1964 in Wales

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

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
*Princess of Wales - "vacant"
*Secretary of State for Wales - Jim Griffiths
*Archbishop of Wales - Edwin Morris
*Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Cynan

Events

*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.

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

*Aneirin Talfan Davies - "Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body"
*Emrys Daniel Hughes - "Sir Alec Douglas-Home"
*John Gwilym Jones - "Hanes Rhyw Gymro"
*John Robert Jones - "Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ystyr"
*Stead Jones - "Make Room for the Jester"
*Saunders Lewis - "Merch Gwern Hywel"
*Caradog Prichard - "Genod yn ein Bywyd"
*Thomas Ifor Rees - "Illimani"
*Howard Spring - "Winds of the Day"
*Reginald Frances Treharne - "The Battle of Lewes in English History"
*Raymond Williams - "Second Generation"

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 seen in English as "Mr. and Mrs.")

English-language television

*"Wales Today"

port

*Olympic Games - Lynn Davies wins the gold medal in the men's long jump.
*Rugby union
**February 1 - Wales defeat Scotland 11-3 in Cardiff. Stuart Watkins makes his international debut.
**March 7 - 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

*9 February - Dewi Morris, rugby player
*4 March - Dave Colclough, poker player
*21 March - Ieuan Evans, rugby player
*15 September - Steve Watkin, cricketer
*8 October - Alan Knill, footballer
*28 November - Sian Williams, television presenter
*31 December - Lowri Turner, television presenter
*"date unknown" - Grahame Davies, poet

Deaths

*January 4 - Arthur Wade-Evans, historian, 88
*January 7 - Cyril Davies, harmonica player, 31
*February 14 - Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans, civil servant, 69
*May 5 - P. J. Grigg, politician
*September 14 - Fitzroy Richard Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, anthropologist, 79
*October 9 - Thomas Jones Pierce, historian, 59
*November 4 - Harry Randall, lawyer and historian, 86
*November 30 - Sir John Cecil-Williams, lawyer and secretary of the Cymmrodorion, 72
*"date unknown" - Leslie Morris, Welsh-Canadian politician, 60