1964 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1964 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Secretary of State for Wales – Jim Griffiths (from 17 October)
• Archbishop of Wales – Edwin Morris, Bishop of Monmouth
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Cynan

Events

• 9 February – The BBC launches a dedicated television service for Wales.
• March – A representative of the National Coal Board writes to Mr DCW Jones, the Merthyr Tydfil Borough and Waterworks engineer, stating that they "would not like to continue beyond the next 6/8 weeks in tipping" coal slurry on Tip No 7 at Aberfan "where it is likely to be a source of danger to Pantglas school". Two and a half years later the tip would destroy the school, killing 116 children.
• 15 March – Richard Burton marries Elizabeth Taylor (for the first time) in Montreal.
• April – George Street Bridge, Newport opens, the first cable-stayed bridge in the UK.
• 15 October – In the United Kingdom general election, Wales elects 28 Labour MPs, six Conservatives and two Liberals.
• Alan Williams becomes MP for Swansea West
• Ioan Evans becomes MP for Birmingham Yardley.
• Leslie Thomas, son of Labour stalwart, Jimmy Thomas, becomes Conservative MP for Canterbury.
• 17 October – The Welsh Office is established, under the leadership of a Secretary of State for Wales (Jim Griffiths).
• 27 October – Pembroke Refinery is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
• 11 November – Politician Alun Gwynne Jones is raised to the peerage with the title Baron Chalfont of Llantarnam.
• date unknown
• Civic Trust for Wales formed to promote conservation and enhancement of the built environment.
• Opening of the Edgar Evans building at the Royal Navy shore establishment on Whale Island, Portsmouth.

Arts and literature

Awards

• Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry – R. S. Thomas
• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Swansea)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Bryn Williams
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Rhydwen Williams
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Rhiannon Davies Jones

New books

English language

• Aneirin Talfan Davies – Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body
• Emrys Daniel Hughes – Sir Alec Douglas-Home
• Stead Jones – Make Room for the Jester
• Howard Spring – Winds of the Day
• Reginald Frances Treharne – The Battle of Lewes in English History
• Raymond Williams – Modern Tragedy

Welsh language

• John Gwilym Jones – Hanes Rhyw Gymro
• John Robert Jones – Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ystyr
• Saunders Lewis – Merch Gwern Hywel
• Caradog Prichard – Genod yn ein Bywyd
• Thomas Ifor Rees – Illimani

Music

• Geraint Evans stars as Falstaff at the Metropolitan Opera.

Film

• Richard Burton stars in The Night of the Iguana.
• Siân Phillips takes her first major film role in Becket, alongside her husband Peter O'Toole and Burton.
• Victor Spinetti appears with The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night. Alun Owen's screenplay is nominated for an Academy Award.

Broadcasting

• BBC Wales is launched.

Welsh-language television

• Sion a Sian (later also produced in English as Mr and Mrs)

English-language television

• Wales Today

Sport

• Olympic Games – Lynn Davies wins the gold medal in the men's long jump.
• Rugby union
• 1 February – Wales defeat Scotland 11–3 in Cardiff. Stuart Watkins makes his international debut.
• 7 March – Wales defeat Ireland 15–6 in Dublin. John Dawes makes his international debut.
• Wales win the Five Nations Championship.
• The Welsh national side makes its first overseas tour, to South Africa.
• Tennis – Gerald Battrick wins the British and French junior championships.
• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Lynn Davies

Births

• 29 January – Anna Ryder Richardson, interior designer, television presenter and zookeeper
• 9 February – Dewi Morris, rugby player
• 4 March – Dave Colclough, poker player (died 2016
• 21 March – Ieuan Evans, rugby player
• 22 June – Neil Haddock, Welsh and British Champion super featherweight boxer
• 23 June – Robert Dickie, Welsh and British Champion boxing champion (died 2010)
• 16 August – Nigel Redman, rugby player
• 15 September – Steve Watkin, cricketer
• 8 October – Alan Knill, footballer
• 3 November – Wayne Mumford, footballer
• 28 November – Sian Williams, television presenter
• 30 November – Richard Brake, actor
• 1 December – Jo Walton, novelist and poet
• 31 December – Lowri Turner, television presenter
• date unknown
• Rhidian Brook, novelist, screenwriter and broadcaster
• Grahame Davies, poet

Deaths

• 4 January – Arthur Wade-Evans, historian, 88
• 7 January – Cyril Davies, harmonica player, 31
• 13 February – Cliff Richards, rugby player, 62
• 14 February
• Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans, civil servant, 69
• William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech, 78
• 3 March – Ieuan Williams, cricketer, 54
• 6 August – Norman Matthews, clergyman and broadcaster, 60
• 14 August – Redvers Sangoe, Light-heavyweight boxer, 28
• 26 August – Bryn Roberts, trade union leader, 67
• 14 September – Fitzroy Richard Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, anthropologist, 79
• 18 September – Juliet Rhys-Williams, writer and politician, 65
• 9 October – Thomas Jones Pierce, historian, 59
• 5 November – Owen Jones politician in Canada, 74
• 13 November – Leslie Morris, Welsh-Canadian politician, 60
• 14 November – Idwal Jones, novelist, 73
• 30 November – Sir John Cecil-Williams, lawyer and secretary of the Cymmrodorion, 72
• 4 December <small>(in Melbourne)</small> – James 'Tuan' Jones, Wales and British Lion rugby player, 81
• date unknown – Idloes Owen, singer, composer, and conductor, 59

See also

• 1964 in Northern Ireland

References