1938 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Archbishop of Wales – Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – J.J.

Events

• 14–19 January – A storm causes extensive damage in Aberystwyth; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds.
• 8 May – William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech.
• October – The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
• 23 November – Opening of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff.
• Mining comes to an end at Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
• The excavation of Llantwit Major Roman Villa by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948).
• Opening of RNAD Trecwm.

Arts and literature

• April – Augustus John resigns from the Royal Academy.
• September – Ivor Novello appears in Henry V at Drury Lane Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardiff)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Gwilym R. Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Edgar H. Thomas
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Elena Puw Morgan

New books

In English

• Idris Davies – Gwalia Deserta
• Ness Edwards – History of the South Wales Miners Federation
• Richard Hughes – In Hazard
• Jack Jones – Bidden to the Feast
• Edith Picton-Turbervill – Myself When Young
• William Plomer (ed.) – Kilvert's Diary, 1870-1879

In Welsh

• Richard Bennett – Methodistiaeth Caersws
• Tom Beynon – Gwrid ar Orwel ym Morgannwg
• Edward Tegla Davies – Stori Sam
• Edward Morgan Humphreys – Dirgelwch Gallt Y Ffrwd
• Ifor Williams (ed.) – Canu Aneirin

New drama

• James Kitchener Davies – Susannah
• Charles Langbridge Morgan – The Flashing Stream
• Emlyn Williams – The Corn is Green

Music

• Tudor Davies plays the lead in the first English-language production of Verdi's Don Carlos, at Sadler's Wells.

Film

• Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in The Lady Vanishes.

Broadcasting

• 1 March – BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of Arwel Hughes's latest composition, Tydi a Roddaist.

Sport

• Empire Games
• Wales win three medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing), Jim Alford (1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke).
• Rugby union
• 5 February – Scotland beat Wales 8–6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Births

• 6 January – William Edwards, politician (d. 2007)
• 1 February – Cynog Dafis, politician
• 22 January – Brook Williams, actor (d. 2005)
• 2 March – Deddie Davies, actress (d. 2016)
• 20 April – Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016)
• 25 April – John Davies, historian (d. 2015)
• 14 May – Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach (d. 2023)
• 25 May – Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014)
• 31 May – John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK (d. 2024)
• 13 June – Gwynne Howell, bass
• 6 July – Tony Lewis, cricketer and commentator
• 23 July – Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018)
• 6 August – Rees Davies, historian (d. 2005)
• 12 September
• Richard Booth, secondhand bookseller (d. 2019)
• Patrick Mower, Welsh-descended actor
• 9 October – Denzil Davies, politician (d. 2018)
• 22 October – Dai Davies, English-born Welsh sports journalist (d. 2008)
• 1 November – Delwyn Williams, politician
• 4 December – Richard Meade, equestrian (d. 2015)
• 15 December – Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d. 2017 in Greece)

Deaths

• 3 February – James Bevan, First Wales rugby union captain, 81
• 9 February – Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63
• 30 March – Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66
• 16 April – Sir William Price, industrialist
• 8 May – George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83
• 28 May – Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66
• 23 June – Clement Edwards, politician, 69
• 22 July – Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73
• 22 October <small>(in Dublin)</small> – Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90
• 4 November – John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
• 28 November – Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56
• 29 December <small>(at sea)</small> – Eluned Morgan, writer, 68
• date unknown – Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist

See also

• 1938 in Northern Ireland

References