This article is about the particular significance of the year 1956 to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

and its people.

Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff * 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 ...

–

Dyfnallt Rev. John Dyfnallt Owen (7 April 1873 – 28 December 1956) was a Welsh poet, and served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1954 until his death. He was often known simply by his bardic name, "Dyfnallt". Personal life ...

Events

*April – One of the last Welsh-built naval vessels afloat, former iron

screw frigate Steam frigates (including screw frigates) and the smaller steam corvettes, steam sloops, steam gunboats and steam schooners, were steam-powered warships that were not meant to stand in the line of battle. There were some exceptions like for exam ...

, built at

Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock ( cy, Doc Penfro) is a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, northwest of Pembroke on the banks of the River Cleddau. Originally Paterchurch, a small fishing village, Pembroke Dock town expanded rapidly following ...

, arrives in Belgium to be broken up. *

2 April Events Pre-1600 *1513 – Having spotted land on March 27, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León comes ashore on what is now the U.S. state of Florida, landing somewhere between the modern city of St. Augustine and the mouth of the St. J ...

–

Huw Wheldon Sir Huw Pyrs Wheldon, (7 May 1916 – 14 March 1986) was a Welsh broadcaster and BBC executive. Early life Wheldon was born on 7 May 1916 in Prestatyn, Flintshire, Wales. He was educated at Friars School, Bangor, at the time an all-boys gra ...

marries

Jacqueline Clarke Jacqueline may refer to: People * Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name * Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler Arts and entertainment * ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film), ...

. *

24 April Events Pre-1600 * 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty). *1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy ma ...

– 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 The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. *

9 July Events Pre-1600 *118 – Hadrian, who became emperor a year previously on Trajan's death, makes his entry into Rome. * 381 – The end of the First Council of Christian bishops convened in Constantinople by the Roman Emperor Theodosi ...

– Mettoy introduce Corgi Toys

model car A model car, or toy car, is a miniature representation of an automobile. Other miniature motor vehicles, such as trucks, buses, or even ATVs, etc. are often included in this general category. Because many miniature vehicles were originally aime ...

s, manufactured at

Fforestfach Fforestfach is a suburban district of Swansea, Wales which developed during the Victorian era as part of the expansion of Swansea, and to service several collieries in the area. It lies within the Cockett ward, between the districts of Waunarl ...

in South Wales. *September – Bangor Normal College and

Trinity College, Carmarthen Trinity University College ( cy, Coleg Prifysgol y Drindod) was a Church University College in Carmarthen, Wales. The institution was founded in 1848 as the South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College, a teacher-training college. It change ...

, introduce courses in Welsh-medium teaching. *

4 September Events Pre-1600 * 476 – Romulus Augustulus is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself "King of Italy", thus ending the Western Roman Empire. * 626 – Li Shimin, posthumously known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, assumes the throne over ...

– Opening of the first

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

-medium secondary school in Wales –

Ysgol Glan Clwyd Ysgol Glan Clwyd (or Ysgol Uwchradd Glan Clwyd) is a Welsh-language, Welsh Medium of instruction, medium secondary school, and was the first of its kind. It opened in 1956, initially at Rhyl on the coast before moving inland to St Asaph in 1969. ...

, Rhyl. *

22 November Events Pre-1600 * 498 – After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Palace, while Laurentius is elected Pope in Santa Maria Maggiore. * 845 – The first duke of Brittany, Nominoe, defeats the Fra ...

– In a

mining accident A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially from underground coal mining, although accidents also occur in hard rock mining. C ...

Lewis Merthyr Colliery Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...

, seven men are killed. *''exact date unknown'' –

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 ...

's town clock is demolished as unsafe.

Arts and literature

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

periodical ''Y Faner'' is bought by

Huw T. Edwards Huw Thomas Edwards (19 November 1892 – 8 November 1970) was a Welsh trade union leader and politician. Early life Edwards was born in Rowen near the top of Tal-y-fan Mountain, North Wales. He was the youngest of seven children, all of whom ...

and thus saved from going out of business. *

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...

are reunited by chance at the Swansea Empire Theatre. *

– The ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publishe ...

'' is launched by

Percy Cudlipp Percy Cudlipp (10 November 1905 – 5 November 1962), was a prominent Welsh journalist. Biography Percy Cudlipp was born at 180 Arabella Street, Cardiff, the son of a travelling salesman, and was the brother of Hugh Cudlipp (later Baron Cudlip ...

, who becomes its first editor.

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...

) *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Mathonwy Hughes, "Gwraig" *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – ''withheld'' *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – W. T. Gruffydd, "Y Pwrpas Mawr"

New books

English language

* Margiad Evans – ''A Candle Ahead'' *

Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British mathematician, philosopher, logician, and public intellectual. He had a considerable influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, linguistics, ...

– ''Portraits from Memory and Other Essays''

Welsh language

– ''Tros y Tresi'' *

Islwyn Ffowc Elis Islwyn Ffowc Elis (; 17 November 1924 – 22 January 2004) was one of Wales's most popular Welsh-language writers. Born Islwyn Ffoulkes Ellis in Wrexham and raised in Glyn Ceiriog, Elis was educated at the University of Wales colleges of Bangor ...

– ''Yn Ôl i Leifior'' *

David Rees Griffiths David Rees Griffiths (6 November 1882 – 17 December 1953), also known by his bardic name of Amanwy, was a Welsh poet, and an older brother of politician Jim Griffiths. Griffiths was born in Betws, Carmarthenshire, where his father was a bla ...

– ''Caneuon Amanwy'' * Kate Roberts – ''Y Byw sy'n Cysgu'' * Waldo Williams – ''Dail Pren''

Music

*February – Release of

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

's first

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

, '' Burn My Candle (At Both Ends)'' *

William Mathias William James Mathias CBE (1 November 1934 – 29 July 1992) was a Welsh composer noted for choral works. Biography Mathias was born in Whitland, Carmarthenshire. A child prodigy, he started playing the piano at the age of three and began co ...

– ''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 ''The Court Jester'' is a 1955 musical-comedy, medieval romance, costume drama film starring Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury and Cecil Parker. The movie was written, produced, and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman ...

''. *

Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won th ...

makes his last film appearance. *'' Moby Dick'' partly filmed at Lower Fishguard.

Broadcasting

*The BBC Light Programme becomes available on

VHF Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF ...

from Wenvoe.

Welsh-language television

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

begins producing 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 Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

27 August Events Pre-1600 * 410 – The sacking of Rome by the Visigoths ends after three days. * 1172 – Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen of England. *1232 – Shikken Hojo Yasutoki of the Ka ...

– Joe Erskine defeats Johnny Williams in Cardiff to win the vacant British heavyweight title. *

Rugby Union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

under the captaincy of Cliff Morgan, win the Five Nations Championship for the fifth time this decade. **

24 March Events Pre-1600 *1199 – King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting in France, leading to his death on April 6. *1387 – English victory over a Franco- Castilian-Flemish fleet in the Battle of Margate off ...

– Wales beat France 5–3 in a game held at the National Stadium, Cardiff *

BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year The BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year is a televised sporting competition, broadcast on BBC Two every year; and the most prestigious annual sport award in Wales. It was first awarded in 1954, and is currently organised by BBC Cymru W ...

– Joe Erskine

Births

7 January Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – The Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army. This prompts the tribunes who support him to flee to Ravenna, where Caesar is waiting. * 1325 – Alfonso IV ...

–

Johnny Owen John Richard Owens (7 January 1956 – 4 November 1980) was a Welsh professional boxer who fought under the name Johnny Owen. His seemingly fragile appearance earned him many epithets, including the "Merthyr Matchstick" and the "Bionic Ba ...

, boxer (died

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

) *

7 April Events Pre-1600 * 451 – Attila the Hun captures Metz in France, killing most of its inhabitants and burning the town. * 529 – First ''Corpus Juris Civilis'', a fundamental work in jurisprudence, is issued by Eastern Roman Emp ...

–

Christine Chapman Christine Chapman (born 7 April 1956) is a Welsh Labour Co-operative politician who was a Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Cynon Valley from 1999 to 2016. She has not held senior government posts and has been described as "one of t ...

AM, politician *May –

Iwan Bala Iwan Bala (born Richard Iwan Ellis Roberts) is a Welsh artist, born May 1956 in Sarnau, Merionethshire, near Bala.

, artist *

14 June Events Pre-1600 *1158 – The city of Munich is founded by Henry the Lion on the banks of the river Isar. *1216 – First Barons' War: Prince Louis of France takes the city of Winchester, abandoned by John, King of England, and soo ...

– Keith Pontin, international footballer (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- ...

) *

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 ...

–

Richard Gwyn Richard Gwyn (ca. 1537 – 15 October 1584), also known by his anglicised name, Richard White, was a Welsh teacher at illegal and underground schools and a Bard who wrote both Christian and satirical poetry in the Welsh language. A Roman ...

writer *

7 September Events Pre-1600 * 70 – A Roman army under Titus occupies and plunders Jerusalem. * 878 – Louis the Stammerer is crowned as king of West Francia by Pope John VIII. * 1159 – Pope Alexander III is chosen. *1191 – Third C ...

–

Byron Stevenson William Byron Stevenson (7 September 1956 – 6 September 2007) was a Welsh international footballer. Stevenson played for Leeds United, Birmingham City and Bristol Rovers. He started his career at Leeds United in 1972, who were then one of th ...

, footballer (died

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

) *

3 November Events Pre-1600 * 361 – Emperor Constantius II dies of a fever at Mopsuestia in Cilicia; on his deathbed he is Baptism, baptised and declares his cousin Julian the Apostate, Julian rightful successor. *1333 – The Arno, River Arno f ...

–

Carl Harris Carl Stephen Harris (born 3 November 1956 in Neath) is a Welsh former international footballer. As a winger, Harris was noted for his express pace. Former Ipswich Town and England captain Mick Mills is on record as saying Harris was the most di ...

, international footballer *

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 ...

–

Nia Griffith Dame Nia Rhiannon Griffith (born 4 December 1956) is a Welsh politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Llanelli since 2005. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Shadow Minister for International Trade since 2021. Grif ...

MP, politician, born in Ireland *

19 December Events Pre-1600 *1154 – Henry II of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey. *1187 – Pope Clement III is elected. *1490 – Anne, Duchess of Brittany, is married to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor by proxy. *1562 – T ...

– John Griffiths, politician *

23 December Events Pre-1600 * 484 – The Arian Vandal Kingdom ceases its persecution of Nicene Christianity. * 558 – Chlothar I is crowned King of the Franks. * 583 – Maya queen Yohl Ik'nal is crowned ruler of Palenque. * 962 – ...

– Robert Gwilym, actor *''date unknown'' –

David Nott David Malcolm Nott (born 1956) is a Welsh consultant surgeon who works mainly in London hospitals as a general and vascular surgeon, but also volunteers to work in disaster and war zones. Having recognised that training others could greatly in ...

, surgeon

Deaths

4 January Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. * 871 – Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasion army. 1601–1900 *1649 – Engli ...

– Robert Williams Parry, poet, 71 *

10 January Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of Caesar's Civil War, civil war. *AD 9, 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end o ...

– Jack Johns, cricketer, 70 *

14 January Events Pre-1600 * 1236 – King Henry III of England marries Eleanor of Provence. *1301 – Andrew III of Hungary dies, ending the Árpád dynasty in Hungary. 1601–1900 *1639 – The "Fundamental Orders", the first written const ...

–

Sam Ramsey Samuel Ramsey (1873 – 14 January 1956) was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Treorchy and international rugby for Wales. Ramsey is noted as being one of the first 'Rhondda forwards', impact players selected by the ...

, Wales international rugby union player *

23 January Events Pre-1600 * 393 – Roman emperor Theodosius I proclaims his eight-year-old son Honorius co-emperor. * 971 – Using crossbows, Song dynasty troops soundly defeat a war elephant corps of the Southern Han at Shao. *1264 &ndas ...

–

William Harris William or Will or Willie Harris may refer to: Politicians and political activists *William Harris (born 1504) (1504–?), MP for Newport, Cornwall * William Harris (died 1556), MP for Maldon * William Harris (MP, died 1709) (c. 1652–1709), Engl ...

, academic and translator, 71 *

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 ...

– John Lloyd-Jones, academic, 70 *

22 February Events Pre-1600 *1076 – Having received a letter during the Lenten synod of 14–20 February demanding that he abdicate, Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. *1316 – The Battle of Picotin, between Ferdinand ...

–

Nathaniel Walters Nathaniel "Danny" Walters (23 May 1875 – 22 February 1956)
Scrum.com was a

, Wales international rugby player, 80 *

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 Constantinop ...

– Tudor Rees, lawyer, judge and Liberal politician, 75 *19 May – Peter Freeman (politician), 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 born 1879), David Davies, footballer, 77 *20 September – :cy:Arthur Tysilio Johnson, Arthur Tysilio Johnson, farmer and author, 83 *1 October – :cy:J. O. Francis, J. O. Francis, dramatist, 74 *11 October – David James Davies, economist and politician, 63 *16 October – :cy:Robert Evans (Cybi), Robert Evans (Cybi), historian, 84 *18 October – Harry Parry, jazz musician, 44 *

– Rhys Hopkin Morris MP, politician, 68 *16 December – Nina Hamnett, artist, 66 *28 December – John Dyfnallt Owen, poet and archdruid, 83

References

{{reflist 1956 in Wales, 1956 in Europe 1950s in Wales