BBC ON THIS DAY | Special Anniversaries

BBC ON THIS DAY | Special Anniversaries | 1955


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Royal family at theatre, L-R Princess Margaret, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Gp Capt Townsend, Princess Elizabeth

31 October
1955: Princess Margaret cancels wedding

Princess Margaret calls off her plans to marry divorced Group Captain Peter Townsend.

30 September
1955: James Dean killed in car smash
Hollywood actor James Dean is killed when his sports car is involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Photo of a policeman outside Holloway Prison

13 July
1955: Ruth Ellis hanged for killing lover
Convicted murderer Ruth Ellis is hanged at Holloway Prison, London.

18 April
1955: Albert Einstein dies
Eminent scientist Dr Albert Einstein, who developed the theory of relativity, dies in hospital aged 76.

5 April
1955: Sir Winston Churchill resigns
Sir Winston Churchill resigns as prime minister of Britain due to failing health.

1955


23 Jan	1955: Express train crashes killing 14

10 Feb	1955: US evacuates Pacific islands

22 Feb	1955: American tennis star 'Little Mo' to quit

11 Mar	1955: Farewell to scientist who discovered penicillin

21 Apr	1955: Fleet Street papers back after strike

05 May	1955: Dr Salk promotes polio vaccine in UK

09 May	1955: West Germany accepted into Nato

14 May	1955: Communist states sign Warsaw Pact

27 May	1955: Election victory for Tories under Eden

11 Jun	1955: Le Mans disaster claims 77 lives

23 Jun	1955: Queen Elizabeth sails on schedule

17 Jul	1955: Moss claims first Grand Prix victory

22 Sep	1955: New TV channel ends BBC monopoly

07 Dec	1955: Attlee steps down as Labour leader

14 Dec	1955: Gaitskell elected Labour leader

16 Dec	1955: Queen opens London Airport terminal

20 Dec	1955: Yugoslavia wins UN vote


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