1981 in England

Centuries:	18th ; 19th ; 20th ; 21st ;
Decades:	1960s ; 1970s ; 1980s ; 1990s ; 2000s ;
See also:	1980–81 in English football ; 1981–82 in English football ; 1981 in the United Kingdom ; Other events of 1981

Last updated November 02, 2025

Events from 1981 in England

Incumbent

Further information: Politics of England

Events

March 29 – The first London Marathon starts, with 7,500 runners.
April 11 – 1981 Brixton riot: Rioters in south London, UK, throw petrol bombs, attack police and loot shops.
May 22 – Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe is found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment on 13 counts of murder and 7 of attempted murder in England.
November 12 – The Church of England General Synod votes to admit women to holy orders.

Births

9 February – Tom Hiddleston, actor
18 February – Andrew McKay, actor

Deaths

16 January – Bernard Lee, actor (born 1908)^[1]
12 February – Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape, British admiral (born 1888)
23 March – Mike Hailwood, motorcycle racer and racing driver (born 1950)
29 September – Bill Shankly, football manager (born 1913)^[2]

References

↑ "Bernard Lee". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 1 November 2025.
↑ "Former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly dies". The Guardian . 29 September 1981. Retrieved 1 November 2025.

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[1] "Bernard Lee". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 1 November 2025.

[2] "Former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly dies". The Guardian . 29 September 1981. Retrieved 1 November 2025.

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