1953 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1953 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 - Cynan

Events

*7 March - A "St David's Day" pageant is held in the streets of London.
* [1 June] - In the Queen's Coronation Honours List, VC recipient Ted Chapman is awarded the British Empire Medal.
*9 July - The Queen makes her first visit to Wales since coming to the throne.
*2 December - Llandudno experiences unusually warm weather as a result of the "foehn effect".
*The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is established in Wales.
*Goronwy Rees becomes Principal of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
*Sir Grismond Picton Philipps is knighted.

Arts and literature

*Dorothy Squires marries Roger Moore.
*Sir Thomas Parry becomes head of the National Library of Wales.
*Waldo Williams leaves the Baptist denomination and becomes a Quaker.
*Robert Frank photographs a Glamorgan mining village for "U.S.Camera".
*Susan Williams-Ellis joins her father, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, in his work on the village of Portmeirion.

Awards

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

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Rhyl)

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - E. Llwyd Williams
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Dilys Cadwaladr
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - "withheld"

New books

*Islwyn Ffowc Elis - "Cysgod y Cryman"
*Jack Jones - "Time and the Business"
*Bertrand Russell - "Satan in the Suburbs and Other Stories"

Music

*8 June - Geraint Evans appears in the première of Benjamin Britten's "Gloriana".

Film

*Rachel Thomas and Clifford Evans co-star in "Valley of Song".
*Richard Burton stars in "The Robe".
*Rachel Roberts stars in "The Limping Man".

Broadcasting

*6 January - The Broadcasting Council for Wales meets for the first time.
*January - Edward Williamson, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, broadcasts a lecture on Henry Vaughan on BBC radio.

Welsh-language television

*1 March - First broadcast of a television programme entirely in Welsh: a religious service from the Tabernacle Baptist Chapel, Cardiff.

English-language television

*

port

*Archery - The North Wales Archery Society is founded.
*Rugby - In December, Wales defeat New Zealand 13-8 at Cardiff Arms Park.

Births

*10 February - Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans
*11 April - Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, politician
*12 April - Huw Edwards, Labour politician, MP for Monouth 1991-1992 and 1997-2005
*8 June - Bonnie Tyler, singer
*20 July - Dave Evans, singer
*10 August - Gillian Elisa, actress, singer, and comedienne
*2 September - Keith Allen, comedian and actor
*28 October - Phil Dwyer, footballer

Deaths

*10 January - Howell Elvet Lewis ("Elved"), poet and Archdruid
*7 March - Jack Williams, Victoria Cross recipient
*24 March - Mary of Teck, Princess of Wales 1910-1936 and Queen 1936-1952
*6 April - Idris Davies, poet
*2 May - Thomas Mardy Rees, author
*5 June - "Moelona" (Elizabeth Mary Jones)
*18 June - Reg Plummer, Wales and British Lion rugby union player
*9 November - Dylan Thomas, poet
*11 November - John Glyn Davies, poet and children's writer
*26 November - Sir Ivor Atkins, organist and choirmaster
*27 November - T. F. Powys, novelist
*17 December - David Rees Griffiths, poet