This article is about the particular significance of the year 1970 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Secretary of State for Wales – George Thomas (until 20 June); Peter Thomas Archbishop of Wales – Glyn Simon, Bishop of Llandaff Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Tilsli
Events 11 January – The last trolleybuses run on the Cardiff trolleybus system, the last such system in Wales. 23 May – The 120-year-old Britannia Bridge built by Robert Stephenson across the Menai Strait is destroyed by fire. 2 June – During the construction of the Cleddau Bridge, a cantilever collapses, resulting in the deaths of four workers. It is the last major bridge disaster in the UK. 18 June – In the UK General Election: S. O. Davies, having resigned from the Labour Party, retains his Parliamentary seat of Merthyr Tydfil, standing as an Independent Labour candidate. Gwynfor Evans loses his seat at Carmarthen. Jim Griffiths retires as MP for Llanelli, to be replaced by Denzil Davies. Nigel Birch retires from the House of Commons, to be created Baron Rhyl. 25 October – Pope Paul VI canonizes the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, who include the priests Philip Evans and John Lloyd, John Jones, David Lewis, John Roberts, and the teacher Richard Gwyn.National Calendar for Wales, Liturgy Office for England and Wales, accessed 31 July 2011 Dr Phil Williams becomes the first Chairman of Plaid Cymru.
Arts and literature Robert Plant and Jimmy Page retreat to Bron-Yr-Aur to write songs for Led Zeppelin III.
Awards Bernice Rubens wins the Booker Prize for The Elected Member. National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ammanford) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Tomi Evans, "Y Twrch Trwyth" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Bryan Martin Davies, "Darluniau ar Gynfas" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – withheld
New books
English language Ron Berry – So Long, Hector Bebb Tom Earley – The Sad Mountain Menna Gallie – You're Welcome to Ulster! Sally Roberts Jones – Turning Away John Ormond – Requiem and Celebration Harri Webb – The Green Desert
Welsh language Marion Eames – Y Stafell Ddirgel J. Gwyn Griffiths – Cerddi Cairo John Robert Jones – Ac Onide R. Williams Parry – Yr Haf a Cherddi Eraill Gwynne Williams – Rhwng Gewyn ac Asgwrn T. Wilson Evans – Iwan Tudur
Music Badfinger – No Dice (featuring the original recording of "Without You") John Cale – Vintage Violence Meic Stevens – Outlander Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets – A Legend
Film Stanley Baker stars in The Games. Hugh Griffith appears in Start the Revolution Without Me.
Welsh-language films None
Broadcasting 6 April – HTV starts broadcasting in colour from the Wenvoe transmitting station and from this day becomes known on air as HTV rather than Harlech Television. Coverage of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod is the first colour programme to be made by BBC Wales.
Welsh-language television Fo a Fe makes a star of Ryan Davies, who goes on to make three series of Ryan a Ronnie in Welsh with his partner Ronnie Williams. Cadi' Ha (children's programme) Mr. Lolipop, M. A.
English-language television
Sport Boxing – Eddie Avoth wins the Commonwealth lightweight title. Show Jumping – David Broome wins the individual Show Jumping World Championship. Snooker – Ray Reardon wins the World Professional Snooker Championship for the first time. David Broome wins BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.
Births 1 January – Brian Law, footballer 7 March – Cameron Toshack, footballer 19 March – Tracey Hinton, athlete 2 April – Jason Perry, footballer 15 April – Rebecca John, television presenter 19 May – Stuart Cable, rock musician and television presenter (died 2010) 25 May – Robert Croft, cricketer 18 June – Lucy Owen, television presenter 22 June – Paul Davies, snooker player 18 July – Gruff Rhys, rock musician 27 July (in England) – David Davies, politician 30 July – Alun Cairns, politician 9 August – Lee Jones, football goalkeeper 19 August – Me One (Eric Martin), singer-songwriter and rapper 26 September – Kevin Lloyd, footballer October – Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners 11 October (in England) – Andy Marriott, goalkeeper 14 November – Derwyn Jones, rugby union player 27 November – Stephen Evans, actor and comedy writer 29 December – Aled Jones, singer and radio presenter 31 December – Louise Rickard, rugby union player
Deaths 3 January – Trefor Morgan, financier, 55 4 January – David John Williams (D. J. Williams), author and Plaid Cymru politician, 84 9 January – Caleb Rees, teacher and writer, 86 23 January – Ifan ab Owen Edwards, founder of the Urdd, 74 26 January – Albert Evans-Jones (Cynan), poet, 74 2 February – Bertrand Russell, philosopher, 97 16 February – Bil Perry, Wales international rugby player, 83 22 February – Roddy Hughes, actor, 78 18 March – Hubert Rhys, cricketer, 72 20 April – Thomas Iorwerth Ellis, academic, 70 29 April – Bryn Evans, Welsh rugby international, 68 7 May Annie Davies, radio and TV producer, 59 Jack Jones, novelist, 75 30 May – John Edward Jones, Plaid Cymru leader, 64 3 June – John Robert Jones, philosophy professor, 58 4 June – Daniel John Davies, Independent minister and poet, 84 9 June – Billy Spiller, cricketer and rugby player, 83 18 June – D. Winton Thomas, Hebrew scholar, 69 6 July – Richard Roberts, Archdeacon of St Asaph, 86 10 July – Isaac Griffiths, politician in Canada, 78 3 August – Sir Lincoln Evans, trade unionist, 80"Sir Lincoln Evans: trade union leader", The Times, 5 August 1970 4 August Alun Ogwen Williams, teacher and Eisteddfod administrator, 65 Morgan Williams, politician in New Zealand 26 August – Thomas Mardy Jones, miner and politician, 91 10 October – Owen Picton Davies, journalist, 88 8 November – Huw T. Edwards, trade union leader and politician, 77 17 November – Naunton Wayne, actor, 69
See also 1970 in Northern Ireland
References