This article is about the particular significance of the year 1949 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents Archbishop of Wales David Prosser, Bishop of St David's (retired) John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff (elected) Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Wil Ifan
Events Easter - Urdd Gobaith Cymru holds its first "Celtic camp". April - The government decides to establish an Advisory Council for Wales. 20 May - Council for Wales and Monmouthshire first meets, with Huw T. Edwards as its first chairman. June - Meteorologist David Brunt is knighted.British Empire list: 12 June - Britain's first all-world Muslim conference is held in Cardiff. 21 September The first comprehensive school in Wales is opened in Holyhead, Anglesey. A meteorite falls through the roof of the Prince Llewelyn Hotel, Beddgelert. John Morgan is enthroned as Archbishop of Wales. 4 November - Cwmbran is designated as the first New Town in Wales under powers of the New Towns Act 1946. 26 December - The Gwyn Nicholls memorial gates at Cardiff Arms Park are officially opened. date unknown Closure of the granite quarry at Llanbedrog, the last in the town. Sale of Bron-y-garth, Porthmadog, ancestral home of Sir Lewis Casson. Bodnant Garden is donated to the National Trust. Gwynfor Evans is elected to Merionethshire County Council. Jack Jones spends three months in the USA promoting the Moral Re-Armament Movement.
Arts and literature May - Dylan and Caitlin Thomas settle at the Boat House, Laugharne. Geraint Evans stars in The Marriage of Figaro at Covent Garden. Huw Menai is granted a civil list pension.
Awards National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Dolgellau) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Roland Jones, "Y Graig" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - John Tudor James, "Meirionnydd" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld
New books English language Dannie Abse - After Every Green Thing Stan Awbery - Labour's Early Struggles in Swansea David James Davies - Towards an Economic Democracy Cledwyn Hughes - A Wanderer in North Wales Arthur Leach - Charles Norris of Tenby and Waterwynch Gordon Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald of Gwaenysgor - Newfoundland at the Cross Roads Thomas Mardy-Jones - Character, Coal and Corn – the Roots of British Power Bertrand Russell - Authority and the Individual Gwyn Thomas - All Things Betray Thee
Welsh language Aneirin Talfan Davies - Gwyr Llen Richard Davies (Isgarn) - Caniadau Isgarn (posthumously published) John Daniel Vernon Lewis - Bydd melys fy myfyrdod: detholiad o lyfr y Salmau Kate Roberts - Stryd y Glep Louie Myfanwy Thomas as Jane Ann Jones - Y bryniau pell as Ffanni Llwyd - Diwrnod yw ein bywyd (submitted to National Eisteddfod; published 1954) William Nantlais Williams - Emynau'r daith
Music Ivor Novello - King's Rhapsody Grace Williams - Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes - first recording, made by London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mansel Thomas (first recording of any work by a female Welsh composer)
Film Blue Scar, starring Kenneth Griffith and Rachel Thomas The Last Days of Dolwyn, starring Emlyn Williams, Richard Burton and Hugh Griffith Yr Etifeddiaeth (The Heritage), documentary by Geoff Charles and John Roberts Williams, depicting traditional ways of life in rural North Wales, with narration by Cynan; the first film to be made in the Welsh language The Fruitful Year, a promotional film about Wales, commissioned by the Post Office National Savings The Road to Yesterday, travelogue made for troops serving abroad
Broadcasting January - Glyn Griffiths writes: "It would be advisable now for Wales to weigh in with its campaign of aggravation and persuasion to get a Welsh Radio Corporation."
Sport Football - John Charles joins Leeds United Netball - The Welsh team plays its first international matches, against Scotland and England Rugby Union 26 March - France beats Wales 5–3 at the Stade Colombes in Paris 26 December - Rhys Gabe officially opens the Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Gates at Cardiff Arms Park. Steeplechasing - The first Welsh Grand National to be run at Chepstow Racecourse is won by Dick Francis riding Fighting Line.
Births 1 January - Sue Jones-Davies, actress, singer and local politician 7 February - Martin Daunton, historian and academic 2 March - J. P. R. Williams, rugby player (died 2024) 5 March - Mike Gwilym, actor 9 March - Neil Hamilton, politician 22 March - John Toshack, footballer and football manager 14 April - Dennis Bryon, rock drummer (died 2024) 22 May Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, politician Derek Quinnell, rugby player 5 June - Ken Follett, novelist 11 June - Tom Pryce, racing driver (killed in racing accident 1977) 14 June - Alan Evans, darts player (died 1999) 23 June - Hilary Boyd, novelist 16 July - Angharad Rees, actress (died 2012) 15 August - Richard Deacon, sculptor and academic 25 August (in Oxford) - Martin Amis, novelist 24 October - Nick Ainger, politician 29 October - Alun Ffred Jones AM, politician 18 November - William Graham AM, politician 15 December (in Epsom) - Jane Hutt AM, politician date unknown Anthony O'Donnell, actor M. J. Trow, writer
Deaths 20 January - Artie Moore, wireless operator (born 1887) 21 January J. H. Thomas, politician, 72 Rowley Thomas, Wales international rugby player, 85 7 March - T. Gwynn Jones ("Tir-na-Nog"), poet and journalist, 77 20 April - Sir Evan Davies Jones, 1st Baronet, civil engineer and politician, 90 21 April - Sir Alfred Thomas Davies, civil servant, 88 27 April - Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar, poet and occulist, 55 1 May - Horace Lyne, Wales international rugby player and WRU president, 88 3 May - David John Tawe Jones, composer, 64 8 May - Abel J. Jones, teacher, writer and public servant 6 June - Walter E. Rees, Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union, 86 3 July - William McCutcheon, Wales international rugby player, 78/79 23 July - John Bodvan Anwyl (Bodfan), lexicographer, 74 10 August - William Jones Williams, public servant, 86 26 August - Edgar Chappell, sociologist, 70 1 September - Dr Teddy Morgan, Welsh international rugby player, 69 24 October - T. Rowland Hughes, author, 46 9 November - William Dowell, Wales dual code rugby international, 64 16 December - George Maitland Lloyd Davies, pacifist politician, 59
See also 1949 in Northern Ireland
References