1934 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1934 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Archbishop of Wales
• Alfred George Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph (retired)
• Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor (elected)
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Gwili

Events

• 22 September - At Gresford Colliery in Wrexham, 265 miners are killed in a mining accident. Later in the year, Paul Robeson performs in Caernarfon in a benefit concert for victims of the accident.
• 23 October - Opening of the Guildhall, Swansea, designed by Percy Thomas.
• 24 October - Aneurin Bevan marries fellow MP Jennie Lee.
• date unknown
• Anthracite production in Wales reaches its peak.
• The Special Areas Act is passed to help areas such as the South Wales Valleys that have been particularly affected by the Great Depression in the United Kingdom.
• Courtaulds establishes a new rayon factory at Greenfield.
• Tudor Thomas's work on corneal grafting restores the sight of a man who had been nearly blind for 27 years.

Arts and literature

• Sir Henry Walford Davies is appointed Master of the King's Musick.
• The Welsh Folk Dance Society is founded at Bala.
• Caradog Prichard becomes sub-editor of the News Chronicle.
• Richard Hughes and his wife move into Laugharne Castle.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Neath)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - William Morris, "Ogof Arthur"
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Eirug Davies, "Y Gorwel"

New books

• Edward Tegla Davies - Y Llwybr Arian
• Margiad Evans - Turf or Stone
• D. Gwenallt Jones - Plasau'r Brenin
• Jack Jones - Rhondda Roundabout
• Eiluned Lewis - Dew on the Grass
• Howard Spring - Shabby Tiger
• Dylan Thomas - 18 Poems (his first collection, including "The Force that Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower")

Drama

• James Kitchener Davies - Cwm Glo

Music

• Harry Parr Davies becomes accompanist to Gracie Fields.

Film

• Ray Milland appears in We're Not Dressing.
• Gareth Hughes appears in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.
• Yr Ail Fordaith Gymraeg (Second Welsh Cruise), a silent film made by Ifan ab Owen Edwards focusing on the activities of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (with Welsh-language titles)

Broadcasting

• A new radio station is established at Bangor.

Sport

• Badminton - Wales is a founder member of the Badminton World Federation.
• Cricket - Cyril Walters becomes the first Welshman to captain an England Test team
• Rugby Union
• 10 March - Wales defeat Ireland 13–0 in a game held at St Helen's, Swansea

Births

• 11 February – Mary Quant, fashion designer
• 25 February <small>(in London)</small> – Nicholas Edwards, Baron Crickhowell, politician (died 2018)
• 28 March – Graham Vearncombe, footballer (died 1993)
• 30 March – Dic Jones, bard and archdruid (died 2009)
• 18 April – Brynmor John, politician (died 1988)
• 16 May – Kenneth O. Morgan, historian and academic
• 10 May – Cliff Wilson, snooker player (died 1994)
• 13 June – Gren (Grenfell Jones), cartoonist (died 2007)
• 5 July – Philip Madoc, actor (died 2012)
• 13 July – Dai Ward, footballer (died 1996)
• 6 August – Billy Boston, rugby league footballer
• 16 August – Dave Thomas, golfer and architect (died 2013)
• 4 September – Clive Granger, econometrician (died 2009)
• 19 August – Ron Jones, athlete (died 2021)
• 20 September – David Marquand, academic and MP
• 1 November – William Mathias, composer (died 1992)
• 6 November – Betty Campbell, née Johnson, Wales's first black head teacher (died 2017)
• 24 November – Dewi Zephaniah Phillips, philosopher (died 2006)
• date unknown – Mary Lloyd Jones, painter and printmaker

Deaths

• 6 January – Dorothy Edwards, novelist, 30 (suicide)
• 8 January – Ivor Bowen, judge, 71
• 23 January – Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway, owner of Bodnant, 83
• 2 February – Edward Bevan, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, 72
• 4 February – Harry Wetter, Welsh international rugby union player, 52
• 25 February – Daniel Protheroe, composer and conductor, 67
• 28 February – David Davies, textile merchant, 81
• 3 May – Courtenay Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, 68
• 24 May – William Nathaniel Jones, politician, 76
• 14 June – George Thomas, Wales international rugby union player, 76/77
• 30 June – Hugh Evans, author and publisher, 79
• 19 July – Christopher Williams, painter, 61
• 28 August – Edgeworth David, geologist and explorer, 76
• 11 October – John Kelt Edwards, cartoonist, 59
• 13 November – Sir Evan Vincent Evans, journalist, 81
• 4 December – Henry Davies, cricketer, 69

References

See also

• 1934 in Northern Ireland