1964 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1964 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
- vacant - Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
- Jim GriffithsJim GriffithsJames "Jim" Griffiths CH , was a Welsh Labour politician, trade union leader and the first ever Secretary of State for Wales.-Background and education:... - Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished...
- Edwin MorrisAlfred Edwin MorrisAlfred Edwin Morris was the Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of Wales in the middle of the 20th century. After World War I service with the RAMC he went up to St John’s College, Oxford. Ordained in 1924 he became Professor of Hebrew and Theology at St David's College, Lampeter, holding the... - ArchdruidArchdruidThe Archdruid is the title used by the presiding official of the Gorsedd.The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, The Award of the Prose Medal and Chairing of the Bard. From 1932 only former winners of the...
of the National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of WalesThe National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
- CynanAlbert Evans-JonesSir Cynan Evans-Jones CBE , more commonly known within Wales by his bardic name of Cynan, was a Welsh poet and dramatist.-Early life:...
Events
- 15 March - Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
marries Elizabeth TaylorElizabeth TaylorDame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
(for the first time) in Montreal. - April - George Street Bridge, Newport opens, the first cable-stayed bridgeCable-stayed bridgeA cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
in the UK. - 15 October - In the United Kingdom general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1964The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, Wales elects 28 Labour MPs, six Conservatives and two Liberals.- Alan WilliamsAlan WilliamsAlan John Williams is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Swansea West from 1964 to 2010.-Early life:...
becomes MP for Swansea WestSwansea West (UK Parliament constituency)Swansea West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... - Ioan EvansIoan EvansIoan Lyonel Evans was a British politician. He served as a Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 until his death.-Early life:...
becomes MP for Birmingham Yardley. - Leslie ThomasLeslie Thomas (politician)Sir Leslie Montagu Thomas was a British Conservative politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Canterbury in a 1953 by-election, and served until he stood down in 1966....
, son of Labour stalwart, Jimmy ThomasJames Henry ThomasJames Henry "Jimmy" Thomas was a British trade unionist and Labour politician. He was involved in a political scandal involving budget leaks.-Early career and Trade Union activities:...
, becomes Conservative MP for CanterburyCanterbury (UK Parliament constituency)Canterbury is a county constituency which has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
- Alan Williams
- 17 October - The Welsh OfficeWelsh OfficeThe Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Wales. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales, a post which had been created in October 1964...
is established, under the leadership of a Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
(Jim GriffithsJim GriffithsJames "Jim" Griffiths CH , was a Welsh Labour politician, trade union leader and the first ever Secretary of State for Wales.-Background and education:...
). - 11 November - Politician Alun Gwynne Jones is raised to the peerage with the title Baron Chalfont of Llantarnam.
- Opening of the Edgar EvansEdgar EvansPetty Officer Edgar Evans was a member of the Polar Party on Robert Falcon Scott's companions on his ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole in 1911–1912...
building at the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
shore establishment on Whale Island, Portsmouth.
Awards
- Queen's Gold Medal for PoetryQueen's Gold Medal for PoetryThe Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry is awarded for a book of verse published by someone in any of the Commonwealth realms. Originally the award was open only to British subjects living in the United Kingdom, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the rest of the Commonwealth realms...
- R. S. ThomasR. S. ThomasRonald Stuart Thomas was a Welsh poet and Anglican clergyman, noted for his nationalism, spirituality and deep dislike of the anglicisation of Wales... - National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
) - National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Bryn WilliamsBryn WilliamsBryn Dwyfor Williams is a chef originally from Dinbych , North Wales. He is the head chef and sole proprietor of Odette's Restaurant, Primrose Hill, London...
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Rhydwen WilliamsRhydwen WilliamsRobert Rhydwenfro Williams, known as Rhydwen Williams , was a Welsh poet, novelist and Baptist minister. His work is mainly written in his native Welsh language, and is noted for adapting the established style and context of Welsh poetry from a rural and bygone age to that of a modern industrial...
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Rhiannon Davies Jones
New books
- Aneirin Talfan DaviesAneirin Talfan DaviesAneirin Talfan Davies was a Welsh poet, broadcaster and literary critic.Talfan Davies was brought up in Gorseinon. During the 1930s Davies worked in London as a pharmacist before returning to Wales and settling in Swansea. He was the brother of Alun Talfan Davies, with whom he founded the...
- Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body - Emrys Daniel Hughes - Sir Alec Douglas-Home
- John Gwilym Jones - Hanes Rhyw Gymro
- John Robert JonesJohn Robert JonesJohn Robert Jones , was a Welsh philosopher.He was born in Pwllheli, and went to school there before going on to study philosophy at University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He went on to take his D.Phil. at Balliol College, Oxford...
- Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ystyr - Stead Jones - Make Room for the Jester
- Saunders LewisSaunders LewisSaunders Lewis was a Welsh poet, dramatist, historian, literary critic, and political activist. He was a prominent Welsh nationalist and a founder of the Welsh National Party...
- Merch Gwern Hywel - Caradog PrichardCaradog PrichardCaradog Prichard was a Welsh poet and novelist writing in Welsh. His daughter, Mari Prichard, was married to the late Humphrey Carpenter....
- Genod yn ein Bywyd - Thomas Ifor ReesThomas Ifor ReesThomas Ifor Rees was a Welsh diplomat, author and translator, born at 'Bronceiro' near the hamlet of Rhydypennau in Ceredigion in Wales.Rees served as British Ambassador to Bolivia up to his retirement in 1949....
- Illimani - Howard SpringHoward SpringHoward Spring was a Welsh author.He began his writing career as a journalist, but from 1934 produced a series of best-selling novels, the most successful of which was Fame is the Spur , which has been both a major film, starring Michael Redgrave, and a BBC television series , starring Tim...
- Winds of the Day - Reginald Frances Treharne - The Battle of Lewes in English History
- Raymond WilliamsRaymond WilliamsRaymond Henry Williams was a Welsh academic, novelist and critic. He was an influential figure within the New Left and in wider culture. His writings on politics, culture, the mass media and literature are a significant contribution to the Marxist critique of culture and the arts...
- Second Generation
Film
- Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
stars in The Night of the IguanaThe Night of the Iguana (film)The Night of the Iguana is a 1964 film based on the 1961 play The Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams. Directed by John Huston, it starred Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, and Deborah Kerr. It won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Costume Design, and was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best...
. - Siân PhillipsSiân PhillipsJane Elizabeth Ailwên "Siân" Phillips, CBE, is a Welsh actress.-Early life:Phillips was born in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, the daughter of Sally , a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman...
takes her first major film role in Becket, alongside her husband Peter O'ToolePeter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
and Burton. - Victor SpinettiVictor SpinettiVictor Spinetti is a Welsh comic actor.-Early life:Spinetti was born in Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales of Welsh and Italian heritage from a grandfather who was said to have walked from Italy to Wales to work as a coal miner...
appears with The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in A Hard Day's NightA Hard Day's Night (film)A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...
. Alun OwenAlun OwenAlun Owen was a British screenwriter, predominantly active in television, but best remembered by a wider audience for writing the screenplay of The Beatles' debut feature film A Hard Day's Night ....
's screenplay is nominated for an Academy Award.
Welsh-language television
- Sion a Sian (later also produced in English as Mr and MrsMr. and Mrs.Mr. & Mrs. is a television show that originated in Canada in 1963, debuting in Britain shortly afterwards. The Canadian version was produced at CFTO-TV in Toronto and ran on the CTV network for 780 episodes, and was hosted by Roy Ward Dickson, who was also the show's creator...
)
Sport
- Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
- Lynn DaviesLynn DaviesLynn Davies CBE was a member of the Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club and captain of the British Olympic long jump team in 1964....
wins the gold medal in the men's long jump. - Rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- 1 February - Wales defeat Scotland 11-3 in Cardiff. Stuart WatkinsStuart WatkinsStuart Watkins was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and Cardiff.Watkins began his rugby career at Cross Keys before switching to Newport in 1963, staying with the club for the majority of his career...
makes his international debut. - 7 March - Wales defeat Ireland 15-6 in Dublin. John DawesJohn DawesSydney John Dawes OBE is a former Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the Barbarians and the British Lions...
makes his international debut. - WalesWales national rugby union teamThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
win the Five Nations ChampionshipSix Nations ChampionshipThe Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
. - The Welsh national side makes its first overseas tour1964 Wales rugby union tourThe 1964 Wales rugby union tour of Africa was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the Wales national rugby union team to Africa. The tour also took in five matches against African regional and invitational teams with one test against South Africa. This was the first official...
, to South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
- 1 February - Wales defeat Scotland 11-3 in Cardiff. Stuart Watkins
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Gerald BattrickGerald BattrickGerald Battrick was a Welsh tennis player who reached as high as third in the British rankings.Battrick won the junior titles of Great Britain, Belgium and France and represented Britain in the Davis Cup. In 1965 he won the French Open boys division.-External links:...
wins the British and French junior championships. - BBC Wales Sports Personality of the YearBBC Wales Sports Personality of the YearThe BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year is a televised sporting competition, broadcast on BBC Two every year; and the most prestigious annual sport award in Wales. It was first awarded in 1954, and is currently organised by BBC Cymru Wales...
- Lynn Davies
Births
- 9 February - Dewi MorrisDewi MorrisDewi Morris is a former rugby union footballer, who played scrum half for England.Morris made his England debut in 1988 against Australia. He was dropped in 1990 in favour of Richard Hill, but returned to the England side in 1992 and was the Lions scrum-half in 1993...
, rugby player - 4 March - Dave ColcloughDave ColcloughDavid E. Colclough is a Welsh professional poker player, now living in Thailand.-Before poker:Prior to becoming a poker professional, Colclough worked as a computer programmer. Amongst the companies he worked for were the Post Office and the National Health Service...
, poker player - 21 March - Ieuan EvansIeuan EvansIeuan Evans is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for Wales. He is regarded as one of the best Welsh wingers of all time, despite playing through a disappointing era of Welsh rugby. A prolific try scorer at International level, Evans is listed 19th in the world on the all-time...
, rugby player - 22 June - Neil HaddockNeil HaddockNeil Haddock is a Welsh former lightweight and super featherweight boxer. Before turning professional he won a silver medal as a lightweight at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. His early career as a professional lightweight was not very notable, but after a year out from boxing caused by an eye...
, Welsh and British Champion super featherweight boxer - 23 June - Robert DickieRobert DickieRobert Dickie was a Welsh professional boxer, fighting at both featherweight and super-featherweight. He was Scottish champion at featherweight, British champion at both weights and became WBC International super-featherweight champion in 1988...
, Welsh and British Champion boxing champion (died 2010) - 15 September - Steve WatkinSteve WatkinSteve Watkin is a former Welsh cricketer, with Glamorgan County Cricket Club and England. A reliable seamer who never suffered serious injury despite several lesser niggles, he played three Test matches in 1991 and 1993, and four One Day Internationals in 1993 and 1994...
, cricketer - 8 October - Alan KnillAlan KnillAlan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer who played as a central defender. He is presently manager of League One side Scunthorpe United.-Playing career:...
, footballer - 3 November - Wayne MumfordWayne MumfordWayne E. Mumford is a Welsh former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City.Mumford was born in Rhymney, Monmouthshire and brought up in Coventry, Warwickshire. Capped by Wales at youth level, he began his club career as an apprentice with Manchester City, but...
, footballer - 28 November - Sian Williams, television presenter
- 31 December - Lowri TurnerLowri TurnerLowri Gwyneth Turner is a British television presenter, journalist, nutritional therapist and hypnotherapist.-Personal life:...
, television presenter - date unknown - Grahame DaviesGrahame DaviesGrahame Davies is a poet, editor and literary critic. He was brought up in the former coal mining village of Coedpoeth near Wrexham in north east Wales.-Education:...
, poet
Deaths
- 4 January - Arthur Wade-EvansArthur Wade-EvansArthur Wade Wade-Evans was a Welsh clergyman and historian.-Biography:Evans was born in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire in south Wales on 31 August 1875 and did not include his mother's maiden name in his surname until 1899, when he was 24 years old. His father, Titus Evans, was a master mariner...
, historian, 88 - 7 January - Cyril DaviesCyril DaviesCyril Davies was one of the first British blues harmonica players and blues musician.-Biography:Born at St Mildred's, 15 Hawthorn Drive, Willowbank, Denham, Buckinghamshire, near London, he was the son of William Albert Davies, a labourer, and his wife Margaret Mary...
, harmonica player, 31 - 14 February
- Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans, civil servant, 69
- William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron HarlechWilliam Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron HarlechWilliam George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech KG, GCMG, PC , known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, was a British Conservative politician and banker.-Background:...
, 78
- 14 September - Fitzroy Richard Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, anthropologist, 79
- 9 October - Thomas Jones Pierce, historian, 59
- 4 November - Harry RandallHarry RandallHarry Enos Randall OBE was a British Labour Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for Clitheroe from 1945 to 1950 and Gateshead West from 1955 until his retirement in 1970...
, lawyer and historian, 86 - 30 November - Sir John Cecil-Williams, lawyer and secretary of the Cymmrodorion, 72
- 4 December - James 'Tuan' JonesJames Phillips JonesJames 'Tuan' Jones was a Welsh international rugby union utility player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Pontypool and Guy's Hospital...
, Wales and British Lion rugby player, 81 - date unknown - Leslie MorrisLeslie MorrisLeslie Tim Morris was a Welsh-Canadian politician, journalist and long time member of the Communist Party of Canada and, its front group, the Labour-Progressive Party....
, Welsh-Canadian politician, 60