlie Rowe Charlie John Rowe (born 23 April 1996)CBS: Evening Standard: is an English film and television actor. His film roles include Young Tommy in '' Never Let Me Go'', James in ''The Boat That Rocked'', Billy Costa in ''The Golden Compass'', Peter ...

, actor * 25 April ** Bryn Morris, footballer ** Brad Walker, footballer

May

* 3 May – Danielle Alakija, athlete * 15 May – Birdy, musician * 16 May – Jermaine Anderson, footballer

June

* 1 June –

Tom Holland Thomas Stanley Holland (born 1 June 1996) is an English actor. His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, three Saturn Awards, a Guinness World Record and an appearance on the ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 Europe list. Some publications h ...

, actor and dancer * 4 June –

Ruby Harrold Ruby Esther Harrold (born 4 June 1996) is a British artistic gymnast who was a member of the British Olympic team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Harrold was also a reserve athlete for the 2012 Summer Olympics team. ...

, gymnast * 11 June – Hakeeb Adelakun, footballer * 11 June - Harry Preece, The Captain * 23 June –

Charlie Jones Charles, Charlie, Charley or Chuck Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Chuck Jones (1912–2002), American animator, director, and producer * Charles Jones (c. 1889–1942), American actor better known as Buck Jones * Charles Jones (pho ...

, actor * 24 June – Harris Dickinson, actor, writer, and director * 27 June – James Forde, actor * 28 June – William Miller, actor * 30 June – Gregor Ramsay, racing driver

July

* 9 July –

Scott McMann Scott Cameron McMann (born 9 July 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Dundee United. Club career Raised in Torrance, East Dunbartonshire, McMann turned professional with Hamilton Academical in July 2012. He m ...

, footballer * 15 July –

Mason Bennett Mason Kane Bennett (born 15 July 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for League One club Burton Albion. He has also represented England Youth at U-16 and U-17 Level. He holds the record as Derby County's younges ...

, footballer * 16 July – Daniel Pearson, actor and presenter * 20 July –

Martin James Bartlett Martin James Bartlett (born 1996) is an English classical pianist who has twice reached the keyboard finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year contest, winning the competition in 2014. Education From the year 2010, Bartlett was educated at ...

, pianist * 24 July –

Jordan McGhee Jordan McGhee (born 24 July 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Dundee as either a defender or midfielder. He began his career at Heart of Midlothian and had a spell on loan at Middlesbrough. He then spent two years at F ...

, footballer * 26 July –

Olivia Breen Olivia "Livvy" Breen (born 26 July 1996) is a Welsh Paralympian athlete, who competes for Wales and Great Britain mainly in T38 sprint and F38 long jump events. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and was selected for the T38 100m a ...

, athlete * 28 July **

Anya Chalotra Anya Chalotra is a British actress primarily known for her role as Yennefer of Vengerberg in the Netflix original series ''The Witcher''. She is also known for appearing in ''Wanderlust''. Early life Chalotra was born in Wolverhampton, England ...

, actress **

Samuel Chatto Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto (née Armstrong-Jones; born 1 May 1964) is the only daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. She and her brother, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, are the on ...

, son of

Lady Sarah Chatto Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto (née Armstrong-Jones; born 1 May 1964) is the only daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. She and her brother, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, are the only ...

and

Daniel Chatto Daniel St George Chatto (born Daniel Chatto St George Sproule; 22 April 1957) is a British artist and former actor. He is the husband of Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, niece of Queen Elizabeth II and c ...

August

* 2 August – Robert Madge, actor * 5 August – Hannah Russell, paralympic swimmer * 9 August – Céline Buckens, Belgian-born actress * 20 August – Sophie Kamlish, paralympic * 22 August ** Jessica-Jane Applegate, swimmer **

Shannon Flynn Shannon Flynn (born 22 August 1996) is an English actress and presenter from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, who is best known for appearing in ''Friday Download as well as Emily James in the BBC school-based drama, ''Waterloo Road''., and had ...

, actress

September

* 2 September – Hannah Jones, snooker player * 17 September –

Ella Purnell Ella Summer Purnell (born 17 September 1996) is an English actress best known for her roles as Jackie in the Showtime drama series ''Yellowjackets,'' Jinx in the Netflix animated television series ''Arcane'', and Gwyn in the Paramount+/Nickelod ...

, actress * 20 September –

Jerome Sinclair Jerome Terence Sinclair (born 20 September 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward. He represented England up to under-17 level. He spent his youth at West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool, making his senior debut for ...

, footballer * 25 September **

Jake Pratt Jake Stephen Pratt (born 25 September 1996) is an English actor. He entered the public eye when he appeared on the first series of the ITV1 television show ''Britain's Got Talent'' in June 2007 where he reached the semi-finals, and lost a place ...

, actor **

John Souttar John Francis Souttar (born 25 September 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership club Rangers and the Scotland national team. He previously played for Dundee United and Heart of Midlothian before join ...

, footballer * 28 September –

Aiden Moffat Aiden Moffat (born 28 September 1996) is a British racing driver currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for Laser Tools Racing. He became the youngest driver ever to compete in the BTCC when he made his debut at the Knockhi ...

, racing driver

October

* 4 October –

Ella Balinska Ella Balinska (born 4 October 1996) is an English actress. She is known for starring in the action-comedy film '' Charlie's Angels'' (2019) and the Netflix original series ''Resident Evil'' (2022). Early life and education Balinska was born on ...

, actress * 7 October –

Lewis Capaldi Lewis Marc Capaldi ( ; born 7 October 1996) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. He was nominated for the Critics' Choice Award at the 2019 Brit Awards. In March 2019, his single "Someone You Loved" topped the UK Singles Chart where ...

, Scottish singer-songwriter * 11 October –

Hollie Doyle Hollie Doyle (born 11 October 1996) is a British jockey who competes in flat racing. She set a new record for winners ridden in a British season by a female jockey in 2019. The following year, she came fourth in the Flat Jockeys' Championship ...

, flat racing jockey * 16 October – Sam Thornton, diver * 17 October – Princess Marie-Caroline of Liechtenstein * 19 October **

Daniel Goodfellow Daniel Goodfellow (born 19 October 1996) is a British diver, two-time Commonwealth champion and Olympic bronze medalist. He first represented Great Britain as a senior at the 2013 European Diving Championships in the 10 m platform event and ...

, diver **

Samuel Honywood Samuel Honywood (born 19 October 1996) is an English child actor best known for having portrayed Sebastian Brown in ''Nanny McPhee ''Nanny McPhee'' is a 2005 comedy drama fantasy film based on the Nurse Matilda character by Christianna Br ...

, actor * 21 October –

Alicia Blagg Alicia Jane Blagg (born 21 October 1996) is a British former diver. In 2010 Blagg became the England's youngest ever double national champion when she won both the 1 metre springboard and 3 metre synchronised titles in the British championship ...

, diver * 25 October –

Georgia Lock Georgia Nathalie Lock (born 25 October 1996) is an English actress and Television presenter, presenter. She starred in the children's series ''Sadie J'', ''The Evermoor Chronicles'', and presented the CBBC magazine show ''Friday Download''. Earl ...

, actress and presenter * 26 October –

Rebecca Tunney Rebecca Tunney (born 26 October 1996) is a retired British artistic gymnast who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Personal information Tunney took ballet from a young age but gave it up at five years old to focus on gymnastics. She moved t ...

, gymnast * 31 October – Connor Wilkinson, actor

November

* 11 November – Ryan Kent, footballer * 12 November – Alexander Ogilvy, son of James Ogilvy * 28 November – Peter Moore, trombonist

December

* 9 December – Deji Olatunji, youtuber and brother of

KSI Olajide Olayinka Williams "JJ" Olatunji (born 19 June 1993), known professionally as KSI, is an English YouTuber and rapper. He is a co-founder and member of the British YouTube group known as the Sidemen. He is the CEO of Misfits Boxing and ...

* 18 December – Devaanshi Mehta, started the Asian Donor Campaign (ADC) (died

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

) * 26 December – Cassius Taylor, son of Lady Helen Taylor

Full date unknown

* Maz Totterdell, singer and songwriter *

Nadia Whittome Nadia Edith Whittome (born 29 August 1996) is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nottingham East since the 2019 general election. A member of the Labour Party, she was elected at the age of 23, and became the ...

, Labour Member of Parliament

Deaths

FM-2019-1-6-4-26--Niggl-Radloff-B-John-B-Priestley-Jacquetta-Hawkes-ONLINE

* 3 January –

Terence Cuneo Terence Tenison Cuneo RGI FGRA (1 November 1907 – 3 January 1996) was a prolific English painter noted for his scenes of railways, horses and military actions. He was also the official artist for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. ...

, artist (born 1907) * 6 January –

John Philipps Kenyon John Philipps Kenyon, FBA (18 June 1927 – 6 January 1996) was an English historian and Fellow of the British Academy. His area of expertise was 17th-century England. Life Kenyon was born in Sheffield where he attended King Edward VII School, ...

, historian (born 1927) * 8 January –

Norrie McCathie Norman "Norrie" McCathie (23 March 1961 – 8 January 1996) was a Scottish professional footballer best known for time with Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic. Signed by Dunfermline manager Pat Stanton in August 1981 from Cowdenbeath, McCath ...

, footballer (born 1961) * 15 January –

Richard Cobb Richard Charles Cobb (20 May 1917 – 15 January 1996) was a British historian and essayist, and professor at the University of Oxford. He was the author of numerous influential works about the history of France, particularly the French R ...

, historian and professor (born 1917) * 16 January –

Harry Potts Harold Potts (22 October 1920 – 16 January 1996) was an English football player and manager. As a player he won promotion with both Burnley and Everton, and both from Second Division. As Burnley manager, he guided them to the First Division ...

, footballer and manager (born 1920) * 27 January – Barbara Skelton, socialite (born 1916) * 6 February **

Renee Roberts Irene Roberts (24 September 1908 – 6 February 1996) better known by her professional name Renee Roberts was an English actress who is best remembered for her portrayal of Miss Ursula Gatsby in ''Fawlty Towers'' in both series in 1975 and 19 ...

, actress (born 1908) **

Patsy Smart Patsy Smart (14 August 1918 – 6 February 1996) was an English actress, best remembered for her performance as Miss Roberts in the 1970s ITV television drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. She also appeared in: ''Danger Man'', '' Only When I Laug ...

, actress (born 1918) * 9 February –

Sir George Trevelyan, 4th Baronet Sir George Lowthian Trevelyan, 4th Baronet (5 November 1906 – 9 February 1996) was a British educational pioneer and a founding father of the New Age movement. In 1942, after listening to a lecture by Dr Walter Stein, a student of Rudolf Stein ...

, educational pioneer (born 1906) * 11 February ** Cyril Poole, cricketer (born 1921) **

Bob Shaw Robert Shaw (31 December 1931 – 11 February 1996) was a science fiction writer and fan from Northern Ireland, noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980. His short story "Light of Other Days" ...

, Northern Irish science fiction writer (born 1931) * 14 February – Bob Paisley, footballer and manager (born 1919) * 16 February – Kenneth Robinson, politician (born 1911) * 27 February **

Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl, DL (19 June 1931 – 27 February 1996), known as ''Wee Iain'', was a Scottish peer and landowner. Background and education Murray was the only surviving child of Lieutenant-Colonel George Anthony Murray ...

, Scottish peer (born 1931) **

Pat Smythe Patricia Rosemary "Pat" Smythe, OBE (22 November 1928 – 27 February 1996) was a British show jumper. She competed at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics, winning a team bronze medal in 1956. She served as president of the British Show Jumpin ...

, show jumper (born 1928) * 6 March **

Simon Cadell Simon John Cadell (19 July 1950 – 6 March 1996) was an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Jeffrey Fairbrother in the first five series of the BBC situation comedy ''Hi-de-Hi!''. Early life Born in London, he was the son of theat ...

, actor (born 1950) **

Douglas Jay, Baron Jay Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay, Baron Jay, PC (23 March 1907 – 6 March 1996) was a British Labour Party politician. Early life Educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, Jay won the Chancellor's English Essay in 1927 and gained a ...

, politician (born 1907) * 8 March –

Jack Churchill John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill, (16 September 1906 – 8 March 1996) was a British Army officer who fought in the Second World War with a longbow, a Scottish broadsword, and a bagpipe. Nicknamed "Fighting Jack Churchill" and "Mad Jack" ...

, British Army officer (born 1906 in Hong Kong) * 11 March – Sir

Charles Oatley Sir Charles William Oatley OBE, FRS FREng (14 February 1904 – 11 March 1996) was Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Cambridge, 1960–1971, and developer of one of the first commercial scanning electron microscopes. He was ...

, physicist (born 1904) * 15 March –

Helen Chadwick Helen Chadwick (18 May 1953 – 15 March 1996) was a British sculptor, photographer and installation artist. In 1987, she became one of the first women artists to be nominated for the Turner Prize. Chadwick was known for "challenging stereotypic ...

, sculptor (born 1953) * 18 March –

Jacquetta Hawkes Jacquetta is a feminine given name which may refer to: * Jacquetta of Luxembourg (1415/16–1472), Duchess of Bedford, Countess Rivers * Jacquetta Hawkes (1910–1996), English archaeologist and writer * Jacquetta May, British writer, actress and ...

, prehistoric archaeologist (born 1910) * 25 March –

John Snagge John Derrick Mordaunt Snagge (8 May 190425 March 1996) was a British newsreader and commentator on BBC Radio. Life Born in Chelsea, London, he was educated at Winchester College and Pembroke College, Oxford, where he obtained a degree in l ...

, radio personality (born 1904) * 4 April –

Winifred Shotter Winifred Florence Shotter (5 November 1904 – 4 April 1996) was an English actress best known for her appearances in the Aldwych farces of the 1920s and early 1930s. Initially a singer and dancer in the ensembles of musical comedies, Shotte ...

, actress (born 1904) * 6 April –

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the hom ...

, actress (born 1904) * 8 April –

Donald Adams Charles Donald Adams (20 December 1928 – 8 April 1996) was an English opera singer and actor, best known for his performances in bass-baritone roles of the Savoy operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and his own company, Gilbert and Sull ...

, actor and opera singer (born 1928) * 13 April –

George Mackay Brown George Mackay Brown (17 October 1921 – 13 April 1996) was a Scottish poet, author and dramatist with a distinctly Orcadian character. He is widely regarded as one of the great Scottish poets of the 20th century. Biography Early life and caree ...

, Scottish poet and dramatist (born 1921) * 18 April –

Mike Leander Michael George Farr (30 June 1941 – 18 April 1996), known professionally as Mike Leander, was a British arranger, songwriter and record producer. He worked variously with The Beatles, David McWilliams ("Days of Pearly Spencer"), Gary Gli ...

, songwriter and record producer (born 1941) * 20 April –

Christopher Robin Milne Christopher Robin Milne (21 August 1920 – 20 April 1996) was an English author and bookseller and the only child of author A. A. Milne. As a child, he was the basis of the character Christopher Robin in his father's Winnie-the-Pooh stories a ...

, author and bookseller (born 1920) * 23 April –

P. L. Travers Pamela Lyndon Travers (; born Helen Lyndon Goff; 9 August 1899 – 23 April 1996) was an Australian-British writer who spent most of her career in England. She is best known for the ''Mary Poppins'' series of books, which feature the eponymous ...

, novelist (''

Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film sta ...

'') (born 1899 in Australia) * 25 April –

John Lorne Campbell Dr John Lorne Campbell FRSE LLD OBE ( gd, Iain Latharna Caimbeul) (1906–1996) was a Scottish historian, farmer, environmentalist and folklorist, and recognized scholar of Scottish Gaelic literature. Early life According to his biographer, R ...

, Scottish historian (born 1906) * 1 May –

Eric Houghton William Eric Houghton (29 June 1910 – 1 May 1996) was an English footballer and manager. Eric Houghton was born in Billingborough, Lincolnshire and educated at Donington Grammar School. He signed for Aston Villa as a seventeen-year-old an ...

, English footballer and manager (born 1910) * 2 May –

Peter Swales Peter Swales (25 December 1932 – 2 May 1996) was a businessman who served as the chairman of Manchester City F.C. from 1973 until 1993. He held a variety of prominent positions within the game of football, including Chairman of The Footbal ...

, businessman and football chairman (born 1932) * 6 May –

Wally Nightingale Warwick Alan "Wally" Nightingale (3 January 1956 – 6 May 1996) was an English guitarist. He founded the band that went on to become the Sex Pistols. Early life Nightingale was born in West Kensington, London. He attended Christopher Wren B ...

, guitarist (born 1956) * 7 May –

Albert Meltzer Albert Isidore Meltzer (7 January 1920 – 7 May 1996) was an English anarcho-communist activist and writer. Early life Meltzer was born in Hackney, London, of Jewish ancestry, and educated at The Latymer School, Edmonton. He was attracted to ...

, anarchist writer (born 1920) * 14 May –

Vera Chapman Vera Chapman (8 May 1898 – 14 May 1996), also known as Vera Ivy May Fogerty, and within the Tolkien Society as Belladonna Took, was a British author and founder of the Tolkien Society in the United Kingdom, and also wrote a number of pseudo-h ...

, writer (born 1898) * 19 May –

Margaret Rawlings Margaret Rawlings, Lady Barlow (5 June 1906 – 19 May 1996) was an English stage actress, born in Osaka, Japan, daughter of the Rev. George William Rawlings and his wife Lilian (née Boddington) Rawlings. Personal life/affiliations She was e ...

, actress (born 1906) * 20 May –

Jon Pertwee John Devon Roland "Jon" Pertwee (; 7 July 1919 – 20 May 1996) was an English actor, comedian, entertainer, cabaret performer and TV presenter. Born into a theatrical family, he served in the Royal Navy and the Naval Intelligence Division during ...

, actor (born 1919) * 23 May –

Patrick Cargill Patrick Cargill (3 June 191823 May 1996) was an English actor remembered for his lead role in the British television sitcom ''Father, Dear Father''. Career Cargill was born to middle-class parents living in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. After educati ...

, actor (born 1918) * 29 May –

Jeremy Sinden Jeremy Mahony Sinden (14 June 1950 – 29 May 1996) was an English actor who specialised in playing eccentric military men and overgrown schoolboys.Times Obituary 31 May 1996 Early life Sinden was born in London into a theatrical family; ...

, actor (born 1950) * 2 June –

Leon Garfield Leon Garfield FRSL (14 July 1921 – 2 June 1996) was a British writer of fiction. He is best known for children's historical novels, though he also wrote for adults. He wrote more than thirty books and scripted '' Shakespeare: The Animated Ta ...

, children's author (born 1921) * 3 June –

Peter Glenville Peter Glenville (born Peter Patrick Brabazon Browne; 28 October 19133 June 1996) was an English film and stage actor and director. Biography Born in Hampstead, London, into a theatrical family, Glenville was the son of Shaun Glenville (born J ...

, actor and director (born 1913) * 7 June –

Percy Edwards Percy Edwards (1 June 1908 – 7 June 1996) was an English animal impersonator, entertainer and ornithologist. Biography As a child, Edwards was fascinated by the wildlife he found in his local area, and by the age of 12 was accomplished eno ...

, animal impersonator (born 1908) * 15 June –

Allenby Chilton Allenby C. Chilton (16 September 1918 – 15 June 1996) was an English footballer. Playing career Chilton started his career with Seaham Colliery before joining Liverpool as an amateur in the summer of 1938, but he never played a senior game ...

, former footballer and football manager (born 1918) * 19 June –

Vivian Ellis Vivian John Herman Ellis, CBE (29 October 1903 – 19 June 1996) was an English musical comedy composer best known for the song "Spread a Little Happiness" and the theme " Coronation Scot". Life and work Ellis was born in Hampstead, London in 1 ...

, composer and lyricist (born 1903) * 20 June –

John Buchan, 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir John Norman Stuart Buchan, 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir CBE, CD, FRSE, FRSA (25 November 1911 – 20 June 1996), commonly called Johnnie Buchan, was a British peer and the son of the novelist John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He was a colonial admi ...

, peer (born 1911) * 29 June –

Pamela Mason Pamela Mason (10 March 1916 – 29 June 1996), also known as Pamela Kellino, was an English actress, author, and screenwriter, known for being the creative partner and first wife of English actor James Mason. Early life and personal life Born ...

, actress and screenwriter (born 1916) * 1 July –

Alfred Marks Alfred Edward Marks OBE (born Alfred Edward Touchinsky; 28 January 19211 July 1996) was a British actor and comedian. In his 60-year career, he played dramatic and comedy roles in numerous television programmes, stage shows and films. His self- ...

, actor and comedian (born 1921) * 12 July –

Walter Hassan Walter Thomas Frederick Hassan OBE, C.Eng., M.I. Mech.E. (25 April 1905 – 12 July 1996) was a distinguished UK automotive engineer who took part in the design and development of three very successful engines: Jaguar XK, Coventry Climax and Ja ...

, automotive engineer (born 1907) * 17 July **

Chas Chandler Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 – 17 July 1996) was an English musician, record producer and manager, best known as the original bassist in The Animals, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He ...

, musician and record producer (born 1938) ** Sir

Geoffrey Jellicoe Sir Geoffrey Allan Jellicoe (8 October 1900 – 17 July 1996) was an English architect, town planner, landscape architect, garden designer, landscape and garden historian, lecturer and author. His strongest interest was in landscape and gard ...

, landscape architect (born 1900) * 21 July –

Wolfe Morris Wolfe Morris (born Woolf Steinberg, 5 January 1925 – 21 July 1996) was an English actor, who played character roles on stage, television and in feature films from the 1950s until the 1990s. He made his film debut in ''Ill Met by Moonlight''. ...

, actor (born 1925) * 22 July – Rob Collins, musician (born 1963); died in a car accident * 4 August –

Geoff Hamilton Geoffrey Stephen Hamilton (15 August 1936 – 4 August 1996) was an English gardener, broadcaster and author, best known as presenter of BBC television's ''Gardeners' World'' in the 1980s and 1990s.

, television presenter (born 1936) * 6 August –

Ossie Clark Raymond "Ossie" Clark (9 June 1942 – 6 August 1996) was a British fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era. Clark is now renowned for his vintage designs by present- ...

, fashion designer (born 1942; murdered) * 8 August – Sir Neville Francis Mott, physicist (born 1905) * 9 August – Sir

Frank Whittle Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, (1 June 1907 – 8 August 1996) was an English engineer, inventor and Royal Air Force (RAF) air officer. He is credited with inventing the turbojet engine. A patent was submitted by Maxime Guillaume in 1921 for ...

, RAF officer and inventor (born 1907) * 14 August – Albert Neuberger, biochemist (born 1908, German Empire) * 27 August –

Abram Games Abram Games (29 July 191427 August 1996) was a British graphic designer. The style of his work – refined but vigorous compared to the work of contemporaries – has earned him a place in the pantheon of the best of 20th-century graphic desi ...

, graphic designer (born 1914) * 29 August –

Phyllis Pearsall Phyllis Isobella Pearsall MBE (25 September 1906 – 28 August 1996) was a British painter and writer who founded the Geographers' A-Z Map Company, for which she is regarded as one of the most successful business people of the twentieth cen ...

, cartographer and creator of the '' A–Z'' (born 1906) * 3 September –

Julian Amery, Baron Amery of Lustleigh Harold Julian Amery, Baron Amery of Lustleigh, (27 March 1919 – 3 September 1996) was a British Conservative Party politician, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 39 of the 42 years between 1950 and 1992. He was appointed to the Pr ...

, politician (born 1919) * 4 September –

Joan Clarke Joan Elisabeth Lowther Murray, MBE (''née'' Clarke; 24 June 1917 – 4 September 1996) was an English cryptanalyst and numismatist best known for her work as a code-breaker at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. Although she did not ...

, cryptanalyst and numismatist (born 1917) * 10 September – Plantagenet Somerset Fry, historian (born 1931; suicide) * 13 September –

Jane Baxter Jane Baxter (9 September 1909 – 13 September 1996) was a British actress. Her stage career spanned half a century, and she appeared in a number of films and in television. Early life Baxter was born as Feodora Kathleen Alice Forde in Bremen, ...

, actress (born 1909) * 19 September –

Douglas Hyde Douglas Ross Hyde ( ga, Dubhghlas de hÍde; 17 January 1860 – 12 July 1949), known as (), was an Irish academic, linguist, scholar of the Irish language, politician and diplomat who served as the first President of Ireland from June 1938 t ...

, journalist and writer (born 1911) * 23 September –

Stuart Piggott Stuart Ernest Piggott, (28 May 1910 – 23 September 1996) was a British archaeologist, best known for his work on prehistoric Wessex. Early life Piggott was born in Petersfield, Hampshire, the son of G. H. O. Piggott, and was educated t ...

, archaeologist (born 1910) * 24 September –

Mark Frankel Mark David Frankel (13 June 1962 – 24 September 1996) was a British actor, known for his leading roles in the British film ''Leon the Pig Farmer'' and the American TV series '' Kindred: The Embraced''. Early life Frankel was born on 13 June ...

, actor (born 1962); accidentally killed * 26 September – Sir

Geoffrey Wilkinson Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson FRS (14 July 1921 – 26 September 1996) was a Nobel laureate English chemist who pioneered inorganic chemistry and homogeneous transition metal catalysis. Education and early life Wilkinson was born at Springside, To ...

, chemist (born 1921) * 29 September –

Leslie Crowther Leslie Douglas Sargent Crowther, CBE (6 February 1933 – 29 September 1996) was an English comedian, actor, TV presenter, and game show host. Biography Crowther was born on Monday, 6 February, 1933 in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, son of ...

, comedian and TV presenter (born 1933) * 6 October – Winifred Drinkwater, aviator and aeroplane engineer (born 1913) * 9 October –

Roy Lewis Roy Lewis (6 November 1913 – 9 October 1996) was an English writer and small press printer. Life and work Although born in Felixstowe, Lewis was brought up in Birmingham and educated at King Edward's School. After studying at Universit ...

, writer and small press printer (born 1913) * 11 October –

Terry Patchett Terry Patchett (11 July 1940 – 11 October 1996) was a politician in the United Kingdom. Patchett served as Member of Parliament for Barnsley East from 1983 until his death, and was a member of the Labour Party. Early life Patchett was bo ...

, Labour Member of Parliament (born 1940) * 13 October –

Beryl Reid Beryl Elizabeth Reid, (17 June 1919 – 13 October 1996), was a British actress of stage and screen. She won the 1967 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for ''The Killing of Sister George'', the 1980 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performan ...

, actress (born 1919) * 16 October –

Eric Malpass Eric Lawson Malpass (14 November 1910 – 16 October 1996) was an English novelist noted for witty descriptions of rural family life, notably of his creation, the extended Pentecost family. He also wrote historical fiction ranging from the late ...

, novelist (born 1910) * 22 October –

, businessman (born 1953) * 24 October –

Gladwyn Jebb Hubert Miles Gladwyn Jebb, 1st Baron Gladwyn (25 April 1900 – 24 October 1996) was a prominent British civil servant, diplomat and politician who served as the acting secretary-general of the United Nations between 1945 and 1946. Early ...

, diplomat and politician (born 1900) * 3 November –

, Conservative Member of Parliament (born 1939) * 6 November –

Tommy Lawton Thomas Lawton (6 October 1919 – 6 November 1996) was an English football player and manager. A strong centre-forward with excellent all-round attacking skills, he was able to head the ball with tremendous power and accuracy. Born in F ...

, footballer (born 1919) * 9 November –

Roger Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield Roger Mellor Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield, (3 February 1904 – 9 November 1996), was a British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States from 1953 to 1956. Background and early life Makins was the son of Brigadier-General ...

, diplomat (born 1904) * 10 November – Marjorie Proops, journalist (born 1911) * 16 November **

Reginald Bevins John Reginald Bevins (20 August 1908 – 16 November 1996) was a British Conservative politician who served as a Liverpool Member of Parliament (MP) for fourteen years. He served in the governments of the 1950s and 1960s, playing an important r ...

, politician (born 1908) **

Jack Popplewell Jack Popplewell (22 March 1909 – 16 November 1996) was an English writer and playwright. Life Popplewell was born and grew up in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire. He published his first song in 1940, and his first play, ''Blind Alley'' was sta ...

, playwright (born 1909) * 24 November – Sorley MacLean,

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

poet (born 1911) * 26 November –

Michael Bentine Michael Bentine, (born Michael James Bentin; 26 January 1922General Register Office for England and Wales – Birth Register for the March Quarter of 1922, Watford Registration District, Reference 3a 1478, listed as "Michael J. Bentin", mother ...

, comedian and comic actor (born 1922) * 29 November –

Denis Jenkinson Denis Sargent Jenkinson (11 December 1920 – 29 November 1996), "Jenks" or "DSJ" as he was known in the pages of ''Motor Sport'', was a British journalist deeply involved in motorsports. As Continental Correspondent of the UK-based ''Motor Spo ...

, motorsports journalist (born 1920) * 9 December **

Mary Leakey Mary Douglas Leakey, FBA (née Nicol, 6 February 1913 – 9 December 1996) was a British paleoanthropologist who discovered the first fossilised ''Proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A pro ...

, archaeologist (born 1913) **

Ivor Roberts-Jones Ivor Roberts-Jones (2 November 1913 – 9 December 1996) was an English sculptor of Welsh heritage on both his parents' sides. He is best known for his sculpted heads of notable people such as Yehudi Menuhin and George Thomas, Viscount Tonypandy ...

, sculptor (born 1913) * 11 December **

Willie Rushton William George Rushton (18 August 1937 – 11 December 1996) was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the satirical magazine ''Private Eye''. Early life Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in 3 Wilbraham Plac ...

, comedian, actor and cartoonist (born 1937) ** W. G. G. Duncan Smith, World War II pilot (born 1914) * 15 December – Dave Kaye, pianist (born 1906) * 16 December –

Quentin Bell Quentin Claudian Stephen Bell (19 August 1910 – 16 December 1996) was an English art historian and author. Early life Bell was born in London, the son of Clive Bell and Vanessa Bell (née Stephen), and the nephew of Virginia Woolf (née Ste ...

, biographer and art historian (born 1910) * 17 December –

Ruby Murray Ruby Florence Murray (29 March 1935 – 17 December 1996) was a Northern Irish singer. One of the most popular singers in the British Isles in the 1950s, she scored ten hits in the UK Singles Chart between 1954 and 1959. She also made pop chart ...

, Northern Irish singer (born 1925) * 18 December –

Gwilym Hugh Lewis Wing Commander Gwilym Hugh Lewis (5 August 1897 – 18 December 1996) was a British flying ace during World War I. He was credited with 12 confirmed aerial victories. He went on to a very successful career as an insurance broker. Lewis was the n ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

air ace (born 1897) * 23 December –

Ronnie Scott Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album '' Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadium ...

, jazz musician and club owner (born 1927)

References

{{Year in Europe, 1996

Years of the 20th century in the United Kingdom

Incumbents

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Undated

Publications

Births

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Full date unknown

Deaths

See also

References