1938 in Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Events
- 14â19 January â A storm causes extensive damage in Aberystwyth; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds.[3]
- 8 May â William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech.
- October â The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
- 23 November â Opening of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff.[4]
- Mining comes to an end at Dolaucothi Gold Mines.[5]
- The excavation of Llantwit Major Roman Villa by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948).[6]
- Opening of RNAD Trecwm.
Arts and literature
- April â Augustus John resigns from the Royal Academy.[7]
- September â Ivor Novello appears in Henry V at Drury Lane Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson.[8]
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardiff)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair â Gwilym R. Jones
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown â Edgar H. Thomas
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal â Elena Puw Morgan[9]
New books
In English
- Idris Davies â Gwalia Deserta[10]
- Ness Edwards â History of the South Wales Miners Federation
- Richard Hughes â In Hazard
- Jack Jones â Bidden to the Feast
- Edith Picton-Turbervill â Myself When Young[11]
- William Plomer (ed.) â Kilvert's Diary, 1870-1879
In Welsh
- Richard Bennett â Methodistiaeth Caersws
- Tom Beynon â Gwrid ar Orwel ym Morgannwg
- Edward Tegla Davies â Stori Sam[12]
- Edward Morgan Humphreys â Dirgelwch Gallt Y Ffrwd[13]
- Ifor Williams (ed.) â Canu Aneirin
New drama
- James Kitchener Davies â Susannah
- Charles Langbridge Morgan â The Flashing Stream[14]
- Emlyn Williams â The Corn is Green[15]
Music
- Tudor Davies plays the lead in the first English-language production of Verdi's Don Carlos, at Sadler's Wells.
Film
- Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in The Lady Vanishes.[16]
Broadcasting
- 1 March â BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of Arwel Hughes's latest composition, Tydi a Roddaist.
Sport
- Empire Games
- Wales win three medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing), Jim Alford (1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke).
- Rugby union
- 5 February â Scotland beat Wales 8â6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Births
- 6 January â William Edwards, politician (d. 2007)[17]
- 1 February â Cynog Dafis, politician[18]
- 22 January â Brook Williams, actor (d. 2005)[19]
- 2 March â Deddie Davies, actress (d. 2016)[20]
- 20 April â Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016)[21]
- 25 April â John Davies, historian (d. 2015)[22]
- 14 May â Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach (d. 2023)[23]
- 25 May â Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014)[24]
- 31 May â John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK[25] (d. 2024)
- 13 June â Gwynne Howell, bass[26]
- 6 July â Tony Lewis, cricketer and commentator
- 23 July â Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018)[27]
- 6 August â Rees Davies, historian (d. 2005)[28]
- 12 September
- Richard Booth, secondhand bookseller (d. 2019)[29]
- Patrick Mower, Welsh-descended actor
- 9 October â Denzil Davies, politician (d. 2018)[30]
- 22 October â Dai Davies , English-born Welsh sports journalist (d. 2008)[31]
- 1 November â Delwyn Williams, politician
- 4 December â Richard Meade, equestrian (d. 2015)[32]
- 15 December â Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d. 2017 in Greece)[33]
Deaths
- 3 February â James Bevan, First Wales rugby union captain, 81[34]
- 9 February â Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63
- 30 March â Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66
- 16 April â Sir William Price, industrialist
- 8 May â George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83[35]
- 28 May â Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66
- 23 June â Clement Edwards, politician, 69[36]
- 22 July â Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73
- 22 October (in Dublin) â Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90
- 4 November â John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71[37]
- 28 November â Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56
- 29 December (at sea) â Eluned Morgan, writer, 68[38]
- date unknown â Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist[39]