This article is about the particular significance of the year 1932 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – Alfred George Edwards,

Bishop of St Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is loca ...

* Archdruid of the

National Eisteddfod of Wales The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Eur ...

** Pedrog (outgoing) ** Gwili (incoming)

Events

25 January Events Pre-1600 * 41 – After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman emperor by the Senate. * 750 – In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dynasty. ...

– Leif Jones is created Baron Rhayader. *

1 March Events Pre-1600 *509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. * 293 – Emperor Diocletian and ...

( Saint David's Day) – Members of Plaid Cymru on two occasions replace the Union Jack flying over

Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon Castle ( cy, Castell Caernarfon ) – often anglicised as Carnarvon Castle or Caernarvon Castle – is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north-west Wales cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environ ...

with a flag displaying the red Welsh Dragon. *c. August – The

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl The Grand Pavilion is an entertainment venue in Porthcawl, Bridgend County Borough, Wales, opened in 1932. It has an octagonal dome and extensive frontage, and was originally intended as a Palm Court for hosting tea dances, balls and civic fu ...

, is completed. * Plaid Cymru adopts self-government as its official policy. * Hilary Marquand’s economic surveys of

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

highlight the depressed conditions in the area during the Great Depression in the United Kingdom.

Arts and literature

* Frank Brangwyn completes the Empire Panels. *Welsh-language newspaper ''Y Cymro'' is launched.

Awards

(held in Port Talbot) *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – D. J. Davies, "Mam" *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown –

Thomas Eurig Davies Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas t ...

, "A Ddioddefw a Orfu"

New books

English language

* Margiad Evans – ''Country Dance'' *

Elisabeth Inglis-Jones Portrait of Inglis-Jones taken from a painting by Cecil Jameson Elisabeth Inglis-Jones (1900–1994) was a Welsh historical novelist, local historian and biographer. ''Starved Fields'' (1929) was the first of six historical novels she published. ...

– ''Crumbling Pageant'' * Howard Spring – ''Darkie and Co.'' *

Hilda Vaughan Hilda Campbell Vaughan (married name Morgan, 12 June 1892 – 4 November 1985) was a Welsh novelist and short story writer writing in English. Her ten varied novels, set mostly in her native Radnorshire, concern rural communities and heroines. ...

– ''The Soldier and the Gentlewoman'' *

Francis Brett Young Francis Brett Young (29 June 1884 – 28 March 1954) was an English novelist, poet, playwright, composer, doctor and soldier. Life Francis Brett Young was born in Halesowen, Worcestershire. He received his early education at Iona, a ...

– ''The House Under the Water''

Welsh language

Richard Ithamar Aaron Richard Ithamar Aaron, (6 November 1901 – 29 March 1987), was a Welsh philosopher who became an authority on the work of John Locke. He also wrote a history of philosophy in the Welsh language. Early life and education Born in Blaendulais, ...

– ''Hanes Athroniaeth'' * T. H. Parry-Williams – ''Canu Rhydd Cynnar'' *

David Walters (Eurof) David Lee Walters (born November 20, 1951) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 24th governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995. Born in Canute, Oklahoma, Walters was a project manager for Governor David Boren and the young ...

– ''Pwerau'r Deufyd''

Music

* W. Bradwen – ''Mab yr ystorm'' * Grace Williams **''Suite for orchestra'' **''Two Psalms for contralto, harp and strings''

Film

13 June Events Pre-1600 * 313 – The decisions of the Edict of Milan, signed by Constantine the Great and co-emperor Valerius Licinius, granting religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire, are published in Nicomedia. * 1325 – Ibn Battut ...

– Port Talbot-born English actress Peg Entwistle signs a contract with RKO in the United States. *

16 September Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Pope Honorius I is posthumously excommunicated by the Sixth Ecumenical Council. *1400 – Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers. 1601–1900 *1620 – A determined band of 35 religi ...

– Peg Entwistle commits suicide by jumping from the letter "H" of the giant

Hollywoodland sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spellin ...

. *

20 October Events Pre-1600 *1568 – The Spanish Duke of Alba defeats a Dutch rebel force under William the Silent. *1572 – Eighty Years' War: Three thousand Spanish soldiers wade through fifteen miles of water in one night to effect the rel ...

– Release of comedy horror '' The Old Dark House'', set entirely in Wales but filmed wholly in Hollywood. * Edmund Gwenn appears in ''Tell Me Tonight'', ''Money for Nothing'', ''Condemned to Death'', ''Love on Wheels'', ''Lord Babs'' and ''Frail Women''.

Broadcasting

The broadcasting committee of the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party obtains agreement from the BBC to broadcast a fortnightly programme and religious content in the Welsh language.

Sport

* Boxing **

3 February Events Pre-1600 * 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. *1451 – Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. *1488 – ...

– Jack Petersen beats

Dick Power Richard John Power (13 December 1903 – unknown) was a Welsh professional heavyweight boxer. Born in Crumlin in Monmouthshire, Power became the Welsh heavyweight champion in 1926. Boxing career Although there is little record of Power's a ...

to take the Welsh heavyweight title. **

23 May Events Pre-1600 *1430 – Joan of Arc is captured at the Siege of Compiègne by troops from the Burgundian faction. *1498 – Girolamo Savonarola is burned at the stake in Florence, Italy. *1533 – The marriage of King Henry VIII ...

– Jack Petersen wins the British light-heavyweight title against

Harry Crossley Harry Crossley (4 May 1904 – 6 December 1948) was a British boxer who was British light heavyweight champion between 1929 and 1932. Career Based in Mexborough, Yorkshire, and a miner by trade, Harry Crossley began his boxing career with two bou ...

. **

12 July Events Pre-1600 * 70 – The armies of Titus attack the walls of Jerusalem after a six-month siege. Three days later they breach the walls, which enables the army to destroy the Second Temple. * 927 – King Constantine II o ...

– Jack Petersen wins the British heavyweight title against Reggie Meen.

Births

12 March Events Pre-1600 * 538 – Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city to the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius. * 1088 – Election of Urban II as the 159th Pope of the Cat ...

– John Harris, dean of Brecon (died

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

) *

20 March Events Pre-1600 * 673 – Emperor Tenmu of Japan assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Palace of Kiyomihara in Asuka. * 1206 – Michael IV Autoreianos is appointed Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. *1600 – The Linkö ...

–

Garfield Owen Garfield David Owen (20 Mar 1932 – 17 Jan 2019) was a Welsh teacher, and dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He first played amateur rugby for Llanharan RFC, Maest ...

, Wales dual-code rugby international * 6 April –

Leon Eagles Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

, actor (died

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

) *

28 May Events Pre-1600 * 585 BC – A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by the Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from w ...

– John Savage, prime minister of Nova Scotia (died

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...

) *

30 May Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus and his Roman legions breach the Second Wall of Jerusalem. Jewish defenders retreat to the First Wall. The Romans build a circumvallation, cutting down all trees within fifteen kilometres ...

– Ivor Richard, Baron Richard, politician (died

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

) * 31 May – Glyn Davies, footballer (died

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

) * 22 June –

Mary Wynne Warner Mary Wynne Warner (née Davies; 22 June 1932 – 1 April 1998) was a Welsh mathematician, specializing in fuzzy mathematics.M. W. Warner"Towards a Mathematical Theory of Fuzzy Topology"in R. Lowen and M. R. Roubens, eds., ''Fuzzy Logic: State of ...

, mathematician (died 1998) *

30 June Events Pre-1600 * 296 – Pope Marcellinus begins his papacy. * 763 – The Byzantine army of emperor Constantine V defeats the Bulgarian forces in the Battle of Anchialus. * 1422 – Battle of Arbedo between the duke of Milan an ...

– Derek Tapscott, footballer (died

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

) *

10 July Events Pre-1600 * 138 – Emperor Hadrian of Rome dies of heart failure at his residence on the bay of Naples, Baiae; he is buried at Rome in the Tomb of Hadrian beside his late wife, Vibia Sabina. * 645 – Isshi Incident: Prince ...

–

Maureen Guy Ruth Maureen Guy (10 July 1932 – 14 February 2015) was a Welsh mezzo-soprano singer. The youngest of six children of a coal miner, she was influenced by church music in her youth. Guy's debut came at Sadler's Wells Theatre and several of her e ...

, mezzo-soprano (died

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

) *

27 July Events Pre-1600 *1054 – Siward, Earl of Northumbria, invades Scotland and defeats Macbeth, King of Scotland, somewhere north of the Firth of Forth. *1189 – Friedrich Barbarossa arrives at Niš, the capital of Serbian King Stefan ...

–

Dennis Callan Dennis Callan (27 July 1932 — October 2006) was a Welsh professional Association football, footballer who played as a wing half. Career Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Callan began playing for local side Troedyrhiw F.C., Troedyrhiw before signing for ...

, footballer (died

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

) * 2 August – Kenneth Bowen, concert tenor (died

) *

12 August Events Pre-1600 *1099 – First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimid forces led by Al-Afdal Shahanshah. This is considered the last engagement of the First Crusade. ...

–

Gwilym Jenkins Gwilym Meirion Jenkins (12 August 1932 – 10 July 1982) was a British statistician and systems engineer, born in Gowerton ( cy, Tregŵyr), Swansea, Wales. He is most notable for his pioneering work with George Box on autoregressive moving av ...

, statistician and systems engineer (died

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...

) * 31 August – Colin Gale, footballer (died

) * 9 September – Alice Thomas Ellis, born Ann Margaret Lindholm in Liverpool, novelist (died

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

) *

8 October Events Pre-1600 * 314 – Constantine I defeats Roman Emperor Licinius, who loses his European territories. * 451 – The first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins. * 876 – Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger preve ...

– Ray Reardon, snooker player *

18 October Events Pre-1600 * 33 – Heartbroken by the deaths of her sons Nero and Drusus, and banished to the island of Pandateria by Tiberius, Agrippina the Elder dies of self-inflicted starvation. * 320 – Pappus of Alexandria, Greek philos ...

–

Don Devereux Don Devereux (18 October, 1932 in Wales, 1932 – 8 February 1995 in Wales, 1995) was a Wales, Welsh international prop who played rugby union for Neath RFC, Neath and rugby league for Huddersfield Giants, Huddersfield. He won three caps for th ...

, dual-code rugby player (died

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

) *

24 October Events Pre-1600 *AD 69 – In the Second Battle of Bedriacum, troops loyal to Vespasian defeat those of Emperor Vitellius. *1260 – Chartres Cathedral is dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX of France. *1360 – The Treaty o ...

– Allan Rogers, politician * 16 November – Onllwyn Brace, Wales rugby union captain (died

) *

21 November Events Pre-1600 *164 BCE – Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, rededicates the Temple in Jerusalem, an event is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. (25 Kislev 3597 in the Hebrew calendar.) * 23 ...

–

Alvan Williams Alvan Williams (21 November 1932 – 22 December 2003) was a Welsh former professional footballer and manager. During his career, he made over 100 appearances in The Football League, later going on to manage Hartlepools United, Southend United ...

, footballer (died

) * 1 December –

Cissy Davies Cissy Davies (1 December 1932 – 4 October 2005) was a British gymnast. She competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), off ...

, Olympic gymnast * 7 December –

Elystan Morgan Dafydd Elystan Elystan-Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan (7 December 1932 – 7 July 2021), known as Elystan Morgan, was a Welsh politician. He sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords from 1981 to 2020, and served as a Labour MP from 1966 to 197 ...

, politician *

15 December Events Pre-1600 * 533 – Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum. * 687 – Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theod ...

–

John Meurig Thomas Sir John Meurig Thomas (15 December 193213 November 2020), also known as JMT, was a Welsh scientist, educator, university administrator, and historian of science primarily known for his work on heterogeneous catalysis, solid-state chemistry, a ...

, chemist (died

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

) *''date unknown'' **

Richard Cyril Hughes Richard Cyril Hughes (1932 – 2022 was a Welsh educator, writer and historian. Hughes was born in Tara Street, Caergybi, Isle of Anglesey. A graduate and Masters from University of Wales Aberystwyth, he started his teaching career of Welsh a ...

, historian

Deaths

27 February Events Pre-1600 * 380 – Edict of Thessalonica: Emperor Theodosius I and his co-emperors Gratian and Valentinian II declare their wish that all Roman citizens convert to Nicene Christianity. * 425 – The University of Constantinople ...

– Dicky Owen, Wales rugby union international, 55 (suicide) *

3 March Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Emperor Shōmu, Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japa ...

– Ernest Howard Griffiths, physicist, 80 *

10 April Events Pre-1600 * 428 – Nestorius becomes the Patriarch of Constantinople. * 837 – Halley's Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles). *1407 ...

– Gwyn Thomas, cricketer, 41 * 14 May – John Hughes, composer of '' Cwm Rhondda'', 58 *

8 June Events Pre-1600 * 218 – Battle of Antioch: With the support of the Syrian legions, Elagabalus defeats the forces of emperor Macrinus. * 452 – Attila leads a Hun army in the invasion of Italy, devastating the northern provinces ...

– Margaret Nevinson, suffrage campaigner, 74 * 28 June – Thomas Phillips Price, landowner, industrialist and politician, 88 * 9 July – John Owen Williams (Pedrog), minister and poet *

– Martha Hughes Cannon, Welsh-born US physician, politician and campaigner, 75 *

20 July Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Roman army is drawn into street fights with the Zealots. * 792 – Kardam of Bulgaria defeats ...

–

Bill Beynon Bill Beynon (8 April 1891 – 20 July 1932) was a Welsh boxer who fought professionally between 1909 and 1931. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire bantamweight boxing championship in 1913. Boxing career Beynon was a collier f ...

, British bantamweight boxing champion, 41 (killed in mining accident) *

23 July Events Pre-1600 * 811 – Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I plunders the Bulgarian capital of Pliska and captures Khan Krum's treasury. *1319 – A Knights Hospitaller fleet scores a crushing victory over an Aydinid fleet off Chios. 16 ...

–

Tenby Davies Frederick Charles "Tenby" Davies (12 April 1884 – 23 July 1932) was a Welsh athlete who became the half-mile world professional champion in 1909 after a race against Irishman Beauchamp Day. Biography Frederick Charles Davies was born at South ...

, half-mile world champion runner, 48 *

30 August Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Titus ends the siege of Jerusalem after destroying Herod's Temple. *1282 – Peter III of Aragon lands at Trapani to intervene in the War of the Sicilian Vespers. *1363 – The five-week Battle of Lake Po ...

–

Conway Rees John Conway Rees (13 January 1870 – 30 August 1932) was a Welsh international rugby union player. Life Rees was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was educated at Llandovery College and Jesus College, Oxford (graduating in 1894) a ...

, Wales rugby union international, 62 *

11 September Events Pre-1600 * 9 – The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends: The Roman Empire suffers the greatest defeat of its history and the Rhine is established as the border between the Empire and the so-called barbarians for the next four hun ...

–

Aneurin Rees Theophilus Aneurin Rees (9 April 1858 – 11 September 1932) was a Welsh rugby union forward who represented Llandovery College at club level. He was capped once for Wales, in the country's very first international rugby match. Personal histo ...

Wales rugby union international, 74 *

– Peg Entwistle, actress, 24 (suicide) *

26 October Events Pre-1600 *1185 – The Uprising of Asen and Peter begins on the feast day of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki and ends with the creation of the Second Bulgarian Empire. * 1341 – The Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 formally beg ...

–

William Howell Davies Sir William Howell Davies (13 December 1851 – 26 October 1932) was a Welsh-born leather merchant and Liberal politician. Family Davies was born in Narberth in Pembrokeshire, the son of Thomas Davies. He was educated privately. In 1882 he m ...

, merchant and politician, 80 * 25 November **

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...

, recipient of the Victoria Cross, 75 ** Hugh Hughes, trade union leader, 54Joyce Bellamy, ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', vol.I, pp.191-192

References

{{reflist Wales 1932 in Europe 1930s in Wales