I often wonder what significant anniversaries are due at some point in the future as some of them might be of interest as triggers for blog posts or visits somewhere. However, it is often difficult to find out quickly what events have significant anniversaries - hence this section on the website.
By "significant anniversaries", I mean dates that are not, for example, the 73rd anniversary of something, but the 50th, 100th, 200th etc.
It should help to flag up interesting events.
Significant anniversaries during December 2016
| Anniversary | Details |
| 1st | Storm Eva causes more intensive flooding in northern England, with homes evacuated in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and rivers overflowing in Manchester and Leeds. (25th Dec 2015) |
| 1st | British astronaut Tim Peake becomes the first Briton under the banner of the European Space Agency to set foot on the International Space Station. (15th Dec 2015) |
| 1st | The Forth Road Bridge in Scotland is closed due to structural defects, and the Scottish Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, declares that it will not be reopened until January 2016. (4th Dec 2015) |
| 5th | 2011 was the second warmest year on record for the UK, according to the Met Office. Only 2006, with an average temperature of 9.73C (49.5F), was warmer than 2011's average temperature of 9.62C (49.3F). (30th Dec 2011) |
| 10th | The British government pays off the Anglo-American loan made in 1946. (29th Dec 2006) |
| 10th | A man is arrested near Felixstowe on suspicion of murdering five Ipswich prostitutes. (18th Dec 2006) |
| 10th | A tornado hits London. (7th Dec 2006) |
| 40th | Denis Healey secures a £2.3 billion loan for Britain from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on condition that £2.5 billion is cut from public expenditure. (15th Dec 1976) |
| 40th | Punk rock band the Sex Pistols achieve public notoriety as they unleash several swearwords live on Bill Grundy's TV show. (1st Dec 1976) |
| 50th | Thieves steal millions of pounds worth of paintings from Dulwich Art Gallery in London. (31st Dec 1966) |
| 50th | Harry Roberts, John Whitney and John Duddy are sentenced to life imprisonment (each with a recommended minimum of thirty years) for the murder of three West London policemen in August. (12th Dec 1966) |
| 60th | PG Tips launches its long-running TV advertising campaign using a chimpanzees' tea party. (25th Dec 1956) |
| 60th | The Government of Northern Ireland under Basil Brooke uses the Special Powers Act to intern several hundred republican suspects without trial. (21st Dec 1956) |
| 70th | David Lean's film of Great Expectations released. (26th Dec 1946) |
| 75th | National Service Act passed: All men and women aged 18-60 are now liable to some form of national service. (18th Dec 1941) |
| 75th | World War II: UK declares war on Bulgaria. (12th Dec 1941) |
| 75th | World War II: The United Kingdom declares war on Finland in support of the Soviet Union during the Continuation War. (6th Dec 1941) |
| 80th | Princess Alexandra of Kent, daughter of The Duke and Duchess of Kent, is born in London. This will be the last royal birth attended by the Home Secretary. (25th Dec 1936) |
| 80th | Abdication Crisis: Edward VIII's abdication as King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India becomes effective. (11th Dec 1936) |
| 80th | Abdication Crisis: Edward VIII signs the Instrument of Abdication. (10th Dec 1936) |
| 90th | Legitimacy Act 1926 permits the legitimisation of a child born to unmarried parents by their subsequent marriage to each other. (15th Dec 1926) |
| 90th | Agatha Christie disappears from her home in Surrey for 11 days. The reason for the disappearance has never been explained. (3rd Dec 1926) |
| 90th | The Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin ends the martial law that had been declared due to General Strike. (2nd Dec 1926) |
| 100th | The Sopwith Camel biplane fighter aircraft makes its maiden flight at Brooklands. (22nd Dec 1916) |
| 150th | The Oaks explosion in the Barnsley seam in Yorkshire kills 361 coal miners; a subsidiary explosion the following day kills 27 rescuers. (12th Dec 1866) |
| 200th | Spa Fields riots: a mass meeting of conspirators dispersed by the police. (2nd Dec 1816) |
| 225th | The first edition of The Observer, the world's first Sunday newspaper, is published. (4th Dec 1791) |
| 250th | In London, James Christie holds his first sale. (5th Dec 1766) |
| 950th | William the Conqueror is crowned king of England, at Westminster Abbey, London. (24th Dec 1066) |
Alternatively, see all anniversaries for this month.
Or... select a different date below:
