1953 in Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1953 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Events
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- 7 March – A "Saint David's Day" pageant is held by the London Welsh Association in the streets of London.
- 11 March – The Royal Badge of Wales is granted an augmentation of honour including the motto Y Ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn ("The red dragon inspires action").[1]
- 1 June – In the Queen's Coronation Honours List, Victoria Cross recipient Ted Chapman is awarded the British Empire Medal.[2]
- 9 July – Elizabeth II makes her first visit to Wales since her 2 June Coronation.
- 10 July – The royal tour of Wales concludes with a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle and visits to the National Eisteddfod site at Rhyl, Wrexham and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.[3]
- 2 December – Llandudno experiences unusually warm weather as a result of the "foehn effect".
- date unknown
- The Royal College of General Practitioners is established in Wales.
- Goronwy Rees becomes Principal of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.[4]
- Grismond Picton Philipps is knighted.[5]
Arts and literature
- July 6 – Dorothy Squires marries Roger Moore in the United States.[6]
- date unknown
- Thomas Parry (later Sir Thomas) becomes head of the National Library of Wales.
- Waldo Williams leaves the Baptist denomination and becomes a Quaker.[7]
- Robert Frank photographs a Glamorgan mining village for U.S.Camera.
- Susan Williams-Ellis joins her father, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, in his work on the village of Portmeirion.
Awards
- Emyr Humphreys wins the Somerset Maugham Prize for Hear and Forgive.[8]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Rhyl)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – E. Llwyd Williams, "Y Ffordd"[9]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Dilys Cadwaladr, "Y Llen"[10]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – withheld[11]
New books
English language
- Jack Jones – Time and the Business[12]
- Bertrand Russell – Satan in the Suburbs and Other Stories
Welsh language
- Islwyn Ffowc Elis
- David John Williams – Hen dŷ ffarm[15]
Music
- 8 June – Geraint Evans appears in the première of Benjamin Britten's Gloriana.
Film
- Rachel Thomas and Clifford Evans co-star in Valley of Song.
- Richard Burton stars in The Robe.
- Rachel Roberts stars in The Limping Man.
Broadcasting
- 6 January – The Broadcasting Council for Wales meets for the first time.[16]
- January – Edward Williamson, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, broadcasts a lecture on Henry Vaughan on BBC radio.
- 9 December – In the UK Parliament, the Postmaster General, Earl De La Warr, confirms that none of the first independent television stations will be located in Wales.[17]
Welsh-language television
- 1 March – First broadcast of a television programme entirely in Welsh: a religious service from the Tabernacle Baptist Chapel, Cardiff.
- Teledu i Blant (children's programme)
- Telewele (children's programme)
English-language television
- The National Eisteddfod of Wales is broadcast on BBC television, with English commentary by Hywel Davies.[18]
Sport
- Archery – The North Wales Archery Society is founded.[19]
- Rugby – In December, Wales defeat New Zealand 13-8 at Cardiff Arms Park.
Births
- 10 February – Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans[20]
- 15 March - Alan Couch, footballer
- 11 April – Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, politician
- 12 April – Huw Edwards, Labour politician, MP for Monmouth 1991–1992 and 1997–2005
- 26 April – Andy Secombe, voice actor and fantasy novelist
- 8 June – Bonnie Tyler, singer[21]
- 7 July – Eleri Rees, judge[22]
- 11 July – Nigel Rees, footballer
- 20 July – Dave Evans, singer
- 10 August – Gillian Elisa, actress, singer and comedian
- 2 September – Keith Allen, comedian and actor
- 28 October – Phil Dwyer, footballer
- 16 November – Griff Rhys Jones, actor, comedian and television presenter[23]
- Shani Rhys James, Australian-born painter
- Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru politician, MP for Caernarfon, later Arfon 2001–
Deaths
- 10 January – Howell Elvet Lewis ("Elved"), poet and Archdruid, 92[24]
- 7 March – Jack Williams, Victoria Cross recipient, 66
- 20 March – Fred Parfitt, Wales international rugby player, 83
- 24 March – Mary of Teck, Princess of Wales 1910–1936, queen consort of the United Kingdom 1936–1952, 85[25]
- 6 April – Idris Davies, poet, 48[26]
- 30 April – Sir David Rocyn-Jones, medical practitioner and President of the WRU, 90[27]
- 2 May – Thomas Mardy Rees, author, 81/82[28]
- 23 May – Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway, industrialist, horticulturalist and politician, 74[29]
- 5 June – Elizabeth Mary Jones ("Moelona"), novelist, 75[30]
- 18 June – Reg Plummer, Wales and British Lion rugby union player, 64
- 26 August – Rachel Barrett, Welsh editor and suffragette, 77[31]
- 9 November – Dylan Thomas, poet, 39[32]
- 11 November – John Glyn Davies, poet and children's writer, 83[33]
- 26 November – Sir Ivor Atkins, organist and choirmaster, 83[34]
- 27 November – T. F. Powys, Anglo-Welsh writer, 77[35]
- 17 December – David Rees Griffiths, poet, 71