1955 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1955 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - "vacant" (Charles, Prince of Wales, had not been officially designated with the title)
*Princess of Wales - "vacant"
*Archbishop of Wales - John Morgan
*Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Dyfnallt

Events

*Cardiff becomes the official capital of Wales.
*The Farmers Union of Wales breaks away from the National Farmers Union.
*Sir Charles Evans leads the mountaineering expedition that conquers Kanchenjunga.
*Kylie Minogue's mother, Carol Jones, emigrates from Maesteg to Australia.

Arts and literature

*The Gold Medal for Architecture is introduced to the National Eisteddfod.
*Bertrand Russell retires to Plas Penrhyn, Penrhyndeudraeth.

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Pwllheli)

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Gwilym Ceri Jones
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - W. J. Gruffydd
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - William Thomas Gruffydd

*Emyr Humphreys wins the Somerset Maugham Award for "Hear and Forgive".

New books

*Kingsley Amis - "That Uncertain Feeling"
*Islwyn Ffowc Elis - "Ffenestri Tua'r Gwyll"
*Stuart Evans - "Elegy for the Death of a Clown"
*Gwilym Thomas Hughes - "Ei Seren tan Gwmwl"
*Elisabeth Inglis-Jones - "The Story of Wales"
*Dylan Thomas - "A Child's Christmas in Wales" (posthumously published)
*Richard Vaughan - "Son of Justin"

New drama

*Saunders Lewis - "Siwan"

Music

*Grace Williams - "Penillion"

Film

*Stanley Baker plays Richmond in Laurence Olivier's film of "Richard III".
*"The Constant Husband", starring Rex Harrison, includes some Welsh dialogue.

Broadcasting

*The Welsh Home Service becomes available on VHF from Wenvoe

Welsh-language television

*January - First televised Welsh-language play, "Cap Wil Tomos"

English-language television

*

port

*Cricket - Wilfred Wooller becomes an England Test selector.
*Rugby Union
**22 January - Ken Jones becomes Wales's most capped player (36) in a game against England.
**12 March - Wales beat Ireland 21–3 at the National Stadium, Cardiff.
**26 March - Wales win the Five Nations Championship for the fourth time this decade.
*BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - John Disley

Births

*4 March - Joey Jones, footballer
*5 June - Alun Pugh, politician
*22 May - Maggie Jones, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, politician
*21 June - Janet Ryder, politician (in Sunderland)
*"date unknown" - Amanda Levete, architect

Deaths

*29 January - Sir Rhys Rhys-Williams, politician
*27 April - Ambrose Bebb, author
*28 September - Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees, Victoria Cross recipient
*14 October - Harry Parr Davies, songwriter
*15 October - Thomas Jones (T. J.), founder of Coleg Harlech
*1 November - Ronw Moelwyn Hughes, politician
*"date unknown"
**Victor Nash-Williams, archaeologist