1962 in Wales

1962 in Wales
Other years
1959 \| 1960 \| 1961 << All >> 1963 \| 1964 \| 1965
1962 in: The United Kingdom • Ireland
Other events of 1962

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

Contents

1 Incumbents
2 Events
3 Arts and literature
4 Film
5 Broadcasting
6 Sport
7 Births
8 Deaths

Incumbents

Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
Princess of Wales - vacant
Archbishop of Wales - Edwin Morris
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Trefin

Events

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.
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.
26 October – Opening of Richard Thomas and Baldwins's new steelworks at Llanwern near Newport.

Arts and literature

Rachel Roberts marries Rex Harrison.
Welsh National Opera launches a training scheme for singers.
Dick Francis publishes his first thriller, Dead Cert.

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Llanelli)

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Caradog Prichard
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - D. Emlyn Lewis
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - William Owen

New books

Clifford Dyment - The Railway Game
John Roberts Evans - Ar Drothwy'r Nos
William Evans (Wil Ifan) - Colofnau Wil Ifan
Michael Foot - Aneurin Bevan, vol. 1
Menna Gallie - The Small Mine
Llewelyn Wyn Griffith - The Adventures of Pryderi
Oxford Book of Welsh Verse
Gwyn Thomas - Chwerwder yn y Ffynhonnau
Norman Thomas - Ask at the Unicorn
Raymond Williams - Communications

Music

Grace Williams - Four Medieval Welsh Poems for alto, harp and harpsichord
David Wynne - Cymric Rhapsodies

Film

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.

Broadcasting

Welsh-language radio

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

Television

14 September - The first transmitter, at Preseli, of the Teledu Cymru - Wales (West and North) Television service comes on air.

English-language television

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

Sport

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

Births

5 January - Geraint Williams, footballer
11 January - Chris Bryant, politician
27 June - Michael Ball, singer
15 September - Kevin Allen, actor, comedian and film director
22 July - Arthur Emyr, rugby player and television presenter and executive
15 October - Mark Ring, rugby player
24 October - Jonathan Davies, rugby player
12 December - John Jones, record producer
date unknown - Iolo Williams, naturalist and broadcaster

Deaths

14 February - Ezer Griffiths, physicist, 73
23 March - Clement Davies, politician, 80
25 April - Herbie Baxter, Glamorgan cricketer, 79
11 May - Eliot Crawshay-Williams, politician and author, 82
3 August - Edgar Phillips, poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, 72
23 September - Margaret Jane Gordon (Lady Gordon), singer
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 (race accident)