1939 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1939 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...
- vacant - 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...
- Charles Alfred Howell GreenCharles Alfred Howell GreenCharles Alfred Howell Green was the first bishop of the newly established diocese of Monmouth and subsequently Bishop of Bangor during which time he also served as Archbishop of Wales... - 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 :...
- CrwysWilliam Williams (Crwys)William Williams , better known by his bardic name of "Crwys", was a Welsh poet in the Welsh language. He served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1939 to 1947....
Events
- 27 April - Ely RacecourseEly RacecourseEly Racecourse was a horse racing venue in Cardiff, Wales. Opened in 1855, it held up to 40,000 spectators. In 1895, it hosted the Welsh National. The venue closed on April 27, 1939 ....
in CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
closes. - 1 June - The submarine HMS ThetisHMS Thetis (N25)HMS Thetis was a Group 1 T-class submarine of the Royal Navy which served under two names. Under her first identity, HMS Thetis, she commenced sea trials on 4 March 1939. She sank during trials on 1 June 1939 with the loss of 99 lives...
sinks during trials in Red Wharf Bay, AngleseyAngleseyAnglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
. 99 men are lost. - late August - Most paintings evacuated from the National GalleryNational galleryThe National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
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...
to WalesWalesWales 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...
. - The Urdd establishes the first-ever Welsh-mediumWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
primary school, at AberystwythAberystwythAberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. - De HavillandDe HavillandThe de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
opens an aircraft factory at BroughtonBroughton, FlintshireBroughton is a small district in Flintshire, Wales, close to the Wales–England border and located to the west of the City of Chester, England. Along with the nearby village of Bretton, the total population was 5,791 at the 2001 Census....
in north-east Wales. - The first war-time evacueesEvacuations of civilians in Britain during World War IIEvacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
arrive in Wales. - A government report shows that seven of the thirteen Welsh counties have the highest incidence of tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in the whole of England and Wales. - Aneurin BevanAneurin BevanAneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
is temporarily expelled from the Labour Party. - George Maitland Lloyd DaviesGeorge Maitland Lloyd DaviesGeorge Maitland Lloyd Davies was a Welsh pacifist and Member of Parliament for the University of Wales.Davies, who had originally volunteered as an officer in the Territorial Army, but was imprisoned during World War I as a conscientious objector, was the grandson of a noted Welsh preacher, John...
becomes President of the pacifist group Heddychwyr Cymru.
Arts and literature
- August - For the first time ever, both chair and crown are withheld at the National Eisteddfod.
- John Roberts Williams becomes editor of Y CymroY CymroY Cymro is a Welsh language newspaper, first published in 1932.Y Cymro was founded in Wrexham, and succeeded other newspapers of the same name that had existed during the 19th and early 20th century. It is the only national newspaper in the Welsh language, and is published weekly, on a Friday.In...
.
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 DenbighDenbighDenbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry... - National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - withheld
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - withheld
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - John Gwilym Jones
New books
- B. L. CoombesB. L. CoombesBertie Lewis Coombes Giffiths was an English-born writer who spent most of his working life in the coal mines of the South Wales coalfield, which provided the subject matter for much of his writing....
- These Poor Hands - D. Gwenallt JonesD. Gwenallt JonesGwenallt , poet, critic, and scholar, was one of the most important figures of 20th-century Welsh-language literature.-Early life:...
- Ysgubau'r Awen - David James JonesDavid James JonesDavid James Jones , was a Welsh philosopher and academic. He should not be confused with David James Jones , a contemporary writer....
- Hanes Athroniaeth: Y Cyfnod Groegaidd - Richard LlewellynRichard LlewellynRichard Dafydd Vivian Llewellyn Lloyd , better known by his pen name Richard Llewellyn, was a Welsh novelist.Llewellyn Richard Dafydd Vivian Llewellyn Lloyd (8 December 1906 – 30 November 1983), better known by his pen name Richard Llewellyn, was a Welsh novelist.Llewellyn Richard Dafydd...
- How Green Was My ValleyHow Green Was My ValleyHow Green Was My Valley is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, telling the story through narration of the main character, of his Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. The author had claimed to have based the book on his own knowledge of the Gilfach Goch area, but this was proven... - MoelonaMoelonaMoelona was the pen-name of Elizabeth Mary Jones , a Welsh novelist and translator who wrote novels for children and other works in Welsh....
- Ffynnonlloyw - Howard SpringHoward SpringHoward Spring was a Welsh author.He began his writing career as a journalist, but from 1934 produced a series of best-selling novels, the most successful of which was Fame is the Spur , which has been both a major film, starring Michael Redgrave, and a BBC television series , starring Tim...
- Heaven Lies About Us
Music
- William Ifor JonesWilliam Ifor JonesWilliam Ifor Jones , was a Welsh conductor and organist. Born into a large coal-mining family and raised in Merthyr Tydfil, Jones studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1920 to 1925. He studied the organ with at St. Paul's Cathedral, London; orchestral Conducting with Sir Henry Wood...
makes his debut as conductor of the Bach Choir of BethlehemThe Bach Choir of BethlehemThe Bach Choir of Bethlehem is the oldest Bach choir in America. They have been a choir for over 110 years and are based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA....
. - Ivor NovelloIvor NovelloDavid Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
- The Dancing YearsThe Dancing YearsThe Dancing Years is a musical with book and music by Ivor Novello and lyrics by Christopher Hassall. The piece is one of Novello's most popular musicals... - Grace WilliamsGrace Williams-Biography:Williams was born in Barry, near Cardiff, Wales.She was educated at Barry County School, and won a scholarship to Cardiff University . She then went to the Royal College of Music, London, where she was taught by Ralph Vaughan Williams...
- Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon
Sports
- Rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- 4 February – Leslie ManfieldLeslie ManfieldLeslie "Les" Manfield DFC was a Welsh rugby union international. He was the second oldest Welsh international of all time, and at the time of his death, aged 91, the oldest living man to have played as a forward for Wales.-Rugby career:Manfield was born in Mountain Ash, the son of a railway...
(one of only four players to represent Wales both before and after World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) gains his first senior cap in the match between Wales and Scotland.
- 4 February – Leslie Manfield
Births
- 11 January - Phil Williams, politician (died 2003)
- 1 February - Cynog DafisCynog DafisCynog Glyndwr Dafis is a Welsh politician and member of the Plaid Cymru party. He was a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.-Education:...
, politician - 8 March - Robert TearRobert TearRobert Tear, CBE was a Welsh tenor and conductor.Tear was born in Barry, Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the son of Thomas and Edith Tear. He attended Barry Boys' Grammar School and during this period sang in the chorus of the first Welsh National Opera's production of 'Cavalleria Rusticana' in April 1946...
, operatic tenor (died 20112011 in WalesThis article is about the particular significance of the year 2011 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles*Princess of Wales – The Duchess of Cornwall *First Minister – Carwyn Jones...
) - 16 March - Ken MorgansKen MorgansKenneth Godfrey "Kenny" Morgans is a former Welsh footballer. He signed for Manchester United on leaving school in the summer of 1955 and played on the youth team's right wing....
, footballer - 29 March - Ronnie WilliamsRonnie WilliamsRonnie Williams was a Welsh actor and comedian.Williams struggled with his choice of an acting career, making an isolated television appearance in The Wednesday Play in 1966...
, actor and comedian (died 1997) - 7 April - Keith BradshawKeith Bradshaw (rugby player)Keith Bradshaw is a former international rugby union player. He was capped nine times for Wales, and at club level played for Bridgend.-Rugby career:...
, Wales international rugby player - 8 June - Norman DaviesNorman DaviesProfessor Ivor Norman Richard Davies FBA, FRHistS is a leading English historian of Welsh descent, noted for his publications on the history of Europe, Poland, and the United Kingdom.- Academic career :...
, historian - 17 June - Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of SwanseaDonald Anderson, Baron Anderson of SwanseaDonald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, PC, DL , is a British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament for Swansea East from 1966 to 1970 and from 1974 to 2005....
, politician - 21 July - Frank RankmoreFrank RankmoreFrank Edward John Rankmore is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international.-Career:Rankmore began his league career at Cardiff City after joining the club from local side Cardiff Corinthians in 1957...
, footballer - 24 September - Steve GammonSteve GammonStephen George Gammon is former a Welsh professional footballer. A Welsh under-23 international, Gammon's spent seven years with Cardiff City before a broken leg ended his professional career in 1965.-Career:...
, footballer - 29 September - Rhodri MorganRhodri MorganHywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
, First Minister of Wales - 10 October - Neil SloaneNeil SloaneNeil James Alexander Sloane is a British-U.S. mathematician. His major contributions are in the fields of combinatorics, error-correcting codes, and sphere packing...
, mathematician - date unknown - Colin LewisColin LewisColin Lewis is an ex-professional racing cyclist. He started racing at 19 and rode the Milk Race in 1960, finishing 7th.- Biography :...
, cyclist
Deaths
- 27 January - Lewis JonesLewis Jones (writer)Lewis Jones, writer, and political activist of the left, was born in Clydach Vale in industrialized South Wales.Although his novels are more studied by academics now than by general readers, Jones occupies an honourable place in the history of left-wing politics in Britain, and in the ranks of...
, miners' leader and novelist, 41 - 17 March - Owen BadgerOwen BadgerOwen Badger was a Welsh international rugby centre who played rugby union for Llanelli and was capped four times for Wales. He later switched codes, playing professional rugby league for Swinton.-Rugby career:...
, Wales national rugby player, 67 - 24 March - Gwyn NichollsGwyn NichollsErith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, rugby player, 64 - 23 April - Morgan JonesMorgan Jones (Welsh politician)Morgan Jones was a Welsh Labour Party politician.He was educated at Reading University, and became a teacher by profession. He first entered politics as a Glamorgan County Councillor...
, sitting MP for Llanelli, 52 - 29 April - Timothy ReesTimothy ReesTimothy Rees was a Bishop of Llandaff.Timothy Rees was a Cardiganshire man, educated at Lampeter and subsequently pursued a monastic vocation at the Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield in Yorkshire. When in 1931 he became Bishop of Llandaff he was the first member of a religious community to...
, Bishop of Llandaff, 64 - 14 June - Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, politician, 66
- 29 June - Henry Stuart JonesHenry Stuart JonesSir Henry Stuart Jones was a British academic and fellow of Trinity College, University of Oxford, where he held an appointment from 1920 to 1927 as Camden Professor of Ancient History....
, academic, 72 - 9 July - Charles NichollCharles NichollCharles "Boomer" Bowen Nicholl was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and Llanelli...
, Wales international rugby union player, 69 - 18 September - Gwen JohnGwen JohnGwendolen Mary John was a Welsh artist who worked in France for most of her career. She is noted for her still lifes and for her portraits, especially of anonymous female sitters...
, artist, 63 - 21 September - Sir John Lynn-Thomas, surgeon, 78
- 26 September - Leif JonesLeifchild Jones, 1st Baron RhayaderLeifchild Stratten Leif-Jones, 1st Baron Rhayader PC , known as Leif Jones before his elevation to the peerage in 1932, was a British Temperance movement leader and Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
, politician, 77 - 7 November - Gwenllian Morgan, local politician
- 2 December - Llewelyn PowysLlewelyn PowysLlewelyn Powys was a British writer and younger brother of John Cowper Powys and T. F. Powys.-Life:Powys was born in Dorchester, the son of a clergyman, and was educated at Sherborne School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. While lecturing in the United States he contracted tuberculosis...
, writer, 55