UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
12 May 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 12 May 1981 was a Tuesday.
- UK Number One
- The UK Number One single was “Stand and Deliver” by Adam and the Ants.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 12 May is Taurus.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 12 May 1981 fell in the Year of the Rooster.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for May is Emerald.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 12 May 1981 was Waxing Gibbous.
On this day: 12 May
- 1968 Vietnam War: North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attack Australian troops defending Fire Support Base Coral.
- 1975 Indochina Wars: Democratic Kampuchea naval forces capture the SS Mayaguez.
- 1978 In Zaire, rebels occupy the city of Kolwezi, the mining center of the province of Shaba (now known as Katanga); the local government asks the US, France and Belgium to restore order.
- 1982 During a procession outside the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal, security guards overpower Juan María Fernández y Krohn before he can attack Pope John Paul II with a bayonet.
- 2002 Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro, becoming the first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since the Cuban Revolution.
Famous people born on 12 May
- Rhea Seehorn, American actress (born 1972)
- Rami Malek, American actor (born 1981)
- Domhnall Gleeson, Irish actor (born 1983)
- Emilio Estevez, American actor (born 1962)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1981 in the United Kingdom
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.
- 30 March – Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire released.
- 4 April – Bucks Fizz representing the United Kingdom win the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Making Your Mind Up.
- 10 April – Bobby Sands, an IRA member on hunger strike in the Maze prison, Northern Ireland, is elected MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in a by election.
Life in 1981
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Monarch
Elizabeth II
Pint of Beer
50p
Loaf of Bread
37p
Average House
£24,188
Weekly Wage
£135.00
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Theo James16 December 1984Actor & musicianView their day →Pac22 August 1986WrestlerView their day →Robert Pattinson13 May 1986Actor & film producerView their day →Andrew Garfield20 August 1983ActorView their day →Charlie Hunnam10 April 1980ActorView their day →Juno Temple21 July 1989ActressView their day →Rebecca Hall3 May 1982Actress & filmmakerView their day →Lewis Hamilton7 January 1985Racing driverView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →