Puneet Varma (Editor)

1981 in Wales

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Centuries:
  
18th 19th 20th 21st

Decades:
  
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1981 to Wales and its people.

Contents

Incumbents

  • Prince of Wales – Charles
  • Princess of Wales – Diana (from 29 July)
  • Secretary of State for Wales – Nicholas Edwards
  • Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
  • Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
  • Geraint (outgoing)
  • Jâms Nicholas (incoming)

    • Events

  • January - First phase of St. David's Shopping Centre, Cardiff, opens to the public.
  • January–March - Roy Jenkins co-founds the Social Democratic Party (UK).
  • 24 February - Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of the Prince of Wales.
  • 5 April - Census (UK): Results reveal that the percentage of Welsh language speakers has fallen to an all-time low of 18.9% of the Welsh population and Gwynedd is the only Welsh county with a Welsh-speaking majority.
  • 29 July - The Prince of Wales marries Lady Diana Spencer.
  • Joan Ruddock becomes Chair of CND.

    • Arts and literature

  • 6 June - The Alarm play their first gig, at the Victoria Hotel, Prestatyn.
  • Theatre Wales is established.
  • Harry Secombe receives a knighthood.

    • Awards

  • National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Machynlleth)
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - John Gwilym Jones
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Siôn Aled
  • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - John Griffith Jones

    • English language

  • Clive Jenkins & Barrie Sherman - The Leisure Shock
  • Eiluned Lewis - The Old Home
  • R. S. Thomas - Between Here and Now

    • Welsh language

  • Irma Chilton - Y Cwlwm Gwaed
  • Eigra Lewis Roberts - Merch yr oriau mawr

    • Drama

  • J. R. Evans - Brawd am Byth

    • Music

  • Daniel Jones - Symphony no. 10
  • William Mathias - Let the people praise Thee, O God

    • English-language films

  • The Mouse and the Woman, starring Huw Ceredig.
  • Dragonslayer, with exterior scenes filmed in Wales.

    • English-language television

  • The Life and Times of David Lloyd George, written by Elaine Morgan and starring Philip Madoc

    • Sport

  • Boxing - Neville Meade becomes British heavyweight champion.
  • Football - Neville Southall joins Everton F.C.

    • Births

  • 12 January – Sarah Thomas, field-hockey player
  • 13 March – Ryan Jones, rugby player
  • 17 March - Leigh De-Vulgt, footballer
  • 28 March – Gareth David-Lloyd, actor
  • 6 April – Robert Earnshaw, footballer
  • 23 May – Gwenno Saunders, singer
  • 24 May – Darren Moss, footballer
  • 19 November – Mark Wallace, cricketer
  • 16 December – Gareth Williams Scottish-Welsh footballer
  • date unknown – Sian Reese-Williams, actress

    • Deaths

  • January - Leslie Jones, footballer, 69
  • 1 March - Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, theologian, 81
  • 8 March - Nigel Birch, Baron Rhyl, politician, 74
  • 3 April - Will Owen, miner and politician, 80
  • 13 April - Gwyn Thomas, author, 67
  • 16 June - Billy Hughes, footballer, 63
  • 17 June - Ike Fowler, dual-code international rugby union player, 86
  • 23 July - Goronwy Roberts, Baron Goronwy-Roberts, politician, 67
  • 6 August - George Lewis, footballer, 67
  • 18 September - Brinley Richards, poet, author and archdruid
  • 30 September - Roy John, Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, 55
  • date unknown
  • Tom Griffiths, Welsh international footballer
  • Dai Francis, miners' leader
  • J. E. Meredith, Presbyterian minister and writer

    • References

    1981 in Wales Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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