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Margaret Hilda Thatcher
History of Great Britain

              

1925
Birth
13th Oct Grantham Birth of Margaret Thatcher, daughter of a grocer
1959
Election
8th Oct Finchley 1st elected MP for Finchley during the election, has a constituency majority of 16,260
1960
Parliament
9th Oct London Appointed Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Pensions & National Insurance
1960
Speech
5th Feb London Makes maiden speech in Parliament
1964
Shadow Spokesman
28th Oct Appointed shadow spokesman on pensions
1965
Shadow Spokesman
5th Oct Appointed shadow spokesman on housing & land
1966
Shadow Spokesman
19th April Appointed Shadow Treasury Spokesman, deputy to Iain Macleod
1970
Privy Council
Appointed Member of the Privy Council
1970
Secretary of Education
20th June Appointed Secretary for Education & Science, attains Cabinet rank for the first time
1971
Reform
30th June London Says LEAs may use the 1944 education act to retain grammar schools
1971
School Milk
15th June London 15-29 June, protests about withdrawal of milk to state schools
1975
Election
28th June Woolwich 1st Conservative leader to help contest a by-election, 7.6% swing in favour
1975
European Union
London Launches a European campaign in front of Heath, "the pupil speaking before the master"
1975
Party Leader
11th Feb London Appointed Leader of the Conservative Party
1976
Iron Lady
21st Dec London Tass calls Margaret Thatcher the "Iron Lady" over her condemnation of Rusia
1976
Speech
31st Jan London Refers to herself as the "Iron Lady" after an article in the Soviet Red Star
1977
Conference of Conservatives
14th Oct Brighton Tells Callaghan to, "keep taking the tablets", after Peter Jay compares him to Moses
1977
Speech
14th Oct Brighton Tells Callaghan to, "keep taking the tablets", after Peter Jay compares him to Moses
1979
Assassination
29th Aug Belfast Visits the people of Belfast after the assassination of Lord Mountbatten & 18 soldiers
1979
Budget
21st June Strasbourg Attends the European Council & forwards the case for reducing Britain's contributions
1979
Conference of Commonwealth
1st Aug Lusaka 1-8 August, attends the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference at Lusaka
1st Aug Lusaka 1st Commonwealth Conference to be held in Africa, Rhodes ia is the main subject
1979
Election
London 1st EC elections take place, using 1st-past-the-post system
May Enters no 10 quoting St Francis , "where there is discord, may we bring harmony"
3rd May Conservatives 339, Labour 268, Liberals 11, others 18
3rd May The Conservatives win a majority of 45
1979
Price Commission
15th May London The Price Commission is abolished
1979
Prime Minister
4th May Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1st term
1979
Reform
23rd Oct London Exchange controls are removed
1979
Security Ulster
24th Dec Ulster Visits the security services in Ulster
1980
Boycott Olympic Games
14th Feb Moscow Calls for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics because of the invasion of Afghanistan
1980
Budget
24th Nov London A new tax is introduced on Nth Sea oil
24th Nov London National Insurance Contributions go up
24th Nov London Pensions & social security will increase by 1% less than inflation
1980
Conference of Conservatives
10th Oct Brighton Tells conference, "the lady's not for turning"
1980
Conference of G7
22nd June London Attends the G7 summit
1980
Constitution
Sep Lancaster Gate A Conference is held at Lancaster Gate to resolve Rhodes ian constitutional problems
1980
Diplomacy
10th April Gibraltar Spain agrees to re-open its border with Gibraltar
5th May London The SAS storms the Iranian Embassy
30th July London Nigeria announces that it is nationalizing BP's assets in Nigeria
8th Dec Dublin Attends the Anglo-Irish summit in Dublin
1980
Economy
18th June The British annual inflation rate stands at 21%, the first fall in two years
4th Aug The Clegg Commission completes its report on pay comparability in the Public Sector
27th Aug The registerred unemployment total exceeds 2 million
1980
Legislation
Under the Coal Indus try Act subsidies to the Coal Board are reduced
1980
Privatization
London Amershan International is sold for œ71 million
1980
Reform
London Benefits for strikers are reduced, it is assumed they receive œ12 per week strike pay
London Prescription charges are increased to œ1
1980
Speech
10th Oct Brighton Tells conference, "the lady's not for turning"
1980
Taxation
24th Nov London A new tax is introduced on Nth Sea oil
1981
Cabinet
5th Jan Pym becomes leader of the Commons, Nott Defense Secretary & Britain Chief Sec
14th Sep Lawson, Tebbit & Parkinson join the Cabinet & Prior becomes the Northern Ireland Sec
1981
Conference of Commonwealth
30th Sep Melbourne Arrives in Melbourne for the Commonwealth Conference
1981
Demonstrations
Brixton Visits Brixton Police Station
10th April Brixton Lord Scarman is later appointed to review the causes of the riots
10th April Brixton !st day of a weekend of riots in Brixton
8th July Manchester Moss Side in Manchester experiences its first of 2 days disorder
13th July Liverpool Visits Liverpool & drives through the scene of the riots in Toxteth
1981
Diplomacy
5th Nov London Congratulates Reagan on his election victory & invites him to Britain for discussions
6th Nov London Agrees with Garret FiitzGerald to establish an Anglo-Irish inter-Governmental Council
1981
Humber Bridge
17th July Humber Humbar Estuary Bridge, world's longest span, 1.4 km, opens
1981
Prime Minister
5th Jan St John Stevas & Maude leave the Government
1981
Privatization
London Cable & Wireless is sold for œ224 million
1981
Resignation
14th Sep London Gilmour, Carlisle & Soames leave the Government
1981
Strike
18th Feb Thatcher's Conservative Government withdraws plans to close 23 pits in its first major u-turn since coming to power 2 years ago
21st Feb Miners vote in favour of a 9.3 per cent pay rise
1982
Alliance
30th April Reagan declares USAfor Britain & promises "materiel aid"
1982
Battle of Goose Green
29th May Goose Green Argentines surrender Goose Green, British take 1,400 prisoners, and the Islanders imprisoned at Goose Green by the Argentines are released
1982
Battle of Port Stanley
11th June Portanley Battle for Stanley begins on Mount Longdon, Mount Harriet and Two Sisters
14th June Portanley By daylight Argentine troops are fleeing in disarray, by mid-morning white flags are flying in Stanley, and by noon the British have marched to the outskirts of Stanley
14th June Portanley General Mario Menendez surrenders to Major General Jeremy Moore at 9pm FI time
14th June Portanley Thatcher informs the Commons at 10.15pm UK time that the Argentines have surrendered
14th June Portanley The battle of Port Stanley ends with the surrender of Argentinian forces
1982
Bombing of Ballykelly
6th Dec Ballykelly INLA bombs in Ballykelly kill 11 soldiers
1982
Bombing of Falklands
1st May Falklands Air attacks begin on the Argentrine garrison on the Falklands
1982
Bombing of Port Stanley
1st May Portanley Operations against the Falklands open with the "Black Buck 1" attack on the airfield at Stanley
4th May Portanley British forces begin bombarding Argentine positions around Stanley
1982
Capture of Falklands
2nd April Falklands Galtieri hails the "recovery" of the Malvinas, saying Argentina had been left no option other than military action, while Carrington tells Parliament "Port Stanley is now occupied by Argentine military forces"
1982
Capture of Goose Green
29th May Goose Green Argentines surrender Goose Green, British take 1,400 prisoners, and the Islanders imprisoned at Goose Green by the Argentines are released
1982
Capture of South Georgia
25th April South South Georgia recaptured by Royal Marines - Thatcher tells Britain to "rejoice"
1982
Capture of Sth Georgia
25th April South South Georgia is recaptured from the Argentinians
1982
Capture of Thule
20th June Thule British forces land on Southern Thule (South Sandwich Islands) - Argentines surrender without a fight
1982
Conference of Versailles
3rd June Versailles President Reagan presents his 5 point plan to Britain
1982
Corporate
21st May Two brigades of troops had been transported 8,000 miles and one of the most successful amphibious landings was conducted in San Carlos Water when 3,000 troops are put ashore without casualties
1982
Declaration of Defence Area
26th April A "defence area" is declared around the fleet
1982
Declaration of Exclusion Zone
12th April Falklands The maritime exclusion zone comes into operation
19th April Falklands The exclusion zone comes into force
7th May The exclusion zone is extended to 12 miles off the Argentine coast
1982
Diplomacy
9th Jan The British Ambassador to Argentina lodges a formal protest against the unauthorised landing on South Georgia on 20 December 1981 by Argentine scrap-metal merchant Constantino Davidoff
3rd Feb South Britain renews its formal protest at Davidoff's unauthorised landing in South Georgia
2nd Mar The Argentine foreign minister says that Argentina reserves the right to 'employ other means' if Britain keeps refusing to cede sovereignty
31st Mar Thatcher telegraphs American President Ronald Reagan asking him to warn the Argentines off
1st April UN Security Council meets at Britain's request and calls for restraint and avoidance of force
14th April London Argentina rejects Haig's 5 point peace plan & London is informed
19th April EEC foreign ministers declare support for Britain
30th April Reagan terminates Haig's peace mission, declares USAsupport for Britain, imposes economic sanctions on Argentina, and offers Britain materiel and other aid
5th May Emergency meeting of full British cabinet approves Peruvian peace plan
5th May London Full cabinet approval of the Peruvian peace plan
6th May Argentine junta rejects Peruvian peace plan
12th May Argentine junta concedes that sovereignty of the Islands isn't a precondition to the UN peace plan
17th May British peace proposals transmitted to Argentina
18th May Argentine junta rejects British peace proposals
18th May London The Junta rejects the British proposals
20th May London Tells Parliament of the collapse of the peace process
20th May Thatcher accuses Argentina of 'obduracy and delay, deception and bad faith', tells Commons of collapse of peace process, and orders task force into battle
26th May UN Security Council Resolution 505 instructs de Cuellar to seek negotiated settlement
29th May Organisation of American States condemns Britain's military action and calls on the USAto stop helping Britain - only the US, Chile, Columbia and Trinidad & Tobago abstain
20th Sep Hong Kong Begins a Far East visit to Hong Kong
22nd Sep London China & Britain agree to oppose Soviet hegemony
22nd Sep London Meets the Chinese Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang
1982
European Union
9th April European Economic Community approve economic sanctions against Argentina (Ireland and Italy veto)
10th April European Economic Community approve economic sanctions against Argentina (Ireland and Italy veto)
1982
Exclusion Zone
5th April Falklands British Government announces it will impose a 200-mile exclusion zone around the Islands on 26 April
12th April Falklands 200 mile maritime exclusion zone around the Islands declared by Britain to prevent Argentine reinforcements and supplies reaching the Islands from the mainland
30th April Falklands Maritime exclusion zone is declared a total exclusion zone, applicable to all ships and aircraft supporting the Argentine occupation of the Islands
7th May Falklands Britain extends total exclusion zone to 12 miles off Argentine coast
20th June Falklands 200 mile exclusion zone established around the Islands during the war is replaced by a Falkland Islands Protection Zone of 150 miles
22nd July Falklands Britain lifts the Exclusion Zone around the Islands
1982
Falkland Islands Protection Zone
20th June Falklands 200 mile exclusion zone established around the Islands during the war is replaced by a Falkland Islands Protection Zone of 150 miles
1982
Franks Commission
26th June Falklands Thatcher appoints an official commission headed by Lord Franks to examine the causes of Britain's failure to prevent Argentine capture of the Islands
1982
Invasion of Falklands
2nd Feb Falklands Thatcher in a private letter to a Conservative Party activist makes clear that she regards the Royal Marine presence in Stanley as sufficient to prevent an Argentine invasion
9th Feb Falklands Thatcher confirms the retirement of HMS Endurance
3rd Mar Falklands MP Julian Amery asks if 'all necessary steps are in hand to ensure the protection of the Islands against unexpected attack' but receives an evasive reply
5th Mar Falklands Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington refuses to send a submarine to patrol off the Islands and South Georgia
6th Mar Falklands Hercules aircraft operated by Argentine military airline LADE,on a mail run to an Antarctic base, lands at Stanley Airport, falsely claiming a fuel leak, and carrying senior Argentine officers who survet Stanley
8th Mar Falklands Thatcher asks the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence for contingency plans in case of an Argentine blockade or invasion of the Islands
19th Mar South Davidoff sends 40 workmen on naval vessel Bahia Buen Suceso to dismantle Leith whaling station, the workmen fail to ask permission to land from the British Antarctic Survey base at Grytviken and hoist the Argentinian flag
28th Mar Falklands Britain begins contingency planning for the sending of a task force to the Islands
29th Mar Falklands The Joint Intelligence Committee reports an invasion seems imminent, Thatcher orders 3 nuclear submarines south to the Islands
31st Mar Falklands Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Sir Henry Leach advises a crisis meeting headed by Thatcher that Britain could and should send a task force if the islands are invaded
2nd April Falklands 1st day of the Falklands War when the Argentinians capture the Falklands
2nd April South Britain's UN ambassador Sir Anthony Parsons puts a draft resolution to the Security Council condemning the hostilities and demanding immediate Argentine withdrawal from the Islands
2nd April Falklands Emergency cabinet meeting approves the sending of the task force to liberate the Islands
2nd April Falklands Galtieri hails the "recovery" of the Malvinas, saying Argentina had been left no option other than military action, while Carrington tells Parliament "Port Stanley is now occupied by Argentine military forces"
2nd April South MPs are recalled for a special Saturday sitting of the House of Commons (first since Suez)
3rd April Falklands The UN directive 502 is passed through the House of Commons
3rd April Falklands UN Security Council passes Resolution 502 by 10 votes to 1 (with 4 abstentions) demanding immediate Argentine withdrawal from the Islands - Argentina refuses to comply
5th April Portsmouth Aircraft carriers Hermes and Invincible set sail from Portsmouth
5th April Falklands British Government announces it will impose a 200-mile exclusion zone around the Islands on 26 April
5th April Falklands The task force sails for the Falklands
7th April Falklands A task force is sent by Britain to recapture the Falkland Islands from Argentina
15th April British destroyer group takes up holding position in mid-Atlantic
15th April Reagan terminates Haig's peace mission, declares USAsupport for Britain, imposes economic sanctions on Argentina, and offers Britain materiel and other aid
17th April Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse chairs conference at Ascension Island with Admiral Sandy Woodward and 3 Commando Brigade which sets out detailed plans for the retaking of the Islands by force
20th April Falklands British War Cabinet orders repossession of Islands
22nd April Falklands British task force arrives in Falklands waters
23rd April Falklands Britain warns Argentina that any military or civilian ship or aircraft representing a threat to the task force will be destroyed
25th April South South Georgia is recaptured & the nation is told to "rejoice!"
2nd May Falklands The General Belgrano is sunk by HMS conqueror
12th May Falklands QE2 leaves Southampton with 5 Infantry Brigade comprising Scots Guards, Welsh Guards and Gurkhas
20th May Falklands Thatcher accuses Argentina of 'obduracy and delay, deception and bad faith', tells Commons of collapse of peace process, and orders task force into battle
21st May San Carlos