Alun Williams
Encyclopedia
Alun Williams, O.B.E.
was a Welsh
radio presenter who became one of the best known voices on BBC radio
when he commentated on events such as the Coronation
in 1953 and sports events including rugby
, swimming and the Olympic Games
.
, South Wales
and educated at Llandeilo
Grammar School, Pontypridd
Grammar School and University College, Cardiff
. He then served in the Royal Navy
, rising from ordinary seaman to become an intelligence officer serving in the Far East
.
He began his broadcasting career when he was a student and after working as an outside broadcast assistant became a commentator for the BBC. He introduced many successful radio programmes in the 1950s including Welsh Rarebit
and Workers’ Playtime, and went on to present a number of long- running programmes in both English and Welsh on Radio Wales and Radio Cymru including Dewch am Dro, One Good Turn, On the Road, Monday Morning Miscellany, Alun yn Galw and Shw Mai Heno
He was a familiar face on television in Wales and for many years was one of the presenters of Come Dancing.
He was a member of the Gorsedd with the pseudonym ‘Crwydryn’ (Wanderer) -a reference to the extensive travelling he undertook during his career, touring with the Welsh rugby team and British Lions, presenting Forces’ Chance and covering the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
He was awarded the O.B.E. for services to broadcasting in 1982.
was a Welsh
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...
radio presenter who became one of the best known voices on BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
when he commentated on events such as the Coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
in 1953 and sports events including rugby
Rugby union
Rugby 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...
, swimming and the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The 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...
.
Biography
Williams' father was a presbyterian minister and he was born in Port TalbotPort Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and educated at Llandeilo
Llandeilo
Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...
Grammar School, Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
Grammar School and University College, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. He then served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The 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...
, rising from ordinary seaman to become an intelligence officer serving in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
.
He began his broadcasting career when he was a student and after working as an outside broadcast assistant became a commentator for the BBC. He introduced many successful radio programmes in the 1950s including Welsh Rarebit
Welsh Rarebit (radio programme)
Welsh Rarebit was a Welsh radio variety show broadcasted from Cardiff by the BBC. First transmitted in 1938 by the Welsh Home Service, it became the main English language entertainment programme from the BBC in Wales during Second World War...
and Workers’ Playtime, and went on to present a number of long- running programmes in both English and Welsh on Radio Wales and Radio Cymru including Dewch am Dro, One Good Turn, On the Road, Monday Morning Miscellany, Alun yn Galw and Shw Mai Heno
He was a familiar face on television in Wales and for many years was one of the presenters of Come Dancing.
He was a member of the Gorsedd with the pseudonym ‘Crwydryn’ (Wanderer) -a reference to the extensive travelling he undertook during his career, touring with the Welsh rugby team and British Lions, presenting Forces’ Chance and covering the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
He was awarded the O.B.E. for services to broadcasting in 1982.