1971 in Wales

Updated on Sep 30, 2024

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Centuries: 18th19th20th21st
Decades: 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1971 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

Prince of Wales – Charles

Princess of Wales – vacant

Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Thomas

Archbishop of Wales

Glyn Simon, Bishop of Llandaff (retired)

Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor (elected)

Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Tilsli

Events

February - Harold Charles becomes Bishop of St Asaph.

6 May - Singer Dickie Valentine is killed in a car accident on the Glangrwyney bridge near Crickhowell.

28 May - Opening of the Llanberis Lake Railway.

It becomes legal to register marriages in the Welsh language.

The Welsh Nursery Schools Movement is founded in Aberystwyth.

Anglesey Aluminium opens it smelting plant on the outskirts of Holyhead.

Wylfa Nuclear Power Station becomes operational.

Arts and literature

Mary Hopkin marries record producer Tony Visconti.

Welsh performers participate in the first Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Bangor)

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Emrys Roberts

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Bryan Martin Davies

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Ifor Wyn Williams

New books

Rhys Davies - Nobody Answered the Bell

Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Y Gromlech yn yr Haidd

Gwynfor Evans - Aros Mae

Tudor Wilson Evans - Ar Gae'r Brêc

Beti Hughes - Aderyn o Ddyfed

John L. Hughes - Tom Jones Slept Here

Alan Llwyd - Y March Hud

Gwyn Thomas - Y Bardd Cwsg a'i Gefndir

Music

John Cale & Terry Riley - Church of Anthrax

Man - Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In?

Iris Williams - Pererin Wyf (single)

Film

Merthyr Tydfil is one of the locations used for the filming of 10 Rillington Place.

Ruth Madoc appears in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof.

Welsh-language films

None

English-language television

Comedy duo Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams transfer their successful Welsh language show to BBC1.

Nerys Hughes gets her big break in The Liver Birds.

Sport

BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - John Dawes

Cricket - May: In a Glamorgan home match at Sophia Gardens, Roger Davis is struck on the temple while fielding at short leg and is almost killed.

Gymnastics - Pam Hopkins wins the British Women's Championship.

Rugby union - Wales win their sixth Grand Slam.

Sailing - Nicolette Milnes-Walker becomes the first woman to sail non-stop single-handed across the Atlantic.

Births

11 January - Tom Ward, actor

23 January - Scott Gibbs, rugby player

19 March (in Taunton) - Kirsty Williams, politician

2 April - Chico Slimani, singer

8 July - Neil Jenkins, rugby player

18 August (in Limerick) - Aphex Twin, musician

8 September - Martyn Margetson, footballer

26 October - Damon Searle, footballer

5 November - Rob Jones, footballer

date unknown - Jason Walford Davies, poet

Deaths

8 March - Harold Lloyd, American comedy actor of Welsh descent, 77

18 March - Jack Gore, Wales international rugby player, 71

19 April - Thomas Evan Nicholas (Niclas y Glais), writer and political activist, 91

18 May - William Mainwaring MP, miners' leader

20 May - Waldo Williams, poet, 66

29 May - Howell Lewis, Wales international rugby player, 83

5 July - Idris Jones, rugby player, 71

4 September – C. E. Vulliamy, author

9 November - Ceri Richards, artist

27 November - Leslie Thomas, politician, 65

1 December - Jack Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 91

date unknown

Brenda Chamberlain, poet and artist

James Conway Davies, historian and palaeographer

Jack Evans, Welsh footballer)

Clifford Dyment, poet

Ifan Gruffydd ("Y Gŵr o Baradwys")

Dewi Morgan, poet, scholar and journalist

References

1971 in Wales Wikipedia

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