1939 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1939 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - "vacant"
*Princess of Wales - "vacant"
*Archbishop of Wales - Charles Alfred Howell Green
*Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Crwys

Events

*1 June - The submarine "HMS Thetis" sinks during trials in Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey. 99 men are lost.
*The Urdd establishes the first-ever Welsh-medium primary school, at Aberystwyth.
*De Havilland opens an aircraft factory at Broughton in north-east Wales.
*The first war-time evacuees arrive in Wales.
*A government report shows that seven of the thirteen Welsh counties have the highest incidence of tuberculosis in the whole of England and Wales.
*Aneurin Bevan is temporarily expelled from the Labour Party.
*George Maitland Lloyd Davies becomes President of the pacifist group Heddychwyr Cymru.

Arts and literature

*August - For the first time ever, both chair and crown are withheld at the National Eisteddfod.
*John Roberts Williams becomes editor of "Y Cymro".

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Denbigh
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - "withheld"
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - "withheld"
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - John Gwilym Jones

New books

*D. Gwenallt Jones - "Ysgubau'r Awen"
*David James Jones - "Hanes Athroniaeth: Y Cyfnod Groegaidd"
*Richard Llewellyn - "How Green Was My Valley"
*Moelona - "Ffynnonlloyw"
*Howard Spring - "Heaven Lies About Us"

Music

*William Ifor Jones makes his debut as conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
*Ivor Novello - "The Dancing Years"
*Grace Williams - "Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon"

Film

*Ray Milland stars in "Hotel Imperial" and "Beau Geste".

Welsh language film

*"Efaciwis a Ricriwtio" (World War II propaganda film)

Broadcasting

*

ports

*Rugby union
**February 4 - Leslie Manfield gains his first senior cap in the match between Wales and Scotland. Manfield was one of only four players to represent Wales both before and after World War II.

Births

*11 January - Phil Williams, politician (died 2003)
*1 February - Cynog Dafis, politician
*8 March - Robert Tear, operatic tenor
*16 March - Ken Morgans, footballer
*29 March - Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian (died 1997)
*8 June - Norman Davies, historian
*17 June - Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, politician
*29 September - Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales
*"date unknown"
**Iris Gower, novelist
**Colin Lewis, cyclist

Deaths

*January 27 - Lewis Jones, miners' leader and novelist
*March 24 - Gwyn Nicholls, rugby player
*April 23 - Morgan Jones, sitting MP for Llanelli
*April 29 - Timothy Rees, Bishop of Llandaff
*June 14 - Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, politician
*June 29 - Henry Stuart Jones, academic
*September 18 - Gwen John, artist
*September 21 - Sir John Lynn-Thomas, surgeon
*September 26 - Leif Jones, politician
*November 7 - Gwenllian Morgan, local politician
*December 2 - Llewelyn Powys, writer