This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor * 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 ...

– J.J.

Events

* 14–

19 January Events Pre-1600 * 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to ''Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. * 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surrender ...

– A storm causes extensive damage in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds. *

8 May Events Pre-1600 *453 BC – Spring and Autumn period: The house of Zhao defeats the house of Zhi, ending the Battle of Jinyang, a military conflict between the elite families of the State of Jin. * 413 – Emperor Honorius signs an ...

– William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech. *October – The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare. * 23 November – Opening of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff. *Mining comes to an end at Dolaucothi Gold Mines. *The excavation of

Llantwit Major Roman Villa The Llantwit Major Roman Villa was a Roman L-shaped courtyard villa located at what is now Caermead, immediately north of the town of Llantwit Major in the Welsh county of South Glamorgan. The villa was first discovered in 1887 and was fully ex ...

by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948). *Opening of RNAD Trecwm.

Arts and literature

*April – Augustus John resigns from the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

. *September –

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

appears in '' Henry V'' at

Drury Lane Theatre The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dru ...

, produced by Lewis Casson.

Awards

(held in Cardiff) *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair –

Gwilym R. Jones Gwilym Richard Jones (24 March 1903 – 29 July 1993) was an editor and poet, and the first person to have received all three major literary awards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. The Eisteddfod is an event at which it is notoriously difficult ...

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Edgar H. Thomas *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Elena Puw Morgan

New books

In English

* Idris Davies – ''Gwalia Deserta'' * Ness Edwards – ''History of the South Wales Miners Federation'' * Richard Hughes – ''In Hazard'' *

Jack Jones Jack Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *Jack Jones (American singer) (born 1938), American jazz and pop singer *Jack Jones, stage name of Australian singer Irwin Thomas (born 1971) *Jack Jones (Welsh musician) (born 1992), Welsh mu ...

– ''Bidden to the Feast'' *

Edith Picton-Turbervill Edith Picton-Turbervill OBE (13 June 1872 – 31 August 1960) was an English social reformer, writer and Labour Party politician. From 1929 to 1931, she served as the Member of Parliament for The Wrekin in Shropshire. Early life Edith was bo ...

– ''Myself When Young'' * William Plomer (ed.) – ''Kilvert's Diary, 1870-1879''

In Welsh

* Richard Bennett – ''Methodistiaeth Caersws'' * Tom Beynon – ''Gwrid ar Orwel ym Morgannwg'' * Edward Tegla Davies – ''Stori Sam'' *

Edward Morgan Humphreys Edward Morgan Humphreys OBE, (1882–1955) was a Welsh novelist, translator, and journalist, often known as E. Morgan Humphreys. He also sometimes wrote under the pseudonym ''Celt''. Humphreys edited '' Y Genedl Gymreig'' and translated ''The Go ...

– ''Dirgelwch Gallt Y Ffrwd'' * Ifor Williams (ed.) – ''Canu Aneirin''

New drama

* James Kitchener Davies – ''Susannah'' * Charles Langbridge Morgan – ''The Flashing Stream'' * Emlyn Williams – '' The Corn is Green''

Music

* Tudor Davies plays the lead in the first English-language production of Verdi's '' Don Carlos'', at Sadler's Wells.

Film

* Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in '' The Lady Vanishes''.

Broadcasting

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 ...

– BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of

Arwel Hughes Arwel Hughes OBE (25 August 1909 – 23 September 1988) was a Welsh orchestral conductor and composer. Life and career Hughes was born in Rhosllannerchrugog near Wrexham and was educated at Ruabon Grammar School and at the Royal College ...

's latest composition, ''Tydi a Roddaist''.

Sport

Empire Games The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...

** Wales win three medals at the

1938 Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 year ...

, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing),

Jim Alford James William Llewellyn Alford (15 October 1913 – 5 August 2004) was a Welsh track athlete who was born in Cardiff, Wales. In 1938 Alford won the Mile Empire Games gold medal in Sydney, becoming the first athlete in a Welsh vest to strike gold ...

(1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke). * Rugby union **

5 February Events Pre-1600 * 62 – Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. * 1576 – Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion. * 1597 – A group of early Japanese Christians ar ...

– Scotland beat Wales 8–6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Births

6 January Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will eve ...

–

William Edwards William Edwards may refer to: Arts and entertainment *William Edwards (architect) (1719–1789), Welsh architect of the Pontypridd bridge in south Wales *William Camden Edwards (1777–1855), Welsh engraver *William Augustus Edwards (1866–1939), ...

, politician (d. 2007) *

1 February Events Pre-1600 *1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer. *1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), Monas ...

- Cynog Dafis, politician *

22 January Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Constantine is crowned as co-emperor (''Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated by the Danelaw V ...

–

Brook Williams Brook Richard Williams (22 January 1938 – 29 April 2005) was a British stage actor who also made numerous film and television appearances in small roles. Biography His father was the Welsh playwright and actor Emlyn Williams. His older broth ...

, actor (d.

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 ...

) *

20 April Events Pre-1600 *1303 – The Sapienza University of Rome is instituted by a bull of Pope Boniface VIII. 1601–1900 * 1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolves England's Rump Parliament. * 1657 – English Admiral Robert Blake destroys ...

– Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016) *

25 April Events Pre-1600 * 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion. * 775 – The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against th ...

– John Davies, historian (d. 2015) * 14 May – Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach *

25 May Events Pre-1600 *567 BC – Servius Tullius, the king of Rome, celebrates a triumph for his victory over the Etruscans. * 240 BC – First recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. * 1085 – Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo ...

– Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014) * 31 May – John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK *

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 ...

–

Gwynne Howell Gwynne Howell (born 13 June 1938) is a Welsh operatic bass, known particularly for his performances of Verdi and Wagner roles. Life and career Born in Gorseinon, Wales, he studied at the RMCM, where he sang Leporello in concert, and Hunding, ...

, bass * 6 July – Tony Lewis, cricketer *

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 ...

– Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018) *

6 August Events Pre-1600 *1284 – The Republic of Pisa is defeated in the Battle of Meloria by the Republic of Genoa, thus losing its naval dominance in the Mediterranean. * 1538 – Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada ...

– Rees Davies, historian (d.

) *

12 September Events Pre-1600 *490 BC – Battle of Marathon: The conventionally accepted date for the Battle of Marathon. The Classical Athens, Athenians and their Plataean allies defeat the First Persian invasion of Greece, first Persian invasion for ...

–

Richard Booth Richard George William Pitt Booth (12 September 1938 – 20 August 2019) was a British people, British bookseller, known for his contribution to the success of Hay-on-Wye as a centre for second-hand bookselling. He was also the self-proclaimed ...

, bookseller (d.

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 ...

) *

9 October Events Pre-1600 * 768 – Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned kings of the Franks. *1238 – James I of Aragon founds the Kingdom of Valencia. *1410 – The first known mention of the Prague astronomical clock. * 1446 – T ...

– Denzil Davies, politician (d.

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 ...

) *

1 November Events Pre-1600 *365 – The Alemanni cross the Rhine and invade Gaul. Emperor Valentinian I moves to Paris to command the army and defend the Gallic cities. * 996 – Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Freising, ...

–

Delwyn Williams David John Delwyn Williams (born 1 November 1938) is a British former Conservative Party politician and solicitor. Early life He was educated at Welshpool High School and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he obtained an LL.B. ...

, politician *

4 December Events Pre-1600 * 771 – Austrasian king Carloman I dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne as sole king of the Frankish Kingdom. * 963 – The lay papal protonotary is elected pope and takes the name Leo VIII, being consecrated on 6 ...

– Richard Meade, equestrian (d.

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 ...

) *

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 ...

– Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d.

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

)

Deaths

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 – ...

–

James Bevan James Alfred Bevan (15 April 1858 – 3 February 1938) was a Wales international rugby union three-quarter who played club rugby for Clifton RFC and Newport. He is best known for being the first Welsh international captain, whilst at Cambridg ...

, First Wales rugby union captain, 81 * 9 February – Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63 *

30 March Events Pre-1600 * 598 – Balkan Campaign: The Avars lift the siege at the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis. Their leader Bayan I retreats north of the Danube River after the Avaro- Slavic hordes are decimated by the plague. *1282 – ...

– Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66 *

16 April Events Pre-1600 * 1457 BC – Battle of Megido - the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. * 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Otho commits suicide. * 73 – Masada ...

– Sir William Price, industrialist *

– George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83 *

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 ...

– Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66 *

23 June 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

–

Clement Edwards (Allen) Clement Edwards (7 June 1869 – 23 June 1938), usually known as Clem, was a Welsh lawyer, journalist, trade union activist and Liberal Party politician. Family and education Edwards was born in Knighton in Radnorshire, the son of a ...

, politician, 69 *

22 July Events Pre-1600 * 838 – Battle of Anzen: The Byzantine emperor Theophilos suffers a heavy defeat by the Abbasids. * 1099 – First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of ...

– Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73 *

22 October Events Pre-1600 * 451 – The Chalcedonian Creed, regarding the divine and human nature of Jesus, is adopted by the Council of Chalcedon, an ecumenical council. * 794 – Emperor Kanmu relocates the Japanese capital to Heian-kyō (now ...

(in Dublin) – Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90 * 4 November – John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71 *

28 November Events Pre-1600 * 587 – Treaty of Andelot: King Guntram of Burgundy recognizes Childebert II as his heir. * 936 – Shi Jingtang is enthroned as the first emperor of the Later Jin by Emperor Taizong of Liao, following a revolt again ...

– Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56 *

29 December Events Pre-1600 *1170 – Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of Henry II of England, King Henry II; he subsequently becomes a saint and martyr in the Anglican Communion and the ...

(at sea) – Eluned Morgan, writer, 68 *''date unknown'' – Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist

References

{{Reflist Wales