1957 in Wales

1957 in Wales
Other years
1954 \| 1955 \| 1956 << All >> 1958 \| 1959 \| 1960
1957 in: The United Kingdom • Ireland
Other events of 1957

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1957 to Wales and its people.

Contents

1 Incumbents
2 Events
3 Arts and literature
4 Film
5 Broadcasting
- 5.1 Welsh-language television
- 5.2 English-language television
6 Sport
7 Births
8 Deaths

Incumbents

Prince of Wales – vacant
Princess of Wales - vacant
Archbishop of Wales - John Morgan
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - William Morris

Events

18 January - Nigel Birch is appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
25 February - Goronwy Rees, Principal of the University of Wales College Aberystwyth, resigns following allegations that he has spied for the Soviet Union.
1 July - Royal physician Horace Evans is created Baron Evans of Merthyr Tydfil.
6 July - The Royal Welsh Show is held at Blaendolau; the showground is flooded to a depth of 1 metre.
16 July - Five people drown in a boating accident at Barmouth.
31 July - The Tryweryn Bill, permitting Liverpool City Council to build a reservoir which will drown the village of Capel Celyn, becomes law.
8 September - The town hall at Aberystwyth is seriously damaged by fire.
12 December - Wales gets its own minister of state in the Westminster government for the first time.
Morgan Phillips and Aneurin Bevan, along with Richard Crossman, successfully sue The Spectator for libel.
Brecon Beacons becomes a national park.

Arts and literature

Paul Robeson addresses the Miners' Eisteddfod at Porthcawl via a transatlantic link to the miners' leader Will Paynter.
Elizabeth Rees-Williams marries Richard Harris.

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Llangefni)
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Gwilym Tilsley
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Dyfnallt Morgan
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Tom Parri Jones

New books

John Charles - King of Soccer
Rhys Davies - The Perishable Quality
Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Wythnos Yng Nghymru Fydd
Trevor Ford - I Lead the Attack
Dick Francis - The Sport of Queens
Bobi Jones - Y Gân Gyntaf
T. Harri Jones - The Enemy in the Heart
W. Leslie Richards - Telyn Teilo

New drama

Albert Evans-Jones - Absalom Fy Mab

Music

Shirley Bassey - Banana Boat Song (her first chart single)
Alun Hoddinott - Harp Concerto (written for Osian Ellis)
Daniel Jones - String Quartet 1957

Film

Donald Houston stars in The Girl in the Picture.

Broadcasting

Alun Oldfield-Davies becomes senior regional BBC controller, after several years of successful campaigning for Welsh-language television.

Welsh-language television

February - Cefndir (first regular Welsh-language programme)
September - Dewch i Mewn (magazine programme)

English-language television

Adaptation of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, starring Donald Houston and William Squire.

Sport

Football
- John Charles transfers from Leeds United to Juventus.
- Pelé scores a hattrick against Wales
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Dai Rees
Inaugural Glamorgan County Silver Ball Trophy competition held, Taibach RFC are champions.

Births

10 March - Terry Holmes, rugby player
19 March (in Birmingham) - Jane Davidson, AM, politician
20 April - Geraint Wyn Davies, actor
26 April - Edwina Hart, AM, politician
12 June - Javed Miandad, former Glamorgan cricketer
1 July - Wayne David MP, politician
20 July - Chris Bromham, stuntman
11 August - Leighton Andrews AM, politician
11 October (in Holyhead) - Dawn French, actress and comedienne
10 November - Nigel Evans, MP, politician

Deaths

30 July - William Richard Arnold, rugby player, 76
June - John Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, 71
1 August - Llewellyn Lloyd, Wales international rugby union player, 80
20 August - Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, explorer and admiral, 75
12 September - Tom Pearson, Wales national rugby player, 85
26 September - Arthur Powell Davies, Unitarian minister and writer, 55
12 November - Wilfred Hodder, Wales international rugby player, 61
7 December - Maurice Jones, priest and academic, 94
9 December - Llewellyn Henry Gwynne, first bishop of Egypt and Sudan, 94