1974 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1974 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
*Princess of Wales - "vacant"
*Secretary of State for Wales - John Morris
*Archbishop of Wales - Gwilym Owen Williams
*Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Brinley

Events

*23 January - A UFO appears to crash in a remote area of North Wales. This becomes known as the Berwyn Mountain Incident.
*Following the February general election, Elwyn Jones becomes Lord Chancellor in Harold Wilson’s government.
*Geraint Howells wins Ceredigion for the Liberals.
*Gwynfor Evans fails to retain Carmarthen for Plaid Cymru in the February election by only 3 votes, but succeeds in the October general election.
*Helen Morgan becomes Miss World, but is forced to resign after four days when it is discovered that she is an unmarried mother.
*Tredegar House is bought by Newport Council.

Arts and literature

*Kyffin Williams is elected to the Royal Academy.
*Andrew Vicari is appointed official painter to the Saudi royal family.
*The Cory Brass Band is the first Welsh band to win the British National Championship.
*The BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra achieves full symphony status.
*Foundation of the Welsh Jazz Society.
*Journalist Hugh Cudlipp is created Baron Cudlipp of Aldingbourne.
*Glyn Daniel becomes Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge.

Awards

*

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Carmarthen)

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Moses Glyn Jones
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - William George
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Dafydd Ifans

New books

*Tony Conran - "Spirit Level"
*Islwyn Ffowc Elis - "Marwydos"
*Gwynfor Evans - "Land of my Fathers"
*David Jenkins - "T. Gwynn Jones: Cofiant"
*Bobi Jones - "Tafod y Llenor"
*Jan Morris - "Conundrum"
*Leslie Norris - "Mountains, Polecats, Pheasants"
*John Ormond - "Definition of a Waterfall"
*Goronwy Rees - "Brief Encounters"
*Alun Richards - "Dai Country"
*Harri Webb - "A Crown for Branwen"

Music

*Andy Fairweather-Low - "Spider Jiving" (album)
*Alun Hoddinott - "The Beach of Falesá" (opera)

Film

*Richard Burton stars in "The Klansman".

Welsh-language films

*"None"

Broadcasting

*30 September - Independent radio station Swansea Sound comes into operation.

Welsh-language television

*8 October - "Pobol y Cwm" appears for the first time.

English-language television

*Richard Burton is banned from BBC productions after complaints about his derogatory comments about Winston Churchill and others in power during World War II.
*Windsor Davies makes his first appearance as Sergeant Major Williams in "It Ain't Half Hot Mum".

ports

*Curling - The Welsh Curling Association is formed.
*Golf - Brian Huggett wins the Portuguese Open.
*Snooker - Ray Reardon is World Professional Champion for the third time.

Births

*5 January - Iwan Thomas, athlete
*30 January - Christian Bale, actor
*3 May - Kelly Jones, musician
*29 May - Jenny Willott, politician
*5 September - Becky Morgan, golfer
*18 October - Robbie Savage, footballer
*24 October - David Evans, squash player
*4 November – Matthew Rhys, actor
*"date unknown" - Owen Sheers, poet and actor (in Suva, Fiji)

Deaths

*3 April - Desmond Donnelly, politician
*29 August - Harold Arthur Harris, academic (in Oxford)
*9 September - Neil McBride, MP for Swansea East
*28 October - David Jones, poet and artist (in Harrow)
*29 December - William Charles Fuller, Victoria Cross recipient