1974 in Wales

1974 in Wales

Other years

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1974 in: The United Kingdom • Ireland

Other events of 1974

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1974 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
• Princess of Wales - vacant
• Secretary of State for Wales - John Morris
• Archbishop of Wales - Gwilym Owen Williams
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Brinley

Events

• 23 January - A UFO appears to crash in a remote area of North Wales. This becomes known as the Berwyn Mountain Incident.
• Following the February general election, Elwyn Jones becomes Lord Chancellor in Harold Wilson’s government.
• 1 April - Newport and Monmouthshire are legally transferred from England to Wales.
• 22 November - Helen Morgan becomes Miss World; she is forced to resign after four days when it is discovered that she is an unmarried mother.
• Geraint Howells wins Ceredigion for the Liberals.
• Gwynfor Evans fails to retain Carmarthen for Plaid Cymru in the February election by only 3 votes, but succeeds in the October general election.
• Tredegar House is bought by Newport Council.
• Laura Ashley opens stores in Paris and San Francisco.

Arts and literature

• Kyffin Williams is elected to the Royal Academy.
• Andrew Vicari is appointed official painter to the Saudi royal family.
• The Cory Brass Band is the first Welsh band to win the British National Championship.
• The BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra achieves full symphony status.
• Foundation of the Welsh Jazz Society.
• Journalist Hugh Cudlipp is created Baron Cudlipp of Aldingbourne.
• Glyn Daniel becomes Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Carmarthen)

• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Moses Glyn Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - William George
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Dafydd Ifans

New books

• Tony Conran - Spirit Level
• Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Marwydos
• Gwynfor Evans - Land of my Fathers
• David Jenkins - T. Gwynn Jones: Cofiant
• Bobi Jones - Tafod y Llenor
• Jan Morris - Conundrum
• Leslie Norris - Mountains, Polecats, Pheasants
• John Ormond - Definition of a Waterfall
• Goronwy Rees - Brief Encounters
• Alun Richards - Dai Country
• Harri Webb - A Crown for Branwen

Music

• Andy Fairweather-Low - Spider Jiving (album)
• Alun Hoddinott - The Beach of Falesá (opera)

Film

• Richard Burton stars in The Klansman.

Welsh-language films

• None

Broadcasting

• 30 September - Independent radio station Swansea Sound comes into operation.

Welsh-language television

• 8 October - Pobol y Cwm appears for the first time.

English-language television

• Richard Burton is banned from BBC productions after complaints about his derogatory comments about Winston Churchill and others in power during World War II.
• Windsor Davies makes his first appearance as Sergeant Major Williams in It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

Sports

• Curling - The Welsh Curling Association is formed.
• Golf - Brian Huggett wins the Portuguese Open.
• Snooker - Ray Reardon is World Professional Champion for the third time.
• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Gareth Edwards

Births

• 5 January - Iwan Thomas, athlete
• 30 January - Christian Bale, actor
• 3 May
  • Barry Jones, boxer
  • Kelly Jones, musician
• 29 May - Jenny Willott, politician
• 5 September - Becky Morgan, golfer
• 18 October - Robbie Savage, footballer
• 24 October - David Evans, squash player
• 4 November – Matthew Rhys, actor
• date unknown - Owen Sheers, poet and actor (in Suva, Fiji)

Deaths

• 3 April - Desmond Donnelly, politician
• 13 May - Islwyn Evans, Wales international rugby player
• 29 August - Harold Arthur Harris, academic (in Oxford)
• 9 September - Neil McBride, MP for Swansea East
• 28 October - David Jones, poet and artist (in Harrow)
• 29 December - William Charles Fuller, Victoria Cross recipient