This article is about the significance of the year 1961 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Events
- 16 February â The , a loaded tanker barge bound for Sharpness from Swansea, turns over in the Severn Estuary.
- 17 February â The BP Explorer is seen bouncing upside down through the recently wrecked (October 26, 1960) Severn Railway Bridge. Her crew of five men are killed.
- 1 October â Tabernacle Chapel, Cardiff, hosts the first-ever broadcast of the long-running national BBC Television series Songs of Praise.
- 8 November â In a referendum on Sunday opening of public houses, the counties of Anglesey, Cardiganshire, Caernarfonshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire and Pembrokeshire all vote to stay "dry".
- 9 November â Rosemarie Frankland, originally from Rhosllanerchrugog, wins the Miss World title.
- 19 November â During construction of the Severn Bridge three men fall into the river. A rescue boat crewed by two men sets sail from Chepstow, not knowing that the three men have been picked up safely by a ferry, the Severn Princess. Two empty tanker barges coming down from Sharpness collide with the rescue boat, which has no navigation lights. One member of the rescue boat crew is drowned.
- The Llyn Celyn reservoir is constructed in the valley of the River Tryweryn in North Wales to provide water for Liverpool, destroying the village of Capel Celyn.
- Gwynfor Evans becomes president of the Celtic League.
- Formation in Pontypridd of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the BaháüàFaith entirely of native Welsh BaháüÃÂs.
Arts and literature
Awards
National Eisteddfod of Wales, held in Rhosllanerchrugog:
New books
English language
Welsh language
Music
Film
Broadcasting
Welsh-language television
- Ambell i Gan
- Pwt o'r Papur
- Gair o Gyngor
English-language television
Sport
Births
- 24 January â Tarki Micallef, professional footballer
- 7 May â Phil Campbell, rock guitarist
- 5 July â Gareth Jones ("Gaz Top"), television presenter
- 7 July â Steve Brace, long-distance runner
- 8 August â Simon Weston, war hero
- 18 August â Huw Edwards, newsreader
- 30 August
- Denise Gyngell, pop singer and actress
- Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin, charity worker and Labour peer
- 29 September â Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia (in Barry)
- 20 October â Ian Rush, footballer
- 1 November â Nicky Grist, racing driver
- date unknown
- Ifor ap Glyn, Welsh-language poet and television presenter
- Twm Morys, poet
Deaths
- 14 January â William Bowen, Army officer, 62
- 18 January â , poet, 64
- 2 February â Kate Williams Evans, suffragette, 84
- 10 February
- Tom Beynon, Presbyterian minister and historian, 74
- Llewelyn Davies, footballer, 80
- 18 April â John Evans, Labour politician, 85
- 8 May â Wyndham Edwards, gymnast, 68
- 28 June â Huw Menai, poet, 74
- 3 July â Albert Jenkin, Wales international rugby player, 88
- 14 August â Alec James, cricketer, 72
- 31 October â Augustus John, painter, 83
- 20 November â Edwin Thomas Maynard, Wales international rugby player, 83
- 4 December â John Pugh, Archdeacon of Carmarthen, 76
See also
References