Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

1968 in Wales

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Centuries:
  
18th19th20th21st

Decades:
  
1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1968 to Wales and its people.

Contents

Incumbents

  • Prince of Wales – Charles
  • Princess of Wales – vacant
  • Secretary of State for Wales – Cledwyn Hughes (until 5 April); George Thomas
  • Archbishop of Wales – Glyn Simon, Bishop of Llandaff
  • Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – E. Gwyndaf Evans

    • Events

  • September - In response to the news that Harold Wilson's government has proposed to use part of the disaster fund set up to help the people of Aberfan to meet the costs of removing the tip that caused the Aberfan disaster, Merthyr MP S. O. Davies says: "I have never known a prime minister to behave so disgracefully in all my 34 years in the House of Commons".
  • October - Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, the only nuclear power station to be located in a national park, is opened.
  • 17 December - Official opening of first phase of the Royal Mint's new Llantrisant plant.
  • The Welsh Office acquires responsibility for historic monuments, and for the water supply in Wales.
  • In the referendum on the Sunday opening of public houses, the counties of Anglesey, Caernarfon, Cardigan, Carmarthen and Merioneth vote to stay "dry".
  • The first bilingual (Welsh/English) postage stamp is issued.
  • Hugh Cudlipp becomes Chairman of the International Publishing Corporation.

    • Arts and literature

  • Welsh National Opera acquires a professional chorus.
  • Cefn Cwrt Farm, Llangrannog, is purchased for use by the Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
  • The Drama Tent is introduced to the Eisteddfod field.
  • Cwmni Theatr Cymru is formed in Bangor.
  • Rachel Thomas is awarded the OBE for services to Wales.
  • Teenager Mary Hopkin rises to stardom after her appearance on Opportunity Knocks.
  • In His Own Write, by John Lennon, makes its stage debut at the National Theatre in a version co-authored by and directed by Victor Spinetti.

    • Awards

  • National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Barry)
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Bryn Williams
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Haydn Lewis
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Eigra Lewis Roberts

    • New books

  • Ewart Alexander - Omri's Burning
  • Irma Chilton - Cusanau
  • Pennar Davies - Meibion Darogan
  • Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Y Blaned Dirion
  • Menna Gallie - Travels with a Duchess
  • Glyn Jones - The Dragon Has Two Tongues
  • A. J. R. Russell-Wood - Fidalgos and Philanthropists: The Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Bahia, 1550-1755
  • Gwyn Thomas - A Few Selected Exits
  • Emlyn Williams - Beyond Belief: A Chronicle of Murder and its Detection
  • Urien Wiliam - Dirgelwch y rocedi

    • Music

  • "Delilah", "Help Yourself" and "Love Me Tonight" are hits for Tom Jones.
  • "Bend Me, Shape Me" and "High in the Sky" are hits for Amen Corner.
  • Badfinger sign for the Beatles' Apple label.

    • Film

  • Richard Burton and Donald Houston appear in Where Eagles Dare.
  • Anthony Hopkins makes his first big-screen impact in The Lion in Winter, appearing alongside Timothy Dalton.
  • Hywel Bennett stars in Twisted Nerve.
  • Harry Secombe appears in Oliver!.
  • Timothy Dalton turns down the role of James Bond, feeling that he is too young for the part.

    • Broadcasting

  • HTV takes over the commercial television franchise from TWW. Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, one of the founders of the new company, becomes Director of Programmes.

    • Welsh-language TV and radio

  • Helo Sut Dach Chi?, presented by Hywel Gwynfryn, is the first Welsh-language pop programme on radio.

    • Sport

  • BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Martyn Woodroffe
  • Boxing - Howard Winstone wins the World Featherweight title.
  • Cricket - August 31: During a match between Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire at Swansea, Gary Sobers hits six sixes off one over bowled by Malcolm Nash.
  • Football - Cardiff City reach the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup, losing to Hamburg.
  • 1968 Summer Olympics
  • Richard Meade wins a gold medal as part of the British equestrian team in the Team Three-Day Event
  • David Broome takes a bronze in the Individual Show Jumping Grand Prix.
  • Martyn Woodroffe is the only British swimmer to win a medal - a silver in the men's 200 m butterfly.
  • Rugby union - Jeff Young makes his international debut against Scotland.

    • Births

  • 28 March - Jon Lee, musician (d. 2002)
  • May - Rakie Ayola, actress
  • 28 May - Kylie Minogue, actress and singer (in Melbourne, of maternal Welsh origin)
  • 29 May - Jessica Morden, politician
  • 22 July - Rhys Ifans, actor
  • 13 June - David Gray, musician
  • 26 June - Iwan Roberts, footballer
  • 27 July - Carl Sergeant, politician
  • 30 July - Sean Moore, musician
  • 19 August - Roger Freestone, footballer
  • 23 September - Adam Price, politician
  • 12 October - Mark Donovan, actor
  • 13 December - Steve Robinson, Featherweight boxer
  • date unknown - Trevor Rees-Jones, bodyguard to Diana, Princess of Wales

    • Deaths

  • 13 January - William Williams (Crwys), poet and Archdruid, 93
  • 25 January - Louie Myfanwy Thomas (Jane Ann Jones), novelist, 59
  • 6 February - James Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley
  • 3 May - Ness Edwards, politician
  • 16 July - William Evans (Wil Ifan), poet
  • 24 August - Bailey Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 83
  • 28 August - Arthur Henderson, Baron Rowley, politician
  • 4 September - Arthur Horner, politician
  • 10 November - Tommy Rees, Wales dual-code rugby player, 64
  • 17 November - Carey Morris, artist
  • 20 November - David Grenfell, politician
  • 14 December - David James Jones (Gwenallt), poet
  • date unknown - Dafydd Jones (Isfoel), poet

    • References

    1968 in Wales Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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