LOSE YOURSELF IN 1979

DEVOLUTION… OR NOT?

One of the big questions north of the border this year was whether Scots wanted their own devolved assembly, following an agreement by James Callaghan’s government with the Scottish National Party to hold a referendum in exchange for support on votes in the Commons. In the end 51.62 per cent of voters were in favour, but due to the low turnout – below the 40% of the whole electorate stipulated ahead of the vote – the proposals were dropped. It would be another two decades before devolved government arrived in Edinburgh.

STEEPLEJACK

Roughly 400 miles south of Uig, a Lancashire steeplejack was making an equally ambitious journey – only this one was up an ageing industrial chimney, and on his way to TV stardom. Fred Dibhah’s wry humour, infectious enthusiasm for Victorian engineering and total lack of fear of falling off things won over the nation when he appeared on the BBC’s Look North West. A documentary on his work, Steeplejack, duly followed, earning its creators a BAFTA in 1979. Fred went on to produce a documentary series on the Industrial Revolution, and picked up an MBE before his death in 2004. He often turned up to jobs in his trusty Land Rover (left), which now makes regular appearances at classic shows.

WALKMAN GOES ON SALE

A revolution in listening to music while on the move went on sale in July 1979, although it wouldn’t be until February the following year that Brits could enjoy the sound of Pink Floyd’s The Wall playing back increasingly slowly as the AA batteries ran out. Within two years Sony had managed to flog more than 1.5 million of its handheld cassette players. Thanks to the Walkman we listened more, walked more, and would soon be buying more casette tapes than records.