1956 in Wales
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 1956 to Wales and its people.
Contents
Incumbents
- Prince of Wales – vacant (The Duke of Cornwall (Prince Charles) was not created Prince of Wales until 1958)
- Princess of Wales – vacant
- Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfnallt
Events
- 2 April - Huw Wheldon marries Jacqueline Clarke.
- 24 April - A 250,000 signature petition is presented to the Westminster parliament by the all-party Parliament for Wales Campaign.
- 9 May - The Gower Peninsula becomes the first area in the British Isles to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- 9 July - Mettoy introduce Corgi Toys model cars, manufactured at Fforestfach in South Wales.
- 22 November - In a mining accident at Lewis Merthyr Colliery, seven men are killed.
- Bangor Normal College and Trinity College, Carmarthen introduce courses in Welsh-medium teaching.
- Opening of the first Welsh-medium secondary school in Wales - Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Rhyl.
- Aberystwyth's town clock is demolished.
- The last Welsh-built naval vessel afloat, former iron screw frigate HMS Inconstant (1868), built at Pembroke Dock, is broken up (in Belgium).
Arts and literature
- Welsh language periodical Y Faner is bought by Huw T. Edwards and thus saved from going out of business.
- 22 November - The New Scientist is founded by Percy Cudlipp, who becomes its first editor.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Aberdare)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Mathonwy Hughes
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - withheld
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Ray Evans
New books
English language
- Margiad Evans - A Candle Ahead
- Bertrand Russell - Portraits from Memory and Other Essays
Welsh language
- Huw T. Edwards - Tros y Tresi
- Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Yn Ôl i Leifior
- David Rees Griffiths - Caneuon Amanwy
- Kate Roberts - Y Byw sy'n Cysgu
- Waldo Williams - Dail Pren
Drama
- John Roberts Evans - Broc Môr
Music
- February - Release of Shirley Bassey's first single, Burn My Candle (At Both Ends)
- William Mathias - Suite for Trumpet and Piano, Op.4
- Grace Williams - Symphony No. 2
Film
- Richard Burton stars in Alexander the Great; William Squire also appears.
- Glynis Johns stars in The Court Jester.
- Edmund Gwenn makes his last film appearance.
- Moby Dick partly filmed at Lower Fishguard.
Broadcasting
- The BBC Light Programme becomes available on VHF from Wenvoe.
Welsh-language television
- Granada Television begins producing produced up to an hour a week of current affairs and education programmes in Welsh, to serve the overlap audience in north Wales.
English-language television
- June - First televised English-language play produced in Wales, Wind of Heaven.
Sport
- Boxing
- 27 August - Joe Erskine defeats Johnny Williams in Cardiff to win the vacant British heavyweight title.
- Rugby Union
- Wales under the captaincy of Cliff Morgan, win the Five Nations Championship for the fifth time this decade.
- 24 March - Wales beat France 5–3 in a game held at the National Stadium, Cardiff
- BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Joe Erskine
Births
- 7 January - Johnny Owen, boxer (died 1980)
- 7 April - Christine Chapman AM, politician
- 14 June - Keith Pontin, former international footballer
- 7 September - Byron Stevenson, footballer (died 2007)
- 3 November - Carl Harris, international footballer
- 4 November - Nia Griffith MP, politician
- 19 December - John Griffiths, politician
- 23 December - Robert Gwilym, actor
Deaths
- 4 January - Robert Williams Parry, poet, 71
- 10 January - Jack Johns, cricketer, 70
- 14 January - Sam Ramsey, Wales international rugby union player
- 23 January - William Harris, academic and translator, 71
- 1 February - John Lloyd-Jones, academic, 70
- 22 February - Nathaniel Walters, Wales international rugby player, 80
- 27 February - Tudor Rees, lawyer, judge and Liberal politician, 75
- May - Iwan Bala, artist
- 19 May - Peter Freeman, politician, 67
- 8 June - Walter Rice, 7th Baron Dynevor, soldier, civil servant and politician, 82
- 5 July - Fred Birt, Welsh international rugby union player, 69
- 11 June - Frank Brangwyn, artist, 89
- 17 August - William Havard, Bishop of St. Davids and international rugby player, 66
- 31 August - Winifred Coombe Tennant, politician and philanthropist, 81
- 13 September - David Davies, footballer, 77
- 11 October - David James Davies, economist and politician, 63
- 16 October - Robert Evans (Cybi), historian, 84
- 22 November - Rhys Hopkin Morris MP, politician, 68
- 16 December - Nina Hamnett, artist, 66
- 28 December - John Dyfnallt Owen, poet and archdruid, 83
