1939 in Wales

1939 in Wales
Other years
1936 \| 1937 \| 1938 << All >> 1940 \| 1941 \| 1942
1939 in: The United Kingdom • Ireland
Other events of 1939

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

Contents

1 Incumbents
2 Events
3 Arts and literature
4 Film
- 4.1 Welsh language film
5 Broadcasting
6 Sports
7 Births
8 Deaths

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

27 April - Ely Racecourse in Cardiff closes.
1 June - The submarine HMS Thetis sinks during trials in Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey. 99 men are lost.
late August - Most paintings evacuated from the National Gallery in London to Wales.
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

B. L. Coombes - These Poor Hands
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

Sports

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

Births

11 January - Phil Williams, politician (died 2003)
1 February - Cynog Dafis, politician
8 March - Robert Tear, operatic tenor (died 2011)
16 March - Ken Morgans, footballer
29 March - Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian (died 1997)
7 April - Keith Bradshaw, Wales international rugby player
8 June - Norman Davies, historian
17 June - Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, politician
21 July - Frank Rankmore, footballer
24 September - Steve Gammon, footballer
29 September - Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales
10 October - Neil Sloane, mathematician
date unknown - Colin Lewis, cyclist

Deaths

27 January - Lewis Jones, miners' leader and novelist, 41
17 March - Owen Badger, Wales national rugby player, 67
24 March - Gwyn Nicholls, rugby player, 64
23 April - Morgan Jones, sitting MP for Llanelli, 52
29 April - Timothy Rees, Bishop of Llandaff, 64
14 June - Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, politician, 66
29 June - Henry Stuart Jones, academic, 72
9 July - Charles Nicholl, Wales international rugby union player, 69
18 September - Gwen John, artist, 63
21 September - Sir John Lynn-Thomas, surgeon, 78
26 September - Leif Jones, politician, 77
7 November - Gwenllian Morgan, local politician
2 December - Llewelyn Powys, writer, 55