1921 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1921 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- Edward, Prince of WalesEdward VIII of the United KingdomEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, son of King George V of the United KingdomGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936.... - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
- vacant - Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished...
- Alfred George EdwardsAlfred George EdwardsAlfred George Edwards was elected the first Archbishop of the disestablished Church in Wales.The son of a priest of the Church of England, Edwards was born in Llanymawddwy in Gwynedd. He studied at Jesus College, Oxford before being appointed Warden of Llandovery College in 1875... - ArchdruidArchdruidThe Archdruid is the title used by the presiding official of the Gorsedd.The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, The Award of the Prose Medal and Chairing of the Bard. From 1932 only former winners of the...
of the National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of WalesThe National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
- DyfedEvan Rees (Dyfed)Evan Rees , known by the bardic name Dyfed, was a Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales.-Early life:...
Events
- January 26 - The Abermule train collisionAbermule train collisionThe Abermule train collision was a head-on collision which occurred at Abermule, Montgomeryshire, Wales on 26 January 1921, killing 17 people. The crash arose from misunderstandings between staff which effectively over-rode the safe operation of the Electric Train Tablet system protecting the...
claims 17 lives, including that of Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, youngest son of the Marquess of LondonderryGeorge Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of LondonderryGeorge Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry KP , styled Viscount Seaham between 1823 and 1854 and known as The Earl Vane between 1854 and 1872, was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, businessman, diplomat and Conservative politician.-Background and education:Born George...
. - February - Ernest EvansErnest Evans (politician)Ernest Evans was a Liberal Party politician from Wales.-Family and education:Ernest Evans was born at Aberystwyth, the son of Evan Evans, the Clerk to the Cardiganshire County Council and his wife Annie Davies...
becomes Liberal MP for CardiganshireCeredigionCeredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, winning the seat vacated by Matthew Vaughan-Davies, 1st Baron YstwythMatthew Vaughan-Davies, 1st Baron YstwythMatthew Lewis Vaughan-Davies, 1st Baron Ystwyth was a Welsh Liberal Party politician.-Background and education:Vaughan-Davies was born at Tan-y-Bwlch, Cardiganshire. He went to Harrow School, but only stayed for a year....
, on the latter's elevation to the peerage. - April 1 - Alfred Mond becomes Minister of Health.
- December - Leslie MorrisLeslie MorrisLeslie Tim Morris was a Welsh-Canadian politician, journalist and long time member of the Communist Party of Canada and, its front group, the Labour-Progressive Party....
becomes a founder member of the Communist Party of CanadaCommunist Party of CanadaThe Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
. - December 23 - The Maid of Delos sinks off the coast of Dyfed, with 26 deaths.
- The Anglo-Persian Oil CompanyAnglo-Persian Oil CompanyThe Anglo-Persian Oil Company was founded in 1908 following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Iran. It was the first company to extract petroleum from the Middle East...
Limited begins work on the UK's first oil refineryOil refineryAn oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
at LlandarcyLlandarcyLlandarcy is a village near Neath in Neath Port Talbot county borough, southwest Wales, and formerly the site of the UK's first oil refinery. The village, which lies near the Junction 43 of the M4 Motorway, was originally designed as a garden village to house the workers for the refinery, built by...
. - Hugh Robert Jones founds the Byddin Ymreolaeth Cymru (“Home Rule Army”), which forms the basis for the development of Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
. - Cardiologist Thomas LewisThomas Lewis (cardiologist)Sir Thomas Lewis, CBE, FRS was a British cardiologist. He qualified as a doctor and worked as a physiologist and clinical scientist, carrying out fundamental research on the heart...
is knighted. - John Bodvan Anwyl is appointed secretary of the Welsh dictionary project sponsored by the Board of Celtic Studies of the University of Wales.
- A. J. Cook the miner's leader, is sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for "inciting to unlawful assembly".
- Francis Edward Mostyn becomes Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of WalesThe National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
(held in CaernarfonCaernarfonCaernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Robert John Rowlands
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Albert Evans-JonesAlbert Evans-JonesSir Cynan Evans-Jones CBE , more commonly known within Wales by his bardic name of Cynan, was a Welsh poet and dramatist.-Early life:...
New books
- Edward Tegla DaviesEdward Tegla DaviesEdward Tegla Davies was a Methodist minister and a popular Welsh language writer, born at Llandegla-yn-Iâl, Denbighshire, north Wales....
- Tir Y Dyneddon - John Evan Davies - Blodau'r Grug
- Edwin Sidney HartlandEdwin Sidney HartlandEdwin Sidney Hartland was an author of works on folklore.His works include anthologies of tales, and theories on anthropology and mythology with an ethnological perspective. He believed that the assembling and study of persistent and widespread folklore provided a scientific insight into custom...
- Primitive Society - MoelonaMoelonaMoelona was the pen-name of Elizabeth Mary Jones , a Welsh novelist and translator who wrote novels for children and other works in Welsh....
- Y Wers Olaf - Evan Frederic Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar - Trial by Ordeal
- Margaret Haig Thomas, Viscountess RhonddaMargaret Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess RhonddaMargaret Haig Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda was a Welsh peeress and active suffragette.In 1908 she joined the Women's Social and Political Union , and became secretary of the WSPU's Newport branch...
- D. A. Thomas, Viscount Rhondda, by his Daughter and Others
Film
- Edmund GwennEdmund GwennEdmund Gwenn was an English theatre and film actor.-Background:Born Edmund John Kellaway in Wandsworth, London , and educated at St. Olave's School and later at King's College London, Gwenn began his acting career in the theatre in 1895...
stars in a silent version of The Skin GameThe Skin Game (1921 film)The Skin Game is a 1921 British-Dutch silent drama film directed by B. E. Doxat-Pratt.-Cast:* Edmund Gwenn - Hornblower* Mary Clare - Chloe Hornblower* Helen Haye - Mrs. Hillcrist* Dawson Millward - Mr...
. - Roger LiveseyRoger LiveseyRoger Livesey was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I'm Going! and A Matter of Life and Death...
makes his screen debut in The Four Feathers.
Sport
- Cricket - Glamorgan CCC is admitted to crickets County Championship competition for the first time.
Births
- 5 February (in Birkenhead) - Marion EamesMarion EamesMarion Eames was a Welsh novelist.Marion was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, of Welsh parents, but was brought up at Dolgellau from the age of 4, where she attended Dr Williams's School...
, novelist (d. 2007) - 19 March - Tommy CooperTommy CooperThomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
, comedian (d. 1984) - 21 May - Leslie NorrisLeslie NorrisGeorge Leslie Norris FRSL , was a prize-winning Welsh poet and short story writer. Up to 1974 he earned his living as a college lecturer, teacher and headmaster...
, poet (d. 2006) - 4 June - Allen ForwardAllen ForwardAllen Forward was a Welsh rugby union forward who favoured the position of flanker. Forward played club rugby for Pontypool and various Police teams. He played in six internationals for Wales and was part of the 1952 Grand Slam winning side...
, Wales international rugby union player (d. 1994) - 28 June - R. Tudur JonesR. Tudur JonesR. Tudur Jones was a Welsh Nationalist and a Protestant Christian. He was the most important Christian scholar in Wales during the 20th century and is hailed as the giant of Protestantism in Wales during a century that saw Wales, as a whole, turn against its traditional Reformed Protestant...
, theologian (d. 1998) - 31 August - Raymond WilliamsRaymond WilliamsRaymond Henry Williams was a Welsh academic, novelist and critic. He was an influential figure within the New Left and in wider culture. His writings on politics, culture, the mass media and literature are a significant contribution to the Marxist critique of culture and the arts...
, academic and writer (d. 1988) - 8 September - Sir Harry SecombeHarry SecombeSir Harry Donald Secombe CBE was a Welsh entertainer with a talent for comedy and a noted fine tenor singing voice. He is best known for playing Neddie Seagoon, the central character in the BBC radio comedy series The Goon Show...
, entertainer (d. 2001) - 13 September - Handel GrevilleHandel GrevilleHandel Greville was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Llanelli...
, Wales international rugby union player - 15 September - Billy CleaverBilly CleaverWilliam 'Billy' Cleaver was a Welsh international fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff. He won 14 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand...
, Wales international rugby union player (d. 2003) - 12 October - Kenneth GriffithKenneth GriffithKenneth Griffith was a Welsh actor and documentary filmmaker.-Early life:He was born Kenneth Reginald Griffiths in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Six months after his birth his parents split up and left Tenby, leaving Kenneth with his paternal grandparents, Emily and Ernest, who immediately adopted...
, actor and director (d. 2006)
Deaths
- 11 February - William Evans (Tonyrefail), minister and author, 82
- 25 February - John Thomas of Llanwrtyd, composer, 81
- 6 July - Alfred OnionsAlfred OnionsAlfred Onions was a Welsh Labour Party politician.He was elected as Member of Parliament for Caerphilly at the 1918 general election, but died in office in 1921. His successor was Morgan Jones.-References:...
, politician, 62 - 15 August (at IlfracombeIlfracombeIlfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
) - Sir David Brynmor JonesDavid Brynmor JonesSir David Brynmor Jones was a British barrister, historian and Liberal Member of Parliament.David Brynmor Jones was born in 1851 in Swansea, the first of the six children of Revd. Thomas Jones, a Congregationalist minister, and Jane Jones. His younger siblings were Annie, John Viriamu Jones Sir...
QC, lawyer and historian, 68 or 69 - 21 July - Tom DeaconTom DeaconThomas 'Tom' Deacon was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and international rugby for Wales- Rugby career :...
- Wales international rugby union player - 27 July - John Jones (Myrddin Fardd)John Jones (Myrddin Fardd)John Jones , better known under his nom de plume Myrddin Fardd, was a Welsh writer and antiquarian scholar born in Llangїan, Caernarfonshire....
, author, 85 - 27 July (in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) - James WinstoneJames WinstoneJames Winstone was a British trade unionistBorn in Risca, Winstone worked from the age of eight, first at a local brickworks, then at Risca United Colliery. He was elected checkweighman, and worked with William Brace to campaign against the sliding pay scale...
, miners' leader and politician, 58 - 23 August (in OswestryOswestryOswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
) - Francis JayneFrancis JayneRev Francis John Jayne , was a British bishop and academic.Born in Pant-y-beiliau, Llanelli, he was educated at Rugby School and Wadham College, Oxford. He took his B.A. in 1868 and M.A. in 1870...
, bishop and academic, 76 - 11 October - Willie ThomasWillie ThomasWilliam 'Willie' Henry Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped eleven times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thomas was chosen to tour New Zealand and Australia as part of the first British...
, Wales international rugby captain, 55 - 15 December - Hopkin MaddockHopkin MaddockLieutenant Hopkin "Hop" Thomas Maddock MC was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Pontycymer and London Welsh and county rugby for both Glamorgan and Middlesex. Maddock played in six international rugby games for Wales scoring a total of six tries...
, Wales international rugby player, 40 - 16 December - Owen Morgan, journalist, 85
- 21 December - Joseph Morewood StaniforthJoseph Morewood StaniforthJoseph Morewood Staniforth was a Welsh editorial cartoonist best known for his work in the Western Mail, Evening Express and Sunday weekly the News of the World...
, editorial cartoonist, 57 or 58