This article is about the particular significance of the year 1954 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfnallt
Events 1 April – Civilian flights from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport at Pengam Moors are transferred to the new Cardiff Airport near Rhoose. 29 May – Gwyneth Phillips marries John Dunwoody, continuing a dynasty of Labour politicians. 19 June – The Welsh Chess Union is founded. October – Launch of the Empire News, the first Sunday newspaper to be printed and published in Wales. 19 October – Gwilym Lloyd George becomes Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs – the first Welshman to hold the position. 9 December – Flag of the Church in Wales officially inaugurated.
Arts and literature Awards
National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ystradgynlais) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – John Evans, "Yr Argae" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – E. Llwyd Williams, "Y Bannau" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Owen Elias Roberts, Y Gor o Ystradgynlais
New books Dannie Abse – Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve Kingsley Amis – Lucky Jim Glyn Daniel – Welcome Death Margiad Evans – The Nightingale Silenced (unpublished) Ronald Fenton – The Story of Sker House Eiluned Lewis – Honey Pots and Brandy Bottles V. E. Nash-Williams – The Roman Frontier in Wales Bertrand Russell – Nightmares of Eminent Persons and Other Stories Dylan Thomas – Quite Early One Morning
Music Geraint Evans stars in William Walton's new opera, Troilus and Cressida. Alun Hoddinott – Clarinet Concerto (performed at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli). Arwel Hughes – Menna (opera) Daniel Jones – Symphony no 4
Film Donald Houston co-stars in Doctor in the House. Ray Milland stars in Dial M for Murder. The Black Knight, starring Alan Ladd, is partly filmed at Castell Coch.Cadwm Heritage in Wales, no 32, p7
Broadcasting 25 January – Under Milk Wood is performed for the first time on BBC radio with an all-Welsh cast led by Richard Burton and including Hugh Griffith, Rachel Thomas and Philip Burton.Richard Hughes in Thomas, D. N. (2004), Dylan Remembered 1935-1953, Seren, p.75; and also Hughes' review of Under Milk Wood in The Sunday Times, March 7, 1954.
Sport Football – John Charles finishes the 1953–54 season having scored 42 goals for Leeds United. Rugby union – Wales win the Five Nations Championship, but a loss against England prevents Wales lifting the Triple Crown. BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ken Jones
Births 5 January – Elgan Rees, Wales international rugby player 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian 21 January – Tony Ridler, darts player 12 March – Chris Needs, broadcaster (died 2020) 13 March – Francis Ormsby-Gore, 6th Baron Harlech 17 March – Trish Law, born Patricia Bolter, AM, politician 6 April – Alan Curtis, footballer 19 April – Jon Owen Jones, politician 23 May – David Richards, Wales international rugby player 28 May – Gwyn Morgan, writer 9 June Paul Chapman, rock guitarist Rhys Morgan, Wales international rugby player 7 July – Mickey Thomas, Welsh international footballer August – Ceri Sherlock, filmmaker and theatre director 27 August – Bryn Fôn, singer and actor 12 September – Sir Michael Moritz, businessman and philanthropist 19 September – Mark Drakeford, politician 24 September – Helen Lederer, comedian and actress 25 September – Gareth Thomas, politician 12 October – Keith Griffiths, architect 13 October – Kim Davies, cricketer 14 October – Lowri Gwilym, television and radio producer 13 November – Les Keen, Wales international rugby player
Deaths 12 January – Thomas Brinsmead Williams, cricketer, 69 6 March – William Davies Thomas, academic, 74 25 March – William Jackson, footballer, 78 10 April – Harry Hiams, rugby union international, 67 6 May – J. J. Williams, poet and archdruid, 84 15 June William Ewart Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, 74G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume XIII, page 294. Charles Edwards, politician, 87 10 July – Jack Anthony, jockey, 64 10 August – Ernest Morgan, architect and painter, 72/73 29 September – William John Gruffydd, author and politician, 73 31 October – Rhys Davies, trade unionist and politician, 77 8 November – Sir Geoffrey Crawshay, soldier and social benefactor, 62 3 December – Sir Joseph Davies, statistician and Liberal politician, 87 10 December – Sir Cadwaladr Bryner Jones, civil servant and educationist, 82 14 December – Cliff Pritchard, Welsh international rugby player, 73 20 December – Frank Connah, hockey player, 70 22 December – Robert Richards, Welsh politician, 70
See also 1954 in Northern Ireland
References