This article is about the particular significance of the year 1958 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Minister of Welsh Affairs – Henry Brooke Archbishop of Wales – Edwin Morris, Bishop of Monmouth"Alfred Edwin Morris – Archbishop of Wales" in The Journal of Ecclesiastical History (1991), 42 : 527-528 CUP Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – William Morris
Events 18 January – Nigel Birch resigns as Economic Secretary to the Treasury. 5 February – The Wales national football team qualifies for this summer's World Cup in Sweden under the management of Jimmy Murphy. 6 February – Manchester United F.C., the English league champions where Jimmy Murphy is also assistant manager, are involved in a plane crash in Munich, West Germany, on the journey home from a European Cup tie in Yugoslavia. Seven United players are among the 21 people who die, but among the survivors is Swansea-born winger Kenny Morgans. 25 February – The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is launched by Bertrand Russell. 2 April – Accidental discovery of the Caernarfon Mithraeum. 6 May – Murderer Vivian Teed is hanged by Robert Leslie Stewart in Swansea Prison, the last hanging to take place in Wales. 19 June – Wales are knocked out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals, losing to Brazil. 26 July – At the Empire Games in Cardiff, Elizabeth II announces that her son, The Prince Charles (now Charles III), is to be created Prince of Wales. 6 August – Daniel Granville West becomes the first Welsh life peer. 18 August Accidental discovery of Brymbo Man (c.2000 BCE). Regional postage stamps of Great Britain are first issued. 24 October – Huw T. Edwards announces his resignation from the chair of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire in protest at the decision to flood the Tryweryn valley. 13 December – New road bridge across the River Conway at Conway supersedes Telford's suspension bridge. Thomas Parry becomes Principal of University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Arts and literature
Awards
National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ebbw Vale) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – T. Llew Jones, "Caerllion ar Wysg" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Llywelyn Jones, "Cymod" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Edward Cynolwyn Pugh, "Hunangofiant: Ei Ffanffer ei Hun"
New books English language Tom Beynon – Howell Harris, Reformer and Soldier Brenda Chamberlain – The Green Heart Paul Ferris – A Changed Man Cyril Fox – Pattern and purpose: a study of early Celtic art in Britain Peter George – Red Alert Emyr Humphreys – A Toy Epic Bertrand Russell – Understanding History and Other Essays Raymond Williams – Culture and Society
Welsh language Aneirin Talfan Davies – Englynion a Chywyddau Islwyn Ffowc Elis – Blas y Cynfyd Bobi Jones – Nid yw Dwr yn Plygu D. Gwenallt Jones – Cofiant Idwal Jones T. Llew Jones – Trysor Plas y wernen and Merched y môr a chwedlau eraill Ernest Llwyd Williams – Crwydro Sir Benfro
New drama George Fisher – Y Ferch a'r Dewin John Gwilym Jones – Lle Mynno'r Gwynt Saunders Lewis – Brad
Music Daniel Jones – The Country Beyond the Stars (cantata) Ian Parrott – Cor Anglais concerto
Film Richard Burton stars in the film version of Look Back in Anger. Ronald Lewis co-stars in The Wind Cannot Read. Release of The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, with location scenes (representing China) filmed around Nantmor near Beddgelert.
Broadcasting July – In order to broadcast the British Empire and Commonwealth Games from Cardiff, a broadcasting centre is set up on the bank of the River Taff, near Cardiff Arms Park.
Welsh-language television Commercial TV becomes available in Wales, broadcasting some Welsh-language programmes, such as Amser Te.TWW
English-language television 30 November – During the live broadcast of the Armchair Theatre play Underground on the ITV network, actor Gareth Jones has a fatal heart attack between two of his scenes. Gwlad y Gân / Land of Song, with Ivor Emmanuel and Sian Hopkins
Sports British Empire and Commonwealth Games (held in Cardiff): Wales' single gold medal is won by Howard Winstone in the bantamweight boxing competition. Silver medals are won by: John Merriman (6 miles), Malcolm Collins (featherweight boxing), and Robert Higgins (light-heavyweight boxing). Due to being on National Service in the British Army, Swansea fighter Brian Curvis competes in the games for England, winning a bronze medal at welterweight. Football – Wales reaches the quarter-finals of the World Cup, being knocked out by a goal from Pelé. Gymnastics – Margaret Neale of Cardiff is the British Women's Champion for the second year running. BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Howard Winstone
Births 4 January – Gary Jones, actor 1 March – Ian Love, footballer 2 March – Ian Woosnam, golfer 8 March – Wayne Hughes, footballer 16 April – Caryl Parry Jones, singer 30 April – Claire Curtis-Thomas, politician 8 May – Aneirin Hughes, actor 17 May – Paul Whitehouse, actor, writer and comedianComic Paul tells of talent change Wales on Sunday – 28 October 2007 3 July – Siân Lloyd, television presenter 18 July – Chris Ruane, politician 19 July – Angharad Tomos, author 3 September (in Totnes) – Tamsin Dunwoody, politician 16 September – Neville Southall, footballer 4 October – Anneka Rice, television presenter 24 November – Robin Llywelyn, novelist date unknown – Cerith Wyn Evans, conceptual artist
Deaths 31 January – Edgar Long, Wales international rugby player January/February – William Beynon, Canadian oral historian, of Welsh parentage, 69/70B.C. Indian Authority Dies" (obituary for William Beynon). Vancouver, B.C., Province, February 11, 1958, p. 28. 6 February – Charles Langbridge Morgan, novelist and dramatist, 64 11 February – Ernest Jones, psychoanalyst, 79 18 February – Rhisiart Morgan Davies, physicist, 55 2 April – Tudor Davies, singer, 65 3 April – John Strand-Jones, Wales international rugby union player 19 April – Billy Meredith, footballer, 83 28 April – Joseph Booth, rugby player, 84/85Fred Booth player profile Scrum.com 18 July – Ernie Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 77 20 July (in London) – Margaret Haig Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda, political campaigner and businesswoman, 75 29 August – Harry Beadles, international footballer, 60 25 September – Henry Arthur Evans, politician, 60 9 October – Sven Hansen, ship-owner, 82Obituary, The Times, 16 October 1958 30 October – Tommy Vile, Welsh international rugby player, 76 4 November – Dick Jones, Welsh international rugby player, 78 30 November (in Manchester) – Gareth Jones, actor, 33 November – Ivor Lewis, Welsh-Canadian artist, 76 13 December – Rose Davies, teacher, feminist, and labour activist, 66Neil Evans, "(Florence) Rose Davies" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press 2011): accessed 1 April 2016; doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70090 date unknown – Evan Edwards, footballer, 59/60
See also 1958 in Northern Ireland
References