1959 in Wales
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| 1958 | 1960 | Other years in Wales |
| 1959 in the United Kingdom |
| 1959 in Ireland |
| Other events of 1959 |
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1959 to Wales and its people.
Contents |
[edit] Incumbents
- Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
- Princess of Wales - vacant
- Archbishop of Wales - Edwin Morris
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - William Morris
[edit] Events
- October - Aneurin Bevan is elected deputy leader of the Labour Party.
- October 8 - At the UK general election:
- Newly-elected MPs include John Morris (Aberavon); Donald Box (Cardiff North); Ifor Davies (Gower) and Geraint Morgan (Denbigh).
- Poet Waldo Williams stands as a Plaid Cymru candidate.
- Hugh Dalton retires from Parliament.
- The Queen makes the red dragon on a green and white background the official flag of Wales.
- The 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (informally known as the "Welsh Cavalry" is formed.
- Sir William Jones resigns from the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire in protest at the appointment of Henry Brooke.
- The Local Government Commission for Wales is set up, chaired by Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans.
- Will Paynter becomes Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers.
- Thomas Parry becomes Principal of University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
- Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley, sells his holdings in Kemsley Newspapers to Roy Thomson.
[edit] Arts and literature
- Harry Secombe is voted Show Business Personality of the Year.
- Sir Lewis Casson and Dame Sybil Thorndike celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary by appearing together in Eighty in the Shade, a play written especially for them.
- Shirley Bassey is the first Welsh singer to hit number one in the UK pop charts, with "As I Love You".
[edit] Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Caernarfon)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - T. Llew Jones
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Tom Huws
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - William Owen
[edit] New books
- Albert Evans-Jones - Cerddi Cynan, y casgliad cyflawn
- Menna Gallie - Strike for a Kingdom
- D. Gwenallt Jones - Gwreiddiau
- Edgar Phillips - Edmund Jones, "The Old Prophet"
- Kate Roberts - Te yn y Grug
- Bertrand Russell - My Philosophical Development
[edit] Music
- Grace Williams - All Seasons shall be Sweet
[edit] Film
- Rachel Thomas, Meredith Edwards and Megs Jenkins appear with John Mills and Hayley Mills in Tiger Bay.
- Hugh Griffith wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Ben-Hur.
[edit] Broadcasting
- Statistics show that 50% of households in Wales have television licences.
- The BBC Third Programme becomes available on VHF from Wenvoe.
[edit] Welsh-language television
- Lili Lon (children's programme)
[edit] English-language television
- Ivor the Engine (children's programme)
[edit] Sports
- Athletics - The Welsh Games are held for the first time.
- Boxing - Former world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde is elected to the American Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Welsh Sports Personality of the Year - Graham Moore
[edit] Births
- 25 February - Mike Peters, musician
- 21 March - Colin Jones, boxer
- 3 May - Eddie Niedzwiecki, footballer
- 8 May - Jillian Evans MEP, politician
- 17 May - Paul Whitehouse, comedian
- 20 May - Annabel Giles, model
- 28 May - Steve Strange, singer
- 18 June - Jocelyn Davies AM, politician
- 5 September - Mike Ruddock, rugby coach
- 26 November - Dai Davies MP, politician
[edit] Deaths
- 13 January - Henry Weale, Victoria Cross recipient
- 3 February - Sir Evan Williams, Baronet, industrialist
- 21 February - Kathleen Freeman, classical scholar
- 3 March - William Bancroft, rugby and cricket player
- 21 April - David Bell, artist and poet
- 18 June - Nantlais Williams, poet and preacher
- 5 August - D. W. Davis, Governor of Idaho
- 6 September - Edmund Gwenn, actor
- 27 November - Grenville Morris, footballer
- 28 December - David Brazell, singer
