1968 in Wales

none thumb | right 1968 This article is about the particular significance of the year 1968 to Wales and its people. Incumbents United Kingdom incumbents 1968 in the United Kingdom#Incumbents Secretary of State for Wales – Cledwyn Hughes (until 5 April); George Thomas (from 6 April)E. B. Pryde D. E. Greenway S. Porter I. Roy Handbook of British Chronology https://books.google.com/books?id=zcgxEvGAK_kC&pg=PA157 23 February 1996 Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-56350-5 157 Archbishop of Wales – Glyn Simon, Bishop of LlandaffWho was who https://books.google.com/books?id=HT4OAQAAMAAJ 1971 A. & C. Black 728 9780312877460 Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – E. Gwyndaf Evans Events 9 May – County borough and district elections take place, with the Labour Party losing its majority on Newport Borough Council after 16 years.Labour hammered in S. Wales polls South Wales Echo 10 May 1968 13 10 August – Gulf Oil's new refinery at Milford Haven is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.Board of Trade Journal H.M. Stationery Office 1968 457 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". Griffiths Robert Robert Griffiths (politician) S. O. Davies: A Socialist Faith Gomer Press Llandysul, Dyfed 1983 978-0-85088-887-4 278–79 (quoted from The Western Mail, 14 September 1968) October – Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, the only nuclear power station to be located in a national park, is opened. November – In the referendum on the Sunday opening of public houses, the counties of Anglesey, Caernarfon, Cardigan, Carmarthen and Merioneth vote to stay "dry". 17 December – Official opening of first phase of the Royal Mint's new Llantrisant plant.Daily Mail Year Book https://books.google.com/books?id=Kw0yAQAAIAAJ 1985 Associated Newspapers Groups, Limited 9780851442662 The Welsh Office acquires responsibility for historic monuments, and for the water supply in Wales. The first bilingual (Welsh/English) postage stamp is issued, in recognition of the Prince of Wales's forthcoming investiture.Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).: House of Commons Official report https://books.google.com/books?id=80seAQAAMAAJ 1969 H.M. Stationery Office Hugh Cudlipp becomes Chairman of the International Publishing Corporation. Arts and literature Welsh National Opera acquires a professional chorus.Richard Fawkes Welsh National Opera https://books.google.com/books?id=EvsXAQAAIAAJ 1986 Julia MacRae 978-0-86203-184-8 Cefn Cwrt Farm, Llangrannog, is purchased for use by the Urdd Gobaith Cymru. The Drama Tent is introduced to the Eisteddfod field.Reference Wales https://books.google.com/books?id=-j0ro22GZU8C 1994 University of Wales Press 978-0-7083-1234-6 Cwmni Theatr Cymru is formed in Bangor.Meic Stephens The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00meic registration April 1986 Oxford University Press 153 Actress 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 Britain's National Theatre in a version co-authored by and directed by Victor Spinetti.https://www.beatlesbible.com/1968/06/18/premiere-of-in-his-own-write-stage-play/ Première of the In His Own Write stage play 18 June 1968 Beatles Bible 28 March 2020 Awards National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Barry) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Bryn Williams, "Awdl Foliant i'r Morwr"https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/winners-chair Winners of the Chair National Eisteddfod of Wales 17 November 2019 28 March 2020 13 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210213204407/https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/winners-chair dead National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Haydn Lewis, "Meini"https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/crown-winners Winners of the Crown National Eisteddfod of Wales 17 November 2019 28 March 2020 7 November 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191107194429/https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/crown-winners dead National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Eigra Lewis Roberts, Y Drych Creulonhttps://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/winners-prose-medal Winners of the Prose Medal National Eisteddfod of Wales 28 March 2019 7 November 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191107194428/https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/winners-prose-medal dead New books English language Menna Gallie – Travels with a DuchessMeic Stephens Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru https://books.google.com/books?id=WoMYAAAAIAAJ 1998 University of Wales Press 978-0-7083-1383-1 257 Glyn Jones – The Dragon Has Two TonguesTim Woods Who's Who of Twentieth Century Novelists https://books.google.com/books?id=d9xaDOHuzgQC&pg=PA184 21 February 2008 Routledge 978-1-134-70991-5 184 A. J. R. Russell-Wood – Fidalgos and Philanthropists: The Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Bahia, 1550–1755 Gwyn Thomas – A Few Selected ExitsThe Cambridge History of Welsh Literature Cambridge University Press 2019 9781107106765 403 Welsh language Irma Chilton – Cusanau Pennar Davies – Meibion DaroganEuropa Publications International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004 https://books.google.com/books?id=phhhHT64kIMC&pg=PA132 2003 Psychology Press 978-1-85743-179-7 132 Islwyn Ffowc Elis – Y Blaned DirionMeic Stephens Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru https://books.google.com/books?id=WoMYAAAAIAAJ 1998 University of Wales Press 978-0-7083-1383-1 214 Urien Wiliam – cy Dirgelwch y rocedi Drama Ewart Alexander – Omri's BurningMeic Stephens Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru https://books.google.com/books?id=WoMYAAAAIAAJ 1998 University of Wales Press 978-0-7083-1383-1 9 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 8 April–31 May – Filming of Carry On Up the Khyber with location scenes in Snowdonia. Richard Burton and Donald Houston appear in Where Eagles Dare.Terence Pettigrew British Film Character Actors: Great Names and Memorable Moments https://books.google.com/books?id=z3Wl9qRevrEC&pg=PA97 1982 Rowman & Littlefield 978-0-7153-8270-7 97 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 20 May – Harlech Television 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. English-language television Sport BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Martyn Woodroffehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/20670643 BBC Wales Sport Personality winners BBC Sport 28 March 2020 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.https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/12/richard-meade Richard Meade obituary 12 January 2015 Victoria Spicer Guardian 12 February 2025 David Broome takes a bronze in the Individual Show Jumping Grand Prix.https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/david-broome/4cQnIdy3MuQJGQNdIfLBTD David Broome Team GB 12 February 2025 Martyn Woodroffe is the only British swimmer to win a medal – a silver in the men's 200 m butterfly.James Coote Olympic Report 1968: Mexico & Grenoble https://books.google.com/books?id=kEUTAQAAIAAJ 1968 Hale 8 Rugby union – Jeff Young makes his international debut against Scotland. Births 3 March – Trevor Rees-Jones, bodyguard to Diana, Princess of Wales (in Germany) 28 March – Jon Lee, rock drummer (d. 2002) May – Rakie Ayola, actress 14 May – Greg Davies, comedianhttps://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-12-11/greg-davies-royal-variety-performance-presenter-inbetweeners-taskmaster-man-down/ Who is Greg Davies? Radio Times 17 February 2020 28 May – Kylie Minogue, actress and singer (in Melbourne, of maternal Welsh origin)https://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/kylie-minogue/ Kylie Minogue – Biography Hello! 16 March 2020 live https://web.archive.org/web/20200127165807/https://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/kylie-minogue/ 27 January 2020 29 May – Jessica Morden, politician 1 June – Susan Jones, Welsh politician 13 June – David Gray, folk-rock singer-songwriter 22 July – Rhys Ifans, actorhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/rhys-ifans/pages/biography.shtml Rhys Ifans biography 7 October 2010 Kimberley Bond BBC Wales Arts 17 February 2020 26 June – Iwan Roberts, footballer 27 July – Carl Sargeant, politician (suicide 2017) 30 July – Sean Moore, rock percussionist 19 August – Roger Freestone, footballer 22 September – Robert Buckland, politician, Solicitor General for England and WalesJohn Blundell Remembering Margaret Thatcher: Commemorations, Tributes and Assessments https://books.google.com/books?id=4MYn9j-gftAC&pg=PA114 2013 Algora Publishing 978-1-62894-017-6 114 23 September – Adam Price, politicianValerie Passmore Dod's Parliamentary Companion: Guide to the General Election, 2005 https://books.google.com/books?id=XhMWAQAAIAAJ 2005 Dod's Parliamentary Companion Limited 978-0-905702-57-5 322 12 October – Mark Donovan, actor 18 October – Rhod Gilbert, comedian 28 November – Andrew RT Davies, politician 13 December – Steve Robinson, featherweight boxer December – Abi Morgan, screenwriter Deaths 13 January – William Williams (Crwys), poet and Archdruid, 93https://biography.wales/article/s2-WILL-WIL-1875 WILLIAMS, WILLIAM ('Crwys'; 1875–1968), poet, preacher, archdruid William Rhys Nicholas Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 25 January – Louie Myfanwy Thomas (Jane Ann Jones), novelist, 59https://biography.wales/article/s2-THOM-MYF-1908 THOMAS, LOUIE MYFANWY ('Jane Ann Jones'; 1908–1968), novelist Hedd ab Emlyn Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 6 February – Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley, 84,https://biography.wales/article/s2-BERR-BUC-1847 BERRY (family) (Lords Buckland, Camrose and Kemsley), industrialists and newspaper proprietors Mary Auronwy James Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 in Monaco 3 May – Ness Edwards, politician, 71https://biography.wales/article/s2-EDWA-NES-1897 EDWARDS, NESS (1897–1968), trade unionist and Member of Parliament John Davies Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 16 July – William Evans (Wil Ifan), poet, 85s2-EVAN-WIL-1883 Evans, William ('Wil Ifan'; 1883-1968), minister (Congl.), poet and writer in Welsh and English Gerallt Jones 2001 National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 24 August – Bailey Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 83 28 August – Arthur Henderson, Baron Rowley, politician, 75Rowley U48583 was 2018 online 4 September – Arthur Horner, politician, 74Rajani Palme Dutt Labour Monthly https://books.google.com/books?id=xbNZAAAAYAAJ 1968 Labour Publishing Company 469 10 November – Tommy Rees, Wales dual-code rugby player, 64 17 November – Carey Morris, artist, 86 20 November – David Grenfell, politician, 87s8-GREN-RHY-1881 Grenfell, David Rhys ('Dai') (1881–1968), Labour politician John Graham Jones 2013 National Library of Wales 3 March 2019 24 December – D. Gwenallt Jones, poet, 69s2-JONE-JAM-1899 Jones, David James ('Gwenallt'; 1899-1968), poet, critic and scholar Brynley Francis Roberts 2001 15 March 2022 date unknown Dafydd Jones (Isfoel), poet Manfri Wood, last known speaker of the Welsh-Romani languageKenrick Donald 2010 The A to Z of the Gypsies (Romanies) https://books.google.com/books?id=Yoqi_Q0ch3wC&pg=PA289&dq=%22Wales+Manfri+Wood%22#q=%22Wales%20Manfri%20Wood%22 Toronto Scarecrow Press 289 9780810875616 See also 1968 in Northern Ireland References Wales Wales Category:1968 in Europe Category:1960s in Wales