1964 in Wales

Incumbents

Prince of Wales – Charles

Princess of Wales – vacant

Secretary of State for Wales – Jim Griffiths (from 17 October)

Archbishop of Wales – Edwin Morris, Bishop of Monmouth

Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Cynan

Events

March - A representative of the National Coal Board writes to Mr DCW Jones, the Merthyr Tydfil Borough and Waterworks engineer, stating that they “would not like to continue beyond the next 6/8 weeks in tipping" coal slurry on Tip No 7 at Aberfan "where it is likely to be a source of danger to Pantglas school”. Two and a half years later the tip would destroy the school, killing 116 children.

15 March - Richard Burton marries Elizabeth Taylor (for the first time) in Montreal.

April - George Street Bridge, Newport opens, the first cable-stayed bridge in the UK.

15 October - In the United Kingdom general election, Wales elects 28 Labour MPs, six Conservatives and two Liberals.

Alan Williams becomes MP for Swansea West

Ioan Evans becomes MP for Birmingham Yardley.

Leslie Thomas, son of Labour stalwart, Jimmy Thomas, becomes Conservative MP for Canterbury.

17 October - The Welsh Office is established, under the leadership of a Secretary of State for Wales (Jim Griffiths).

11 November - Politician Alun Gwynne Jones is raised to the peerage with the title Baron Chalfont of Llantarnam.

Civic Trust for Wales formed to promote conservation and enhancement of the built environment.

Opening of the Edgar Evans building at the Royal Navy shore establishment on Whale Island, Portsmouth.

Awards

Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry - R. S. Thomas

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Swansea)

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Bryn Williams

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Rhydwen Williams

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Rhiannon Davies Jones

New books

Aneirin Talfan Davies - Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body

Emrys Daniel Hughes - Sir Alec Douglas-Home

John Gwilym Jones - Hanes Rhyw Gymro

John Robert Jones - Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ystyr

Stead Jones - Make Room for the Jester

Saunders Lewis - Merch Gwern Hywel

Caradog Prichard - Genod yn ein Bywyd

Thomas Ifor Rees - Illimani

Howard Spring - Winds of the Day

Reginald Frances Treharne - The Battle of Lewes in English History

Raymond Williams - Second Generation

Music

Geraint Evans stars as Falstaff at the Metropolitan Opera.

Film

Richard Burton stars in The Night of the Iguana.

Siân Phillips takes her first major film role in Becket, alongside her husband Peter O'Toole and Burton.

Victor Spinetti appears with The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night. Alun Owen's screenplay is nominated for an Academy Award.

Broadcasting

BBC Wales is launched.

Welsh-language television

Sion a Sian (later also produced in English as Mr and Mrs)

English-language television

Wales Today

Sport

Olympic Games - Lynn Davies wins the gold medal in the men's long jump.

Rugby union

1 February - Wales defeat Scotland 11-3 in Cardiff. Stuart Watkins makes his international debut.

7 March - Wales defeat Ireland 15-6 in Dublin. John Dawes makes his international debut.

Wales win the Five Nations Championship.

The Welsh national side makes its first overseas tour, to South Africa.

Tennis - Gerald Battrick wins the British and French junior championships.

BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Lynn Davies

Births

29 January – Anna Ryder Richardson, interior designer and television host

9 February - Dewi Morris, rugby player

4 March - Dave Colclough, poker player

21 March - Ieuan Evans, rugby player

22 June - Neil Haddock, Welsh and British Champion super featherweight boxer

23 June - Robert Dickie, Welsh and British Champion boxing champion (died 2010)

15 September - Steve Watkin, cricketer

8 October - Alan Knill, footballer

3 November - Wayne Mumford, footballer

28 November - Sian Williams, television presenter

1 December - Jo Walton, novelist and poet

31 December - Lowri Turner, television presenter

date unknown - Grahame Davies, poet

Deaths

4 January - Arthur Wade-Evans, historian, 88

7 January - Cyril Davies, harmonica player, 31

14 February

Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans, civil servant, 69

William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech, 78

14 August - Redvers Sangoe, Light-heavyweight boxer, 28

14 September - Fitzroy Richard Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, anthropologist, 79

9 October - Thomas Jones Pierce, historian, 59

4 November - Harry Randall, lawyer and historian, 86

30 November - Sir John Cecil-Williams, lawyer and secretary of the Cymmrodorion, 72

4 December - James 'Tuan' Jones, Wales and British Lion rugby player, 81

date unknown - Leslie Morris, Welsh-Canadian politician, 60