1970 in Wales

Incumbents

Prince of Wales – Charles

Princess of Wales – vacant

Secretary of State for Wales – George Thomas (until 20 June); Peter Thomas

Archbishop of Wales – Glyn Simon, Bishop of Llandaff

Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Tilsli

Events

11 January - The last trolleybuses run on the Cardiff trolleybus system, the last such system in Wales.

23 May - The 120-year-old Britannia Bridge built by Robert Stephenson across the Menai Strait is destroyed by fire.

2 June - During the construction of the Cleddau Bridge, a cantilever collapses, resulting in the deaths of four workers. It is the last major bridge disaster in the UK.

18 June - In the UK General Election:

S. O. Davies, having resigned from the Labour Party, retains his Parliamentary seat of Merthyr Tydfil, standing as an Independent Labour candidate.

Gwynfor Evans loses his seat at Carmarthen.

Jim Griffiths retires as MP for Llanelli, to be replaced by Denzil Davies.

Nigel Birch retires from the House of Commons, to be created Baron Rhyl.

25 October - Pope Paul VI canonizes the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, who include the priests Philip Evans and John Lloyd, John Jones, David Lewis, John Roberts, and the teacher Richard Gwyn.

Dr Phil Williams becomes the first Chairman of Plaid Cymru.

Arts and literature

Richard Burton appears in the stage version of Equus.

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page retreat to Bron-Yr-Aur to write songs for Led Zeppelin III.

Awards

Bernice Rubens wins the Booker Prize for The Elected Member.

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ammanford)

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Tomi Evans

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Bryan Martin Davies

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld

English language

Ron Berry - So Long, Hector Bebb

Tom Earley - The Sad Mountain

Menna Gallie - You're Welcome to Ulster!

Sally Roberts Jones - Turning Away

John Ormond - Requiem and Celebration

Harri Webb - The Green Desert

Welsh language

Marion Eames - Y Stafell Ddirgel

J. Gwyn Griffiths - Cerddi Cairo

John Robert Jones - Ac Onide

R. Williams Parry - Yr Haf a Cherddi Eraill

Gwynne Williams - Rhwng Gewyn ac Asgwrn

T. Wilson Evans - Iwan Tudur

Music

Badfinger - No Dice (featuring the original recording of "Without You")

John Cale - Vintage Violence

Meic Stevens - Outlander

Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets - A Legend

Film

Stanley Baker stars in The Games.

Hugh Griffith appears in Start the Revolution Without Me.

Welsh-language films

None

Broadcasting

Coverage of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod is the first colour programme to be made by BBC Wales.

Welsh-language television

Fo a Fe makes a star of Ryan Davies.

Sport

BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - David Broome

Boxing - Eddie Avoth wins the Commonwealth lightweight title.

Snooker - Ray Reardon wins the World Professional Championship for the first time.

Show Jumping - David Broome wins the individual Show Jumping World Championship.

Births

1 January - Brian Law, footballer

7 March - Cameron Toshack, footballer

19 March - Tracey Hinton, athlete

2 April - Jason Perry, footballer

15 April - Rebecca John, TV presenter

19 May - Stuart Cable, rock musician and television presenter (died 2010)

25 May - Robert Croft, cricketer

22 June - Paul Davies, snooker player

18 July - Gruff Rhys, musician

27 July - David Davies, politician

30 July - Alun Cairns, politician

9 August - Lee Jones, football goalkeeper

26 September - Kevin Lloyd, footballer

14 November - Derwyn Jones, rugby union player

27 November - Stephen Evans, actor and comedy writer

29 December - Aled Jones, singer and radio presenter

31 December - Louise Rickard, rugby union player

date unknown

Lucy Owen, TV presenter

Gary Pritchard, sports reporter

Deaths

3 January - Trefor Morgan, financier, 55

4 January - David John Williams (D. J. Williams), author and Plaid Cymru politician, 84

23 January - Ifan ab Owen Edwards, founder of the Urdd, 74

26 January - Albert Evans-Jones (Cynan), poet, 74

2 February - Bertrand Russell, philosopher, 97

16 February - Bil Perry, Wales international rugby player, 83

20 April - Thomas Iorwerth Ellis, academic, 70

29 April - Bryn Evans, Welsh rugby international, 68

7 May - Jack Jones, novelist, 75

30 May - John Edward Jones, Plaid Cymru leader, 64

3 June - John Robert Jones, philosophy professor, 58

9 June - Billy Spiller, cricketer and rugby player, 83

10 July - Isaac Griffiths, politician in Canada, 78

7 November - Naunton Wayne, actor, 69

9 November - Huw T. Edwards, trade union leader and politician, 77