What do you remember about 1976? It was a corker! 100wcgu #186

I was busy having a baby, but what do you remember about 1976?

Sport

Unlike this time, both the winter and summer Olympics were held in the same year. Innsbruck hosted those snowy, icy winter games, while Montreal welcomed visitors in the summer. This was the year of John Curry, Nadia Comaneci and Bjorn Borg, who won the first of his five successive titles at Wimbledon.

In football, it was a special year for me. I had always been a fan and in 1976 my team, Southampton, won the FA Cup. The family wouldn’t let me go to Wembley heavily pregnant, but I was allowed to go and watch the victory parade through the city the next day.

Politics

In the USA Jimmy Carter became President after an unexpectedly close race against Gerald Ford. Here in the UK, commentators were shocked when Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, announced he was stepping down. He was replaced by James Callaghan.

Changes were afoot in China too with the deaths of Cho En-lai and Mau Tse Tung. Isabel Peron (of Evita fame) was ousted in Argentina and in Uganda, Idi Amin was made President for life. His would be a name that we would hear linked to horrors too immense to contemplate.

Other stuff

Concorde – First commercial flight. Living in Bristol now, I have a connection with this astonishing airplane as we have one of the fleet standing proudly near the factory that built much of her. As an aside, the last flight was over Bristol in 2003 and my school was on the flight path so we all came out to wave goodbye.
Soweto riots – black students took to the streets to protest about the discrimination being imposed through the use of Afrikaans as the main teaching language in South Africa. It triggered the beginnings of the uneasy and often violent relationship with the white South African government. It was to be the start of the anti-apartied movement which saw Nelson Mandela elected President in 1994, South Africa’s first black leader.
Ladybird swarms – In the UK swarms of ladybirds could be found across southern and eastern coasts. Experts at the time estimated somewhere in the region of 23 billion of these seven-spotted bugs, usually loved by gardeners for the aphids they eat, were searching for food following a mild spring but the very hot summer left them without their usual food sources.
Oscar winners – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest swept the board with awards for best film and best actor (Jack Nicholson) and best actress (Louise Fletcher)
Prices – An average 3 bedroom house would cost £12,700, petrol was £0.76 per gallon and the interest rate was 14.25%

Latest prompt

What do you remember about 1976? For this week’s 100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups prompt, I want you to cast your mind back. Dig into that memory bank and share something that takes you back. It doesn’t have to be 1976 but a while ago. The prompt is:

…looking back, I remember…

The link will close on Monday 29th August.

If you are wondering what this is all about do read ‘What is 100WCGU?’ and if you are still stuck, leave your question in the comments below.