1962 in Wales

Centuries:	18th; 19th; 20th; 21st; ;
Decades:	1940s; 1950s; 1960s; 1970s; 1980s;
See also:	List of years in Wales; Timeline of Welsh history 1962 in The United Kingdom Scotland Elsewhere

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1962 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

January–April – An outbreak of smallpox infects 45 people and kills 17 in Cardiff and district; 900,000 people in south Wales are vaccinated against the disease.^[1]
15 May - Emlyn Hooson wins the Montgomeryshire by-election brought about by the death of Clement Davies. In the run-up to the by-election, the "Elvis Rock" is painted with the graffiti "Elis" by supporters of Plaid Cymru candidate Islwyn Ffowc Elis.
20 July – The world's first regular passenger hovercraft service is introduced between Rhyl and Wallasey.
4 August – Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, is founded.
September – Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, the first Welsh-medium secondary school in south Wales, opens its doors.
19 September – Atlantic College opens its doors for the first time at St Donat's Castle, marking the birth of the pioneering United World College educational movement.^[2]
26 October – Opening of Richard Thomas and Baldwins's new steelworks at Llanwern near Newport.
28 October – Chepstow Railway Bridge rebuilding completed.
Cardiff Zoo opened.^[3]

Richard Burton and Donald Houston appear in The Longest Day.
Peter Greenaway makes his first film: Death of Sentiment.
Jack Howells makes the short documentary Dylan Thomas featuring Richard Burton.

13 February - Saunders Lewis gives the Welsh Home Service’s Annual Lecture, entitled Tynged yr Iaith (The Fate of the Language).

17 September - First edition of the Welsh national news programme BBC Wales Today.

Football - John Charles returns to Leeds United from several years playing for Italian clubs.
Golf - Brian Huggett wins the Dutch Open championship.
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Ivor Allchurch

5 January - Geraint Williams, footballer
11 January - Chris Bryant, politician
16 January - Bethan Gwanas, Welsh-language writer
27 June - Michael Ball, singer
22 August - Iolo Williams, naturalist and TV presenter
28 August - David Melding, politician
15 September - Kevin Allen, actor, comedian and film director
22 July - Arthur Emyr, rugby player and television presenter and executive
22 August - Iolo Williams, naturalist and broadcaster
5 September - Peter Wingfield, actor
15 October - Mark Ring, rugby player
24 October - Jonathan Davies, rugby player
12 December - John Jones, record producer
31 December - Chris Hallam, wheelchair athlete
date unknown
- Fiona Bennett, composer
- Sioned Wiliam, broadcaster, writer and producer

26 January - George Jeffreys, founder of the Elim Pentecostal Church,^[4] 72
11 February - John Edward Daniel, theologian, chairman of Plaid Cymru, 59 (road accident)^[5]
14 February - Ezer Griffiths, physicist, 73
27 February - Albert Rhys Williams, Welsh-American journalist, labour organiser, and publicist, 78
23 March - Clement Davies, politician, 80
April - Edgar Morgan, rugby union player, 80
25 April - Herbie Baxter, Glamorgan cricketer, 79
30 April - Charles Williams, Anglican priest and academic, 55^[6]
11 May - Eliot Crawshay-Williams, politician and author, 82
16 June - Edgar Rees Jones, barrister and politician, 83^[7]
3 August - Edgar Phillips, poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, 72
23 August - Robert Bye, VC recipient, 72
23 September - Margaret Jane Gordon (Lady Gordon), singer, 82
5 November (in London) - Percy Cudlipp, journalist, 56
30 November - Lewis Pugh Evans, Victoria Cross recipient, 81
15 December - Charles Rhys, 8th Baron Dynevor, politician, 63
17 December - Lonza Bowdler, Wales international rugby player, 61
21 December - Gary Hocking, motorcycle road racer, 25 (racing accident)