1971 in Wales

1971 in Wales

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1971 in: The United Kingdom • Ireland

Other events of 1971

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1971 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
• Princess of Wales - vacant
• Secretary of State for Wales - Peter Thomas
• Archbishop of Wales - Gwilym Owen Williams
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Tilsli

Events

• May 6 - Singer Dickie Valentine is killed in a car accident on the Glangrwyney bridge near Crickhowell.
• May 28 - Opening of the Llanberis Lake Railway.
• Registration of marriages in the Welsh language becomes legal.
• The Welsh Nursery Schools Movement is founded in Aberystwyth.
• Opening of Rio Tinto zinc smelter at Holyhead.
• Wylfa Nuclear Power Station becomes operational.

Arts and literature

• Mary Hopkin marries record producer Tony Visconti.
• Welsh performers participate in the first Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Bangor)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Emrys Roberts
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Bryan Martin Davies
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Ifor Wyn Williams

New books

• Rhys Davies - Nobody Answered the Bell
• Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Y Gromlech yn yr Haidd
• Gwynfor Evans - Aros Mae
• Tudor Wilson Evans - Ar Gae'r Brêc
• Beti Hughes - Aderyn o Ddyfed
• John L. Hughes - Tom Jones Slept Here
• Alan Llwyd - Y March Hud
• Gwyn Thomas - Y Bardd Cwsg a'i Gefndir

Music

• John Cale & Terry Riley - Church of Anthrax
• Man - Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In?
• Iris Williams - Pererin Wyf (single)

Film

• Merthyr Tydfil is one of the locations used for the filming of 10 Rillington Place.
• Ruth Madoc appears in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof.

Welsh-language films

• None

Broadcasting

English-language television

• Comedy duo Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams transfer their successful Welsh language show to BBC1.
• Nerys Hughes gets her big break in The Liver Birds.

Sport

• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - John Dawes
• Cricket - May: In a Glamorgan home match at Sophia Gardens, Roger Davis is struck on the temple while fielding at short leg and is almost killed.
• Gymnastics - Pam Hopkins wins the British Women's Championship.
• Rugby union - Wales win their sixth Grand Slam.
• Sailing - Nicolette Milnes-Walker becomes the first woman to sail non-stop single-handed across the Atlantic.

Births

• 11 January - Tom Ward, actor
• 23 January - Scott Gibbs, rugby player
• 19 March (in Taunton) - Kirsty Williams, politician
• 2 April - Chico Slimani, singer
• 8 July - Neil Jenkins, rugby player
• 18 August (in Limerick) - Aphex Twin, musician
• 8 September - Martyn Margetson, footballer
• 26 October - Damon Searle, footballer
• 5 November - Rob Jones, footballer
• date unknown - Jason Walford Davies, poet

Deaths

• 8 March - Harold Lloyd, American comedy actor of Welsh descent, 77
• 18 March - Jack Gore, Wales international rugby player, 71
• 19 April - Thomas Evan Nicholas (Niclas y Glais), writer and political activist, 91
• 18 May - William Mainwaring MP, miners' leader
• 20 May - Waldo Williams, poet, 66
• 29 May - Howell Lewis, Wales international rugby player, 83
• 5 July - Idris Jones, rugby player, 71
• 4 September – C. E. Vulliamy, author
• 9 November - Ceri Richards, artist
• 27 November - Leslie Thomas, politician, 65
• 1 December - Jack Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 91
• date unknown
  • Brenda Chamberlain, poet and artist
  • James Conway Davies, historian and palaeographer
  • Jack Evans, Welsh footballer)
  • Clifford Dyment, poet
  • Ifan Gruffydd ("Y Gŵr o Baradwys")
  • Dewi Morgan, poet, scholar and journalist