1972 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1972 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

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

Events

*March - The passing of the Local Government Act 1972 transforms Wales into eight counties.
*December 11 - The Duke of Edinburgh opens Rhoose Airport.
*Opening of Wylfa nuclear power station.
*Opening of the new Britannia Bridge linking Anglesey with mainland Wales (following the destruction of the previous bridge by a fire).
*Sir Morien Morgan becomes Master of Downing College, Cambridge.
*The "Miners' Tramway" at Llechwedd Slate Caverns opens to the public.

Arts and literature

*Writer James Morris becomes Jan Morris.

Awards

*
*Rhoose Airport was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh 11th December 1972
*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Haverfordwest)

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Dafydd Owen
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Dafydd Rowlands
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Dafydd Rowlands
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal - Urien Wiliam

New books

*Alexander Cordell - "The Fire People"
*Pennar Davies - "Y Tlws yn y Lotws"
*A. H. Dodd - "Life in Wales"
*Marion Eames - "Y Rhandir Mwyn"
*Islwyn Ffowc Elis - "Eira Mawr"
*Emyr Humphreys - "National Winner"
*Bobi Jones - "Allor Wydn"
*Richard Jones - "The Tower is Everywhere"
*David Tecwyn Lloyd - "Lady Gwladys a Phobl Eraill"
*Roland Mathias – "Absalom in the Tree"
*Edith Pargeter - "A Bloody Field By Shrewsbury"
*Will Paynter - "My Generation" (autobiography)
*Goronwy Rees - "A Chapter of Accidents"
*John Summers - "The Rag Parade"

Music

*Badfinger - "Straight Up" (album)
*John Cale - "The Academy in Peril" (album}
*Dafydd Iwan - "Yma Mae 'Nghân" (album)
*Mary Hopkin - "Live At The Royal Festival Hall" (album)
*Tom Jones - "Close Up" (album)

Film

*The film of Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood" appears, with Richard Burton, Glynis Johns, Ryan Davies and many other Welsh stars.
*Hywel Bennett stars with Hayley Mills in "Endless Night".

Welsh-language films

*"The Song We Sing Is About Freedom"

Broadcasting

*

Welsh-language television

*"Gwrando ar fy Nghan" with singer Heather Jones
*"Teliffant" with Myfanwy Talog

English-language television

*Kenneth Griffith's reputation is underlined with a four-part documentary series about the Boer War, "Sons of the Blood".
*Anthony Hopkins wins acclaim for his first starring role on television in BBC2's adaptation of "War and Peace".
*Glyn Houston appears as Bunter opposite Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey, in the first of several TV serials based on the stories of Dorothy L. Sayers.

port

*Chess - Wales competes in the World Chess Olympiad at Skopje, Yugoslavia.
*Cricket - Tony Lewis captains England on his Test debut in Delhi, India.
*Rugby union
**25 March - Derek Quinnell makes his debut for Wales against France.
**31 October - Llanelli RFC defeat the New Zealand All Blacks 9-3 at Stradey Park in front of 26,000 supporters.

Births

*27 January - Nathan Blake, footballer
*19 March - Julien MacDonald, fashion designer
*23 March - Joe Calzaghe, boxer
*20 August - Scott Quinnell, rugby player
*4 September - Guto Pryce, musician
*23 September - Julian Winn, cyclist
*4 November - Tim Vincent, television presenter
*27 December - Colin Charvis, rugby player

Deaths

*25 February - S. O. Davies, politician
*7 March - Jack Morley, Wales and British Lions rugby player
*28 May - Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, former Prince of Wales
*19 October - David Hughes, opera singer
*6 November - Hilary Marquand, economist and MP