Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

1954 in Wales

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Centuries:
  
18th 19th 20th 21st

Decades:
  
1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1954 to Wales and its people.

Contents

Incumbents

  • Prince of Wales – vacant
  • Princess of Wales – vacant
  • Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
  • Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfnallt

    • Events

  • April 1 - Civilian flights from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport at Pengam Moors are transferred to the new Cardiff Airport near Rhoose.
  • May 29 - Gwyneth Phillips marries John Dunwoody, continuing a dynasty of Labour politicians.
  • June 19 - The Welsh Chess Union is founded.
  • October 19 - Gwilym Lloyd George becomes Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs – the first Welshman to hold the position.
  • December 9 - Flag of the Church in Wales officially inaugurated.
  • Launch of the Empire News, the first Sunday newspaper to be published in Wales.

    • Awards

  • National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ystradgynlais)
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - John Evans
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - E. Llwyd Williams
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Owen Elias Roberts

    • New books

  • Dannie Abse - Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve
  • Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim
  • Glyn Daniel - Welcome Death
  • Margiad Evans - The Nightingale Silenced
  • V. E. Nash-Williams - The Roman Frontier in Wales
  • Eiluned Lewis - Honey Pots and Brandy Bottles
  • Bertrand Russell - Nightmares of Eminent Persons and Other Stories
  • Dylan Thomas - Quite Early One Morning

    • Music

  • Geraint Evans stars in William Walton's new opera, Troilus and Cressida.
  • Alun Hoddinott - Clarinet Concerto (performed at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli).
  • Arwel Hughes - Menna (opera)
  • Daniel Jones - Symphony no 4

    • Film

  • Donald Houston co-stars in Doctor in the House.
  • Ray Milland stars in Dial M for Murder.
  • The Black Knight, starring Alan Ladd, is partly filmed at Castell Coch.

    • Broadcasting

  • 25 January - Under Milk Wood is performed for the first time on BBC radio with an all-Welsh cast led by Richard Burton.

    • Sport

  • Football - John Charles finishes the 1953-54 season having scored 42 goals for Leeds United.
  • Rugby union - Wales win the Five Nations Championship, but a loss against England prevents Wales lifting the Triple Crown.
  • BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Ken Jones

    • Births

  • 5 January - Elgan Rees, Wales international rugby player
  • 6 January - John Sparkes, comedian
  • 21 January - Tony Ridler, darts player
  • 12 March - Chris Needs, broadcaster
  • 13 March - Francis Ormsby-Gore, 6th Baron Harlech
  • 17 March - Trish Law, born Patricia Bolter, AM, politician
  • 6 April - Alan Curtis, footballer
  • 19 April - Jon Owen Jones, politician
  • 23 May - David Richards, Wales international rugby player
  • 28 May - Gwyn Morgan, writer
  • 9 June
  • Paul Chapman, rock guitarist
  • Rhys Morgan, Wales international rugby player
  • 7 July - Mickey Thomas, Welsh international footballer
  • 27 August - Bryn Fôn, singer and actor
  • 12 September - Sir Michael Moritz, businessman and philanthropist
  • 24 September - Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
  • 25 September - Gareth Thomas, politician
  • 13 October - Kim Davies, cricketer
  • 14 October - Lowri Gwilym, television and radio producer
  • 13 November - Les Keen, Wales international rugby player

    • Deaths

  • 12 January - Thomas Brinsmead Williams, cricketer, 69
  • 6 March - William Davies Thomas, academic, 74
  • 25 March - William Jackson, footballer, 78
  • 10 April - Harry Hiams, rugby union international, 67
  • 6 May - J. J. Williams, poet and archdruid, 84
  • 15 June
  • William Ewart Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, 74
  • Charles Edwards, politician, 87
  • 10 July - Jack Anthony, jockey, 64
  • 29 September - William John Gruffydd, author and politician, 73
  • 31 October - Rhys Davies, trade unionist and politician, 77
  • 8 November - Geoffrey Crawshay, soldier and social benefactor, 62
  • 3 December - Sir Joseph Davies, statistician and Liberal politician, 87
  • 14 December - Cliff Pritchard, Welsh international rugby player, 73
  • 20 December - Frank Connah, hockey player, 70
  • 22 December - Robert Richards, Welsh politician, 70
  • date unknown - Ernest Morgan, architect and painter

    • References

    1954 in Wales Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA