1981 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1981 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...
– The Prince CharlesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... - 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...
– DianaDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
(from 29 July wedding onwards) - Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
- Nicholas Edwards - 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...
- Gwilym Owen WilliamsGwilym Owen WilliamsGwilym Owen Williams was Bishop of Bangor from 1957 to 1982 and Anglican Archbishop of Wales from 1971 to 1982.... - 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 :...
- Jâms Nicholas
Events
- January - First phase of St. David's Shopping Centre, Cardiff, opens to the public.
- January–March - Roy JenkinsRoy JenkinsRoy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...
co-founds the Social Democratic Party (UK)Social Democratic Party (UK)The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
. - 24 February - Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of the Prince of Wales.
- 5 April - Census (UK)Census in the United KingdomCoincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 and in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1921; simultaneous censuses were taken in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, with...
: Results reveal that the percentage of Welsh languageWelsh 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...
speakers has fallen to an all-time low of 18.9% of the Welsh population and GwyneddGwyneddGwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
is the only Welsh county with a Welsh-speaking majority. - 29 July - The Prince of Wales marries Lady Diana SpencerDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. - Joan RuddockJoan RuddockJoan Mary Ruddock is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Lewisham Deptford since 1987. She is a feminist and is the wife of Frank Doran, the Labour MP for Aberdeen North...
becomes Chair of CND.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in MachynllethMachynllethMachynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
) - National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - John Gwilym Jones
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Siôn Aled
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - John Griffith Jones
New books
- Irma Chilton - Y Cwlwm Gwaed
- Clive JenkinsClive JenkinsDavid Clive Jenkins was a British trade union leader. "Organising the middle classes", his stated recreation in Who's Who, sums up both his sense of humour and his achievements in the British trade union movement....
& Barrie Sherman - The Leisure Shock - Eiluned LewisEiluned LewisEiluned Lewis was a Welsh novelist, poet and journalist.She was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire in Wales. She was educated at Levana School, Wimbledon, and Westfield College London. She had a long period of work on the Sunday Times, becoming assistant editor...
- The Old Home - R. S. ThomasR. S. ThomasRonald Stuart Thomas was a Welsh poet and Anglican clergyman, noted for his nationalism, spirituality and deep dislike of the anglicisation of Wales...
- Between Here and Now
Music
- Daniel JonesDaniel Jones (composer)Daniel Jenkyn Jones OBE was a composer of classical music, who worked in Britain. He used both serial and tonal techniques...
- Symphony no. 10 - William MathiasWilliam MathiasWilliam Mathias CBE was a Welsh composer.-Brief biography:Mathias was born in Whitland, Carmarthenshire. A child prodigy, he started playing the piano at the age of three and composing at the age of five. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music under Lennox Berkeley, where he was elected a fellow...
- Let the people praise Thee, O God
English-language films
- The Mouse and the Woman, starring Huw CeredigHuw CeredigHuw Ceredig, born Huw Ceredig Jones was a Welsh television actor best known for playing Reg Harries in the Welsh soap opera, Pobol y Cwm.-Personal life:...
. - DragonslayerDragonslayerDragonslayer is a 1981 fantasy movie set in a fictional medieval kingdom, following a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon....
, with exterior scenes filmed in Wales.
English-language television
- The Life and Times of David Lloyd GeorgeThe Life and Times of David Lloyd GeorgeThe Life and Times of David Lloyd George is a BBC Wales drama serial broadcast in 1981 on the BBC1 network which starred Philip Madoc, Elizabeth Miles, Kika Markham and David Markham....
, written by Elaine MorganElaine Morgan (writer)Elaine Morgan OBE is a Welsh writer for television and also the author of several books on evolutionary anthropology, especially the aquatic ape hypothesis: The Descent of Woman, The Aquatic Ape, The Scars of Evolution, The Descent of the Child, The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis, and The Naked Darwinist...
and starring Philip MadocPhilip MadocPhilip Madoc is a Welsh actor who has had many television and film roles.One prominent role was the title character in the BBC Wales drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George...
Sport
- BoxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
- Neville MeadeNeville MeadeNeville Meade was a Jamaica-born boxer who emigrated to the United Kingdom settling in Swansea in south Wales. He rose to prominence when he won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand...
becomes British heavyweight champion. - FootballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
- Neville SouthallNeville SouthallNeville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
joins Everton F.C.
Births
- 12 January — Sarah ThomasSarah Thomas (field hockey)Sarah Thomas is a Welsh field hockey midfield and forward player, who was a member of the Wales and Great Britain women's field hockey team since making her GB debut in 2003.-References:*...
, field-hockey player - 13 March — Ryan Jones, rugby player
- 28 March — Gareth David-LloydGareth David-LloydGareth David-Lloyd is a Welsh actor best known for his role as Ianto Jones in the British science fiction television programme Torchwood.- Early life :...
, actor - 6 April — Robert EarnshawRobert EarnshawRobert Earnshaw is a Welsh footballer who plays for Cardiff City and Wales. He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the English Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two , the League Cup, the FA Cup and for his country at International level.Earnshaw was born in Mufulira,...
, footballer - 23 May — Gwenno SaundersGwenno SaundersGwenno Saunders is a British dancer and solo artist. She is best known as a singer and keyboardist with The Pipettes, and is also known by the name Gwenno Pipette.-Biography:...
, singer - 24 May — Darren MossDarren MossDarren Michael Moss is a Wales under-21 international footballer currently without a club.-Career:Moss started his career as a trainee at Chester. He made his début for the club back in November 1998, in Chester's 2-1 loss against Brentford...
, footballer - 19 November — Mark WallaceMark WallaceMark Alexander Wallace is a Welsh cricketer; a left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper....
, cricketer - 16 December — Gareth Williams Scottish-Welsh footballer
- date unknown - Sian Reese-WilliamsSian Reese-WilliamsSian Reese-Williams is a British theatre and television actress, best known for playing Genesis Walker in Emmerdale.She was awarded the BBC London Theatre Award for outstanding performance in a musical in 2001 for her role in the National Youth Music Theatre's production of The Dreaming.She...
, actress
Deaths
- January - Leslie JonesLeslie Jones (footballer)Leslie Jenkin Jones was a Welsh professional footballer-Career:Born in Aberdare, as a youngster Jones began his career at his local side Aberdare Athletic, while also working at his fathers butchers shop, before signing for Cardiff City in 1929, He made his debut in a 1-0 defeat during a South...
, footballer, 69 - 1 March - Dr Martyn Lloyd-JonesMartyn Lloyd-JonesDavid Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
, theologian, 81 - 8 March - Nigel Birch, Baron RhylNigel Birch, Baron RhylEvelyn Nigel Chetwode Birch, Baron Rhyl, PC, OBE was a British Conservative politician.The son of General Sir Noel Birch and his wife Florence Chetwode, Nigel Birch was educated at Eton. He was a partner in Cohen Laming Hoare until May 1939 when he retired to study politics...
, politician, 74 - 3 April - Will OwenWill OwenWilliam James Owen was a British miner and politician, whose career as a Member of Parliament was ended by his trial under the Official Secrets Act 1911 for giving secrets to Czechoslovak intelligence...
, miner and politician, 80 - 13 April - Gwyn ThomasGwyn Thomas (novelist)Gwyn Thomas was a Welsh writer who has been called 'the true voice of the English-speaking valleys'.-Early life:...
, author, 67 - 16 June - Billy HughesBilly Hughes (footballer born 1918)William Marshall "Billy" Hughes was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a left-back. He made 169 appearances in the First Division for Birmingham and Chelsea...
, footballer, 63 - 17 June - Ike FowlerIke FowlerIsaac "Ike" John Fowler was a Welsh dual-code international rugby scrum-half who played rugby union for Llanelli and rugby league with Batley RLFC...
, dual-code international rugby union player, 86 - 23 July - Goronwy Roberts, Baron Goronwy-Roberts, politician, 67
- 6 August - George LewisGeorge Lewis (footballer)Thomas George Lewis was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre-forward for Watford in the late 1930s, before joining Southampton for a brief period after World War II.-Watford:...
, footballer, 67 - 18 September - Brinley RichardsBrinley RichardsBrinley Richards was a Welsh language poet and author, who was Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1972 to 1975....
, poet, author and archdruid - 30 September - Roy JohnRoy John (rugby player)Ernest Raymond "Roy" John was a former and British Lions international rugby union lock. He played club rugby for Crynant and Neath. John was capped 19 times for Wales and was a member of two Grand Slam winning teams. In 1950 he was selected for the 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and...
, Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, 55 - date unknown
- Tom GriffithsTom GriffithsTom Griffiths was a Welsh international footballer of the 1930s.Tom Griffiths was born in Moss Valley, Wrexham. A centre-half, Griffiths was a tall, rangy player who joined home-town club Wrexham in 1922, transferring to Everton in 1929. Despite his efforts the Merseysiders were relegated at the...
, Welsh international footballer - Dai FrancisDai Francis (trade union leader)Dai Francis was a Welsh trade unionist, best remembered for his leadership of the South Wales Miners' Union during the 1970s. As a member of the Gorsedd of the National Eisteddfod of Wales, he took the bardic name Dai o'r Onllwyn. He was the father of MP Hywel Francis.Francis was born at...
, miners' leader - J. E. MeredithJ. E. Meredith-Life:Meredith was educated at the University College of North Wales, Bangor, serving as president of the Student's Union, and then studied at Jesus College, Oxford from 1928 to 1930, achieving a degree in divinity with distinction. He was secretary of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society and was the...
, Presbyterian minister and writer
- Tom Griffiths