1963 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1963 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
*Princess of Wales - "vacant"
*Archbishop of Wales - Edwin Morris
*Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Cynan

Events

*2 February - Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg holds its historic first protest in Aberystwyth, in the form of a sit-down at Trefechan Bridge.
*28 March - Labour Party candidate Neil McBride wins the Swansea East by-election caused by the death of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) David Mort.
*August - Mandy Rice-Davies gives evidence at the trial of Stephen Ward, including the famous phrase, "Well, he would, wouldn't he?"

Arts and literature

*A scientific journal in the Welsh language, "Y Gwyddonydd", is launched.

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Llandudno)

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - "withheld"
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Tom Parri Jones
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - William Llywelyn Jones

New books

*Kenneth O. Morgan - "David Lloyd George, Welsh Radical as World Statesman"
*Bertrand Russell - "Essays in Skepticism"
*R. S. Thomas - "The Bread of Truth"
*Clough Williams-Ellis - "Portmeirion, the Place and its Meaning"

Music

*Arwel Hughes - "Pantycelyn" (oratorio)
*Daniel Jones - "The Knife" (opera)
*Grace Williams - "Trumpet Concerto"

Film

*Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor star in "Cleopatra".
*Desmond Llewelyn makes his first appearance as "Q" in the James Bond series of films.
*Rachel Roberts stars in "This Sporting Life"

Broadcasting

*The ITV franchise Wales (West and North) Television (WWN) (also called "Teledu Cymru") becomes the only company in Independent Television history to go bankrupt, and is taken over by TWW.

Welsh-language television

*"Heno"

English-language television

*

port

*BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Howard Winstone

Births

*22 January - Huw Irranca-Davies, politician
*15 June - Nigel Walker, athlete and rugby player
*1 November - Mark Hughes, footballer and football manager
*19 December - Paul Rhys, actor
*28 December - Simon Thomas, politician
*"date unknown" - Russell T. Davies, writer

Deaths

* 1 January - David Mort, Labour MP for Swansea East since 1940
*13 March - Margaret Davies, philanthropist
*15 January - Morgan Phillips, politician
*15 March - William Cove, politician
*15 April - Edward V. Robertson, US senator
*17 June - John Cowper Powys, novelist
*26 October - Horace Evans, royal physician
*20 December - Reg Skrimshire, Wales and British Lions rugby union player
*26 December - Gwynn Parry Jones, singer