This article is about the particular significance of the year 1962 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Archbishop of Wales – Edwin Morris, Bishop of Monmouth Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Trefin
Events January–April – An outbreak of smallpox spreading from Cardiff infects 45 people and kills 19 in south Wales; 900,000 people in the region are vaccinated against the disease. 12 April – Nine miners are killed and nine injured in an accident at Tower Colliery, Hirwaun, Wales. 15 May – Emlyn Hooson wins the Montgomeryshire by-election brought about by the death of Clement Davies. In the run-up to the by-election, the "Elvis Rock" is painted with the graffiti "Elis" by supporters of Plaid Cymru candidate Islwyn Ffowc Elis. 20 July – The world's first regular passenger hovercraft service is introduced between Rhyl and Wallasey. 4 August – Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, is founded. September – Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, the first Welsh-medium secondary school in south Wales, opens its doors. 19 September – Atlantic College opens its doors for the first time at St Donat's Castle, marking the birth of the pioneering United World College educational movement. 26 October – Richard Thomas and Baldwins's new steelworks at Llanwern near Newport, is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. 28 October – Chepstow Railway Bridge rebuilding completed. date unknown Richard Booth opens his first second-hand bookshop at the old fire station in Hay-on-Wye. Cardiff Zoo opened.
Arts and literature 21 March – Actress Rachel Roberts marries Rex Harrison in Genoa. Gwyn Thomas becomes a full-time writer and produces his first stage play, The Keep. Welsh National Opera launches a training scheme for singers. Dick Francis publishes his first thriller, Dead Cert.
Awards National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Llanelli) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Caradog Prichard, "Llef un yn Llefain" National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – D. Emlyn Lewis, Y Cwmwl National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – William Owen, Bu Farw Ezra Bebb
New books Clifford Dyment – The Railway Game Michael Foot – Aneurin Bevan, vol. 1 Menna Gallie – The Small Mine Llewelyn Wyn Griffith – The Adventures of Pryderi The Oxford Book of Welsh Verse Norman Thomas – Ask at the Unicorn Raymond Williams – Communications
Welsh language John Roberts Evans – Ar Drothwy'r Nos William Evans (Wil Ifan) – Colofnau Wil Ifan Gwyn Thomas – Chwerwder yn y Ffynhonnau
Music Dilys Elwyn-Edwards – Caneuon y Tri Aderyn Alun Hoddinott – Folksong Suite William Mathias – Postlude Grace Williams – Four Medieval Welsh Poems for alto, harp and harpsichord
Film Richard Burton and Donald Houston appear in The Longest Day. Peter Greenaway makes his first film: Death of Sentiment. Jack Howells makes the short documentary A Tribute to Dylan Thomas featuring Richard Burton. The film wins an Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject in the following year.
Broadcasting
Welsh-language radio 13 February – Saunders Lewis gives the Welsh Home Service’s Annual Lecture, entitled Tynged yr Iaith (The Fate of the Language).
Television 14 September – The first transmitter, at Preseli, of the Teledu Cymru – Wales (West and North) Television service comes on air.
English-language television 17 September – First edition of the Welsh national news programme BBC Wales Today.
Sport
Football – John Charles returns to Leeds United from several years playing for Italian clubs. Golf – Brian Huggett wins the Dutch Open championship. BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ivor Allchurch
Births 5 January – Geraint Williams, footballer 11 January – Chris Bryant, politician 16 January – Bethan Gwanas, Welsh-language writer 25 May - Martin Goldsmith, footballer 27 June – Michael Ball, singer 28 August – David Melding, politician 15 September – Kevin Allen, actor, comedian and film director 22 July – Arthur Emyr, rugby union player and television presenter and executive 22 August – Iolo Williams, naturalist and TV presenter 5 September – Peter Wingfield, actor 15 October – Mark Ring, rugby union player 24 October – Jonathan Davies, rugby union and league player 11 November - Chris Sander, footballer 31 December – Chris Hallam, wheelchair athlete (died 2013) date unknown Fiona Bennett, composer Sioned Wiliam, broadcaster, writer and producer
Deaths 18 January – Iolo Aneurin Williams, journalist, author and politician, 71 26 January – George Jeffreys, founder of the Elim Pentecostal Church,"Come to Elim" – Healing and Revival 72 11 February – John Edward Daniel, theologian, chairman of Plaid Cymru, 59 (road accident) 14 February – Ezer Griffiths, physicist, 73 27 February – Albert Rhys Williams, Welsh-American journalist, labour organiser, and publicist, 78 23 March – Clement Davies, politician, 80 April – Edgar Morgan, rugby union player, 80 25 April – Herbie Baxter, Glamorgan cricketer, 79 30 April – Charles Williams, Anglican priest and academic, 55 11 May – Eliot Crawshay-Williams, politician and author, 82 16 June – Edgar Rees Jones, barrister and politician, 83 24 June – Thomas Richards, historian, 84 3 August - Edgar Phillips, poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, 72 23 August - Robert Bye, VC recipient, 72 23 September - Margaret Jane Gordon (Lady Gordon), singer, 82 5 November (in London) – Percy Cudlipp, journalist, 56 30 November – Lewis Pugh Evans, Victoria Cross recipient, 81 15 December – Charles Rhys, 8th Baron Dynevor, politician, 63 17 December – Lonza Bowdler, Wales international rugby union player, 61 21 December – Gary Hocking, motorcycle road racer, 25 (racing accident)
See also 1962 in Northern Ireland
References