1939 in Wales
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 1939 to Wales and its people.
Events
- March–November - Aneurin Bevan is temporarily expelled from the Labour Party.
- 27 April - Ely Racecourse in Cardiff closes.[4]
- 1 June - The submarine HMS Thetis sinks during trials in Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey. At least 98 men are lost.[5]
- Late August - Most paintings evacuated from the National Gallery in London, many going to Penrhyn Castle at Bangor and the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth; the latter also houses manuscripts, prints and books from the British Museum.[6]
- 3 September - World War II: Declaration of war by the United Kingdom on Nazi Germany following the German invasion of Poland on 1 September.[7]
- September - The Urdd opens Ysgol Gymraeg yr Urdd, the first-ever Welsh-medium primary school, at Aberystwyth. In its first year the school consists of just seven pupils and one teacher, Norah Isaac.
- October - Construction at M. S. Factory, Valley in Flintshire of tunnels for storage of chemical weapons begins.
- The first war-time civilian evacuees arrive in Wales.
- Vickers-Armstrong opens an aircraft factory at Broughton, Flintshire, later taken over by De Havilland.[8]
- A government report shows that seven of the thirteen Welsh counties have the highest incidence of tuberculosis in the whole of England and Wales.
- George Maitland Lloyd Davies becomes President of the pacifist group Heddychwyr Cymru.
- Talybont Reservoir in the Brecon Beacons is completed to supply Newport.
- Sea Roads is constructed in Penarth in the Modernist style.
Arts and literature
- August - For the first time ever, both chair and crown are withheld at the National Eisteddfod.
- 4 October - Poets Lynette Roberts and Keidrych Rhys marry.[9]
- 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
English language
- B. L. Coombes - These Poor Hands
- Richard Llewellyn - How Green Was My Valley
- Howard Spring - Heaven Lies About Us
Welsh language
- D. Gwenallt Jones - Ysgubau'r Awen
- David James Jones - Hanes Athroniaeth: Y Cyfnod Groegaidd
- Moelona - Ffynnonlloyw
- Caradog Prichard - Terfysgoedd Daear
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.
- Sheep Dog, featuring the shepherd Tom Jones of Treorchy[10]
Welsh language film
- Efaciwis a Ricriwtio (World War II propaganda film)
Broadcasting
- At the outbreak of war, the BBC was to transmit a unified service, including programs in the Welsh language. One of the few Welsh-language broadcasts to survive is a daily bulletin of world news at 5 pm. It was broadcast before the daily news in English at 6pm.[11]
- The BBC radio comedy series It's That Man Again begins its ten-year run. From 1940 to 1943 it will be broadcast from the BBC Wales studios in Bangor, Caernarvonshire, north Wales, where the BBC's Light Entertainment Department is temporarily based.
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)[12]
- 16 February - David Griffiths, portrait painter
- 8 March - Robert Tear, operatic tenor (died 2011)[13]
- 16 March - Kenny Morgans, footballer (died 2012)
- 29 March - Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian (died 1997)
- 7 April - Keith Bradshaw, Wales international rugby player (died 2014)
- 27 May - Cliff Williams, rugby union player (died 2014)
- 8 June - Norman Davies, historian
- 17 June - Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, politician
- 17 July - Spencer Davis, born Spencer Davies, beat musician, multi-instrumentalist (died 2020 in the United States)[14]
- 21 July - Frank Rankmore, footballer[15]
- 24 September - Steve Gammon, footballer
- 29 September
- Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales (died 2017)[16]
- Lynne Thomas, cricketer
- 10 October - Neil Sloane, mathematician
- 8 November - Meg Wynn Owen, actress (died 2022)[17]