1984 in Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1984 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Events
- 2 March – Carmarthen MP Dr Roger Thomas announces his resignation, having been prosecuted for importuning.[5]
- 12 March – The miners' strike begins, with a solid turn out from all NUM mines in Wales.[6]
- 31 March - The Guildford Crescent Baths close in Cardiff after 122 years, despite a campaign to keep them open.[7]
- 3 May – At the Cynon Valley by-election brought about by the death of MP Ioan Lyonel Evans, Ann Clwyd retains the seat for Labour with an increased majority.[8]
- 19 July – The Lleyn Peninsula earthquake, which strikes the Llŷn Peninsula at 06:56 UTC (07:56 BST), measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, is the largest known onshore earthquake to occur in the UK since instrumental measurements began.[9]
- 4 October – Dafydd Wigley resigns as leader of Plaid Cymru for domestic reasons.[10]
- 30 November – Taxi driver David Wilkie is killed when a concrete block is dropped onto his car as he drives a strikebreaker to work on the M4 motorway. Dean Hancock and Russell Shankland of Rhymney are later convicted of murder.[11]
- 3 December – First McDonald's hamburger fast food restaurant in Wales opens in Cardiff.
- date unknown
- Sam Edwards becomes Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge.[12]
- Clive Sinclair's C5 electric vehicle is manufactured at the Hoover works in Merthyr Tydfil.[13]
- Border Breweries (Wrexham) ceases to brew in Wales.
- Creation of Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency.[14]
Arts and literature
Awards
- Griff Rhys Jones wins the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Comedy Performance for his role in Charley's Aunt.[15]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Lampeter)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Aled Rhys Wiliam[16]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – John Roderick Rees[17]
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – John Idris Owen[18]
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Richard Cyril Hughes, Castell Cyfaddawd
New books
English language
- Duncan Bush – Aquarium
- Hywel Francis – Miners Against Fascism: Wales and the Spanish Civil War
- Sian James – Dragons and Roses
- Mike Jenkins – Empire of Smoke[19]
- Robert Minhinnick – Life Sentences
- Leslie Thomas – In My Wildest Dreams[20]
Welsh language
- Gwynn ap Gwilym – Gwales
- Geraint H. Jenkins – Hanes Cymru yn y Cyfnod Modern Cynnar: 1530–1760
- Alun Jones – Oed Rhyw Addewid
- Gerwyn Williams – Colli cyswllt
Music
- Ar Log IV
- The Alarm – Declaration (debut studio album)
- Icons of Filth – Onward Christian Soldiers
- Shakin' Stevens records "Teardrops" with Hank Marvin on guitar.
- Phil Campbell joins Motörhead.
- First Brecon Jazz Festival staged.
Film
- Ray Milland makes his last film appearance in The Sea Serpent.
- Sian Phillips stars in Dune.
- Kevin Allen makes his big screen debut in The Man Who Shot Christmas.
Welsh-language films
- None
Broadcasting
- Gareth Gwenlan becomes Head of Comedy at the BBC.
Welsh-language television
English-language television
- The District Nurse starring Nerys Hughes[21]
Sport
- Football – Ian Rush becomes the first Welshman to win the European Golden Boot award.
- BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ian Rush[22]
- Horse racing – Neil Doughty wins the Grand National on Hallo Dandy.
Births
- 27 February – Rhys Williams, athlete
- 9 March – Owain Wyn Evans, broadcast presenter
- 11 March – Tom James, Olympic gold medal-winning rower
- 22 June – Arron Davies, footballer
- 23 June – Duffy, singer
- 31 July – Craig Stiens, footballer
- 14 August – Rob Davies, table tennis player
- 15 September – Prince Harry, son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (Charles and Diana)[23]
- 20 September – Byron Anthony, footballer
- 15 October – Owain Tudur Jones, footballer
- 24 November – Matthew Mason, cricketer
- date unknown – Gwawr Edwards, soprano
Deaths
- 4 January – Enoch Jenkins, sports shooter, 91[24]
- 11 January – Gwyn Thomas, rugby player, 91
- 14 January – Ivan Lloyd-Phillips, colonial administrator, 73
- 26 January – Nathan Rocyn-Jones, doctor, international rugby player and President of the WRU, 81
- 10 February – Ioan Evans, politician, 56[25]
- 11 April – John Lloyd Thomas, clergyman and teacher, 76[26]
- 15 April – Tommy Cooper, comedian, 63 (heart attack on stage)[27]
- 21 April – Wilf Hughes, cricketer, 73[28]
- 8 May – David Williams, geologist, 85[29]
- 20 May – Meredith Thomas, flying ace, 91[30]
- 13 June – David Evans, microbiologist, 74[31]
- 18 June – Idris Foster, academic, 72
- 22 June – Dill Jones, jazz pianist, 60[32]
- 29 June – Seiriol Evans, clergyman and writer, 89[33]
- 6 July – Denys Val Baker, British writer and promoter of Celtic culture, 66
- 30 July – Peter Jones, surgeon, 67[34]
- 5 August – Richard Burton, actor, 58 (brain haemorrhage)[35]
- 17 August – Mostyn Thomas, operatic baritone, 88[36]
- 27 August – Amabel Williams-Ellis, writer, 90[37]
- 9 September – Margaret Phillips, actress, 61[38]
- 23 September – Daniel Granville West, politician, 80[39]
- 12 October – Sir Anthony Berry, politician and son of Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley, 59 (killed in Brighton hotel bombing)[40]
- 26 October – Seaborne Davies, lawyer and politician, 80[41]
- 18 November – Thomas Jones, Baron Maelor, politician, 86[42]
- 11 December (in Hendon) – Will Paynter, miners' leader, 81[43]
- date unknown – Arthur Fear, operatic bass-baritone