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Centuries:	18th; 19th; 20th; 21st; ;
Decades:	1950s; 1960s; 1970s; 1980s; 1990s;
See also:	List of years in Wales; Timeline of Welsh history 1970 in The United Kingdom Scotland Elsewhere

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1970 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

Secretary of State for Wales – George Thomas (until 20 June); Peter Thomas^[1]
Archbishop of Wales – Glyn Simon, Bishop of Llandaff^[2]
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Tilsli^[3]

Events

11 January – The last trolleybuses run on the Cardiff trolleybus system, the last such system in Wales.^[4]
23 May – The 120-year-old Britannia Bridge built by Robert Stephenson across the Menai Strait is destroyed by fire.^[5]
2 June – During the construction of the Cleddau Bridge, a cantilever collapses, resulting in the deaths of four workers. It is the last major bridge disaster in the UK.^[6]
18 June – In the UK General Election:
- S. O. Davies, having resigned from the Labour Party, retains his Parliamentary seat of Merthyr Tydfil, standing as an Independent Labour candidate.^[7]
- Gwynfor Evans loses his seat at Carmarthen.^[8]
- Jim Griffiths retires as MP for Llanelli, to be replaced by Denzil Davies.^[9]
- Nigel Birch retires from the House of Commons, to be created Baron Rhyl.
25 October – Pope Paul VI canonizes the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, who include the priests Philip Evans and John Lloyd, John Jones, David Lewis, John Roberts, and the teacher Richard Gwyn.^[10]
Dr Phil Williams becomes the first Chairman of Plaid Cymru.^[11]

Arts and literature

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page retreat to Bron-Yr-Aur to write songs for Led Zeppelin III.^[12]

Awards

Bernice Rubens wins the Booker Prize for The Elected Member.
National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ammanford)
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Tomi Evans, "Y Twrch Trwyth"^[13]
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Bryan Martin Davies, "Darluniau ar Gynfas"^[14]
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – withheld^[15]

New books

English language

Ron Berry – So Long, Hector Bebb^[16]
Tom Earley – The Sad Mountain^[17]
Menna Gallie – You're Welcome to Ulster!^[18]
Sally Roberts Jones – Turning Away
John Ormond – Requiem and Celebration
Harri Webb – The Green Desert

Welsh language

Marion Eames – Y Stafell Ddirgel^[19]
J. Gwyn Griffiths – Cerddi Cairo^[20]
John Robert Jones – Ac Onide
R. Williams Parry – Yr Haf a Cherddi Eraill
Gwynne Williams – Rhwng Gewyn ac Asgwrn^[21]
T. Wilson Evans – Iwan Tudur

Music

Badfinger – No Dice (featuring the original recording of "Without You")
John Cale – Vintage Violence^[22]
Meic Stevens – Outlander
Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets – A Legend

Film

Stanley Baker stars in The Games.
Hugh Griffith appears in Start the Revolution Without Me.

Welsh-language films

None

Broadcasting

6 April – HTV starts broadcasting in colour from the Wenvoe transmitting station and from this day becomes known on air as HTV rather than Harlech Television.
Coverage of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod is the first colour programme to be made by BBC Wales.

Welsh-language television

Fo a Fe makes a star of Ryan Davies, who goes on to make three series of Ryan a Ronnie in Welsh with his partner Ronnie Williams.^[23]

English-language television

Sport

Boxing – Eddie Avoth wins the Commonwealth lightweight title.
Show Jumping – David Broome wins the individual Show Jumping World Championship.
Snooker – Ray Reardon wins the World Professional Snooker Championship for the first time.^[24]
David Broome wins BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.^[25]

Births

1 January – Brian Law, footballer
7 March – Cameron Toshack, footballer^[26]
19 March – Tracey Hinton, athlete
2 April – Jason Perry, footballer
15 April – Rebecca John, television presenter
19 May – Stuart Cable, rock musician and television presenter (died 2010)^[27]
25 May – Robert Croft, cricketer^[28]
18 June – Lucy Owen, television presenter
22 June – Paul Davies, snooker player
18 July – Gruff Rhys, rock musician^[29]
27 July (in England) – David Davies, politician^[30]
30 July – Alun Cairns, politician^[31]
9 August – Lee Jones, football goalkeeper
19 August – Me One (Eric Martin), singer-songwriter and rapper
26 September – Kevin Lloyd, footballer
October – Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners
11 October (in England) – Andy Marriott, goalkeeper
14 November – Derwyn Jones, rugby union player
27 November – Stephen Evans, actor and comedy writer
29 December – Aled Jones, singer and radio presenter^[32]
31 December – Louise Rickard, rugby union player

Deaths

3 January – Trefor Morgan, financier, 55^[33]
4 January – David John Williams (D. J. Williams), author and Plaid Cymru politician, 84^[34]
9 January – Caleb Rees, teacher and writer, 86^[35]
23 January – Ifan ab Owen Edwards, founder of the Urdd, 74^[36]
26 January – Albert Evans-Jones (Cynan), poet, 74^[37]
2 February – Bertrand Russell, philosopher, 97^[38]
16 February – Bil Perry, Wales international rugby player, 83
22 February – Roddy Hughes, actor, 78
18 March – Hubert Rhys, cricketer, 72
20 April – Thomas Iorwerth Ellis, academic, 70^[39]
29 April – Bryn Evans, Welsh rugby international, 68
7 May
- Annie Davies, radio and TV producer, 59^[40]
- Jack Jones, novelist, 75^[41]
30 May – John Edward Jones, Plaid Cymru leader, 64^[42]
3 June – John Robert Jones, philosophy professor, 58^[43]
4 June – Daniel John Davies, Independent minister and poet, 84^[44]
9 June – Billy Spiller, cricketer and rugby player, 83
18 June – D. Winton Thomas, Hebrew scholar, 69^[45]
6 July – Richard Roberts, Archdeacon of St Asaph, 86
10 July – Isaac Griffiths, politician in Canada, 78
3 August – Sir Lincoln Evans, trade unionist, 80^[46]
4 August
- Alun Ogwen Williams, teacher and Eisteddfod administrator, 65^[47]
- Morgan Williams, politician in New Zealand^[48]
26 August – Thomas Mardy Jones, miner and politician, 91^[49]
10 October – Owen Picton Davies, journalist, 88^[50]
8 November – Huw T. Edwards, trade union leader and politician, 77^[51]
17 November – Naunton Wayne, actor, 69^[52]

References

^ E. B. Pryde; D. E. Greenway; S. Porter; I. Roy (23 February 1996). Handbook of British Chronology. Cambridge University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-521-56350-5.
^ Who was who. A. & C. Black. 1971. p. 728. ISBN 9780312877460.
^ Meic Stephens (April 1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Oxford University Press. p. 589.
^ Jim Blake (30 April 2017). Trolleybus Twilight: Britain's Last Trolleybus Systems. Pen and Sword. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-4738-6149-7.
^ Stanley C. Jenkins; Martin Loader (15 March 2015). The London, Midland and Scottish Railway Volume One Chester to Holyhead. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-4456-4416-5.
^ Dennis Kelsall; Jan Kelsall (21 March 2016). The Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Cicerone Press Limited. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-78362-326-6.
^ Robert Waller; Byron Criddle (1999). The Almanac of British Politics. Psychology Press. p. 475. ISBN 978-0-415-18541-7.
^ Kenneth O. Morgan (1981). Rebirth of a Nation: Wales, 1880-1980. Oxford University Press. pp. 393. ISBN 978-0-19-821736-7.
^ Denis Balsom; Martin Burch (1980). Political and Electoral Handbook for Wales: 1959-1979. Gower Press. ISBN 978-0-566-00236-6.
^ National Calendar for Wales, Liturgy Office for England and Wales, accessed 31 July 2011
^ House of Commons: With Full Results of the Polling and Biographies of Members and Unsuccessful Candidates and a Complete Analysis, Statistical Tables, and a Map of the General Election. Times Office. October 1974. ISBN 978-0-7230-0124-9.
^ The Golden Age of the Singer-Songwriter, 1970-1973. ABC-CLIO. 2012. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-313-37906-2.
^ "Winners of the Chair". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
^ "Winners of the Crown". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
^ "Winners of the Prose Medal". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ Daniel G. Williams (15 April 2015). Wales Unchained: Literature, Politics and Identity in the American Century. University of Wales Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-78316-213-0.
^ NA NA (5 March 2016). Writers Directory. Springer. p. 348. ISBN 978-1-349-03650-9.
^ Kersti Tarien Powell (8 October 2004). Irish Fiction: An Introduction. A&C Black. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-8264-1596-7.
^ National Library of Wales; Meic Stephens (1 January 1973). A reader's guide to Wales: a selected bibliography. National Book League. p. 97. ISBN 9780853531678.
^ Meic Stephens (April 1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Oxford University Press. p. 227.
^ Stephen J. Calvert (1980). Literary and Library Prizes. R. R. Bowker Company. p. 515. ISBN 978-0-8352-1249-6.
^ Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 131. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
^ Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1971). Sessional Papers. H.M. Stationery Office.
^ "Profile: Ray Reardon". Eurosport. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
^ "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
^ Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 189. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
^ Dave Simpson (7 June 2010). "Stuart Cable obituary". The Guardian.
^ "Robert Croft to end record-breaking Glamorgan career". BBC Sport. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
^ Andy Gregory (2002). The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. Psychology Press. p. 428. ISBN 978-1-85743-161-2.
^ "UK: Wales: AMs – David Davies". BBC News. 12 May 1998. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
^ Cairns, Rt Hon. Alun (Hugh). UK Who's Who. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U9861. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
^ Aled Jones (17 October 2013). Aled Jones - My Story. John Blake. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-78219-821-5.
^ Gwyneth Morgan (2001). "Morgan, Trefor Richard (1914-1970), company director". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
^ Hywel Teifi Edwards. "Williams, David John (1885-1970), writer". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Mary Auronwy James (2001). "Rees, Caleb (1883-1970), inspector of schools and author". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
^ Mary Euronwy James. "Edwards, Sir Ifan ab Owen (1895-1970), lecturer, founder of Urdd Gobaith Cymru". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Thomas Parry. "Jones, Sir Cynan (Albert) Evans ('Cynan'; 1895-1970), poet, dramatist and eisteddfodwr". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Mehra, Jagdish; Rechenberg, Helmut (28 December 2000). The Historical Development of Quantum Theory. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-387-95178-2.
^ Mary Gwendoline Ellis. "Ellis, Thomas Iorwerth (1899-1970), educationalist and author". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Edwards, Owen. "Annie Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^ Keri Edwards (2001). "Jones, Jack (1884-1970), author and playwright". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
^ Gwynfor Evans. "Jones, John Edward (1905-1970), secretary and organiser of Plaid Cymru, 1930-62". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Mary Beynon Davies. "Jones, John Robert (1911-1970), philosopher and patriot". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
^ Jones, Iorwerth. "Daniel John Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
^ Emerton, J. A. (July 1991). "The Work of David Winton Thomas as a Hebrew Scholar". Vetus Testamentum. 41 (3): 287–303. doi:10.1163/156853391X00270. JSTOR 1519069.
^ "Sir Lincoln Evans: trade union leader", The Times, 5 August 1970
^ "Williams, Alun Ogwen (1904–1970), eisteddfod administrator and supporter". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. 2001. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
^ John Graham Jones. "Mardy-Jones, Thomas Isaac (1879-1970), economist and politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
^ Williams, Griffith John. "Owen Picton Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
^ Ward, Paul (2011). Huw T Edwards: British Labour and Welsh Socialism. University of Wales Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780708323298. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
^ "Obituary: Naunton Wayne - The Times (18 November 1970)". The Alfred Hitchcock Wiki. 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2019.

[1] E. B. Pryde; D. E. Greenway; S. Porter; I. Roy (23 February 1996). Handbook of British Chronology. Cambridge University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-521-56350-5.

[2] Who was who. A. & C. Black. 1971. p. 728. ISBN 9780312877460.

[3] Meic Stephens (April 1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Oxford University Press. p. 589.

[4] Jim Blake (30 April 2017). Trolleybus Twilight: Britain's Last Trolleybus Systems. Pen and Sword. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-4738-6149-7.

[5] Stanley C. Jenkins; Martin Loader (15 March 2015). The London, Midland and Scottish Railway Volume One Chester to Holyhead. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-4456-4416-5.

[6] Dennis Kelsall; Jan Kelsall (21 March 2016). The Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Cicerone Press Limited. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-78362-326-6.

[7] Robert Waller; Byron Criddle (1999). The Almanac of British Politics. Psychology Press. p. 475. ISBN 978-0-415-18541-7.

[8] Kenneth O. Morgan (1981). Rebirth of a Nation: Wales, 1880-1980. Oxford University Press. pp. 393. ISBN 978-0-19-821736-7.

[9] Denis Balsom; Martin Burch (1980). Political and Electoral Handbook for Wales: 1959-1979. Gower Press. ISBN 978-0-566-00236-6.

[10] National Calendar for Wales, Liturgy Office for England and Wales, accessed 31 July 2011

[11] House of Commons: With Full Results of the Polling and Biographies of Members and Unsuccessful Candidates and a Complete Analysis, Statistical Tables, and a Map of the General Election. Times Office. October 1974. ISBN 978-0-7230-0124-9.

[12] The Golden Age of the Singer-Songwriter, 1970-1973. ABC-CLIO. 2012. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-313-37906-2.

[13] "Winners of the Chair". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.

[14] "Winners of the Crown". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.

[15] "Winners of the Prose Medal". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 November 2019.

[16] Daniel G. Williams (15 April 2015). Wales Unchained: Literature, Politics and Identity in the American Century. University of Wales Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-78316-213-0.

[17] NA NA (5 March 2016). Writers Directory. Springer. p. 348. ISBN 978-1-349-03650-9.

[18] Kersti Tarien Powell (8 October 2004). Irish Fiction: An Introduction. A&C Black. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-8264-1596-7.

[19] National Library of Wales; Meic Stephens (1 January 1973). A reader's guide to Wales: a selected bibliography. National Book League. p. 97. ISBN 9780853531678.

[20] Meic Stephens (April 1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Oxford University Press. p. 227.

[21] Stephen J. Calvert (1980). Literary and Library Prizes. R. R. Bowker Company. p. 515. ISBN 978-0-8352-1249-6.

[22] Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 131. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.

[23] Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1971). Sessional Papers. H.M. Stationery Office.

[24] "Profile: Ray Reardon". Eurosport. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2019.

[25] "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2021.

[26] Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 189. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.

[27] Dave Simpson (7 June 2010). "Stuart Cable obituary". The Guardian.

[28] "Robert Croft to end record-breaking Glamorgan career". BBC Sport. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2020.

[29] Andy Gregory (2002). The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. Psychology Press. p. 428. ISBN 978-1-85743-161-2.

[30] "UK: Wales: AMs – David Davies". BBC News. 12 May 1998. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2022.

[31] Cairns, Rt Hon. Alun (Hugh). UK Who's Who. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U9861. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 5 April 2020.

[32] Aled Jones (17 October 2013). Aled Jones - My Story. John Blake. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-78219-821-5.

[33] Gwyneth Morgan (2001). "Morgan, Trefor Richard (1914-1970), company director". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2024.

[34] Hywel Teifi Edwards. "Williams, David John (1885-1970), writer". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[35] Mary Auronwy James (2001). "Rees, Caleb (1883-1970), inspector of schools and author". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2024.

[36] Mary Euronwy James. "Edwards, Sir Ifan ab Owen (1895-1970), lecturer, founder of Urdd Gobaith Cymru". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[37] Thomas Parry. "Jones, Sir Cynan (Albert) Evans ('Cynan'; 1895-1970), poet, dramatist and eisteddfodwr". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[38] Mehra, Jagdish; Rechenberg, Helmut (28 December 2000). The Historical Development of Quantum Theory. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-387-95178-2.

[39] Mary Gwendoline Ellis. "Ellis, Thomas Iorwerth (1899-1970), educationalist and author". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[40] Edwards, Owen. "Annie Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 27 December 2016.

[41] Keri Edwards (2001). "Jones, Jack (1884-1970), author and playwright". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 2 June 2022.

[42] Gwynfor Evans. "Jones, John Edward (1905-1970), secretary and organiser of Plaid Cymru, 1930-62". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[43] Mary Beynon Davies. "Jones, John Robert (1911-1970), philosopher and patriot". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 9 July 2019.

[44] Jones, Iorwerth. "Daniel John Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 17 January 2017.

[45] Emerton, J. A. (July 1991). "The Work of David Winton Thomas as a Hebrew Scholar". Vetus Testamentum. 41 (3): 287–303. doi:10.1163/156853391X00270. JSTOR 1519069.

[46] "Sir Lincoln Evans: trade union leader", The Times, 5 August 1970

[47] "Williams, Alun Ogwen (1904–1970), eisteddfod administrator and supporter". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. 2001. Retrieved 2020-01-13.

[48] Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

[49] John Graham Jones. "Mardy-Jones, Thomas Isaac (1879-1970), economist and politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 19 March 2020.

[50] Williams, Griffith John. "Owen Picton Davies". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2017.

[51] Ward, Paul (2011). Huw T Edwards: British Labour and Welsh Socialism. University of Wales Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780708323298. Retrieved 21 April 2018.

[52] "Obituary: Naunton Wayne - The Times (18 November 1970)". The Alfred Hitchcock Wiki. 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2019.

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1970 in Wales

Incumbents

Events

Arts and literature

Awards

New books

English language

Welsh language

Music

Film

Welsh-language films

Broadcasting

Welsh-language television

English-language television

Sport

Births

Deaths

See also

References