1925 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1925 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Archbishop of Wales – Alfred George Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph^[1]
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Elfed^[2]

Events

• 3 February - An estimated 100,000 people line the streets of Cardiff for the funeral of boxer 'peerless' Jim Driscoll.^[3]
• 13 July - The Ammanford anthracite strike^[4] begins.
• 5 August - Founding of Plaid Cymru by Lewis Valentine (head of Y Mudiad Cymreig - English: The Welsh Movement), H. R. Jones (head of the Welsh: Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru - English: The Welsh Home Rule Army)^[5] and others at Pwllheli.^[6]
• 2 November - After several days of heavy rain, the Llyn Eigiau dam at Dolgarrog on the River Conwy bursts, destroying the village of Porth-llwyd and killing 16 people.
• date unknown
  • Clough Williams-Ellis begins construction of Portmeirion.^[7]
  • US newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst buys the medieval St Donat's Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan for $120,000.^[8]
  • R. Silyn Roberts founds the North Wales branch of the Workers Educational Association.

Arts and literature

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Pwllheli)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Dewi Morgan (Dewi Teifi), "Cantre'r Gwaelod"^[9]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - William Evans (Wil Ifan), "Bro Fy Mebyd"^[10]

New books

English language

• Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney - A Survey of the General History of the Town of Newport and District^[11]
• Ifano Jones - Printing and Printers in Wales^[12]
• Hilda Vaughan - The Battle to the Weak^[13]
• Mortimer Wheeler - Prehistoric & Roman Wales^[14]

Welsh language

• David Rees Davies - Tusw o Flodau^[15]
• Edward Tegla Davies - Rhys Llwyd Y Lleuad
• Thomas Davies (Teglyn) - Dinas Mawddwy a'i Hamgylchoedd
• Henry Lewis (ed.) - Cywyddau Iolo Goch ac Eraill
• William David Owen - Madam Wen.^[16]
• Kate Roberts (author) - O gors y bryniau (short stories)
• R. Silyn Roberts - Bugail Geifr Lorraine^[17]

Music

• Mai Jones - "Blackbirds"

Film

• 27 July - The first Welsh-made animation series, Jerry the Tyke, is shown through Pathé Pictorials in British cinemas.^[18]
• Gareth Hughes appears in The Midnight Girl.
• Ivor Novello appears in The Rat.^[19]

Broadcasting

• 14 February - The BBC transmits readings from the poetry of T. Gwynn Jones.
• 22 February - A Welsh-language religious service is broadcast by the BBC.
• 28 February - Saunders Lewis insists on using the Welsh language for his contribution to the BBC series A Welsh Hour.^[20]
• 6 March - Readings from the poetry of R. Williams Parry are broadcast by the BBC.
• 3 April - The BBC's Liverpool transmitter broadcasts Noson Gymreig (A Welsh Night).^[21]
• 31 May - A bilingual service is broadcast from Cardiff Baptist Chapel.
• 2 October - The BBC broadcasts a talk on the Welsh language from Swansea.

Sport

• Boxing
  • 26 December - Tom Norris beats Dick Power at the Palace Theatre in Crumlin to take the Welsh heavyweight championship.^[22]
• Football

• • 28 February - England defeat Wales 2–1 at the Vetch Field, Swansea.
  • 25 April - Cardiff City reach the FA Cup final, losing 1–0 to Sheffield United
  • 31 October - Scotland defeat Wales 3–0 at Ninian Park.
• The Welsh Lawn Tennis Association is formed.
• Rugby union - Wales finish fourth in the Five Nations Championship with just one win, over France.

Births

• 26 March - Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson, lawyer and Liberal politician (died 2012)^[23]
• 15 April - Geraint Howells, Liberal politician (died 2004)^[24]
• 2 May - Dai Davies, Wales and British Lions international rugby union player (died 2003)
• 1 June - Roy Clarke, footballer (died 2006)
• 10 June - Sir John Stradling Thomas, Conservative politician (died 1991)^[25]
• 19 July - Ivor Roberts, television announcer and actor (died 1999)
• 30 July - Don Hayward, Wales international rugby player (died 1999 in New Zealand)
• 7 September - Laura Ashley, designer (died 1985)^[26]
• 10 October - Tecwyn Roberts, spaceflight engineer (died 1988 in the United States)^[27]
• 3 November - Gordon Parry, Baron Parry, Welsh politician (died 2004)^[28]
• 10 November - Richard Burton, born Richard Jenkins, actor (died 1984)^[29]
• 24 November - Alun Owen, screenwriter (died 1994)^[30]
• 27 November - John Maddox, science writer (died 2009)^[31]
• 3 December - Roy John, Wales and British Lions international rugby union player (died 1981)
• 14 December - Ron Stitfall, footballer (died 2008)

Deaths

• 21 January - John Puleston Jones (in Welsh), Methodist minister and author, 62^[32]
• 27 January - Francis Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell, 83^[33]
• 30 January - Jim Driscoll, boxer ("Peerless Jim"), 44^[34]
• 4 February - William Haggar, pioneer of the cinema industry, 73^[35]
• 18 February - Frank Mills, Wales international rugby player
• 8 June - Edward John Lewis, Wales international rugby union player, 65^[36]
• 9 August - J. Vyrnwy Morgan, minister and author, 65
• 26 September - William Bowen, rugby player, 63
• 19 October - David John Thomas, Wales international rugby union, 45^[37]
• 4 November - William David Owen, writer, 51^[38]
• 16 November - Towyn Jones, politician, 66^[39]
• 20 November - Alexandra of Denmark, the queen mother, former Princess of Wales, 80^[40]
• 19 December - Elizabeth Phillips Hughes, teacher, 74^[41]

See also

• 1925 in Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. [Who's Who (UK)#Who Was Who|''Who was Who 1897–2007'']
2. s2-LEWI-ELV-1860 . Lewis, Howell Elvet ('Elfed'; 1860–1953), Independent minister, hymn-writer, poet. Emlyn Glasnant Jenkins. 2001. 12 April 2022.
3. Book: Tony Woolway. Cardiff in the Headlines. 15 October 2016. Amberley Publishing. 978-1-4456-4889-7. 35. 12 September 2021. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114055/https://books.google.com/books?id=u7BNDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT35. live.
4. Web site: Ammanford Anthracite Strike 1925. 2010-08-24. 2015-01-21. 2012-02-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20120205042740/http://www.terrynorm.ic24.net/anthracite%20strike%2025.htm. live.
5. Book: Morgan, Kenneth O.. Rebirth of a nation: Wales, 1880-1980. Kenneth O. Morgan. 1981. reprint 2002. 6. History of Wales. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 0-19-821760-9. 206. 2011-02-09. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114056/https://books.google.com/books?id=asSr71jWDIEC&pg=PA254&dq=%22Lewis+Valentine%22&hl=en&ei=1tZSTYOxMZKHhQeM1_TYCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22Lewis%20Valentine%22&f=false. live.
6. Book: Davies, John. A History of Wales. Penguin. 1994. 0-14-014581-8. 547.
7. Book: Nigel R. Jones. Architecture of England, Scotland, and Wales. 2005. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-31850-4. 198. 2021-09-12. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114056/https://books.google.com/books?id=epsFOeV1mCMC&pg=PA198. live.
8. Book: Editor & Publisher. 1962. Editor & Publisher Company. 28. 2021-09-12. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114057/https://books.google.com/books?id=ejNMJbf5wHYC. live.
9. Web site: Winners of the Chair. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 3 October 2019.
10. Web site: Winners of the Crown. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 7 November 2019. 7 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191107194429/https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/crown-winners. live.
11. Web site: Bradney, Sir Joseph Alfred (Achydd Glan Troddi; 1859-1933), historian of Monmouthshire. William Llewelyn Davies. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 11 November 2019. 24 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924140519/https://biography.wales/article/s-BRAD-ALF-1859. live.
12. Book: An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Caernarvonshire: I East: the Cantref of Arllechwedd and the Commote of Creuddyn. 1960. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. 182. 2021-09-12. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114057/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zy2olxXGPhwC&pg=PA182. live.
13. News: Reviews . Western Mail . 27 November 2010 .
14. Book: Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society for .... 1952. University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. 128. 2021-09-12. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114058/https://books.google.com/books?id=ddIMAQAAMAAJ. live.
15. Web site: Davies, David Rees ('Cledlyn'; 1875-1964), schoolmaster, poet, writer, local historian. Evan David Jones. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 11 July 2019. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711150909/https://biography.wales/article/s2-DAVI-REE-1875. live.
16. Web site: Owen, William David (1874-1925), lawyer and journalist. Robert Thomas Jenkins. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 11 July 2019. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711151238/https://biography.wales/article/s1-OWEN-DAV-1874. live.
17. Book: Studia Celtica. 1981. University of Wales Press. 232. 2021-09-12. 2021-09-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114058/https://books.google.com/books?id=AVRiAAAAMAAJ. live.
18. Web site: Jerry The Troublesome Tyke . The National Library of Wales . 3 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120603224139/http://addysg.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=5057 . 3 June 2012 . dead .
19. Low, Rachael. History of British Film (Volume 4): The History of the British Film 1918 - 1929. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2013. Page 161
20. Book: Davies, John. Broadcasting and the BBC in Wales. University of Wales Press. 1994. 33–34.
21. Book: Davies, John. Broadcasting and the BBC in Wales. University of Wales Press. 1994. 25.
22. Web site: Tom Norris: boxing profile . Boxrec . 13 November 2010.
23. Web site: Lord Hooson obituary. 26 February 2012. Andrew Roth. The Guardian. 11 July 2019. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711150912/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/feb/26/lord-hooson. live.
24. Web site: Lord Geraint. 19 April 2004. Andrew Roth. The Guardian. 11 July 2019. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711150909/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/apr/19/guardianobituaries.liberaldemocrats. live.
25. Web site: Thomas, John Stradling (1925-1991), Conservative politician. John Graham Jones. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 11 November 2019. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114104/https://biography.wales/article/s6-THOM-STR-1925. live.
26. Book: Colin Matthew. Henry Colin Gray Matthew. Brief Lives: Twentieth-century Pen Portraits from the Dictionary of National Biography. 1999. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-280089-3. 13. 2021-09-12. 2020-08-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20200807001506/https://books.google.com/books?id=pDPvAAAAMAAJ. live.
27. Book: Manfred "Dutch" von Ehrenfired. The Birth of NASA: The Work of the Space Task Group, America's First True Space Pioneers. 23 March 2016. Springer. 978-3-319-28428-6. 280. 12 September 2021. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114132/https://books.google.com/books?id=D6XWCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA280. live.
28. Web site: Lord Parry. 6 September 2004. The Independent. Meic Stephens. Meic Stephens. 11 November 2019. 11 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191111183419/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lord-parry-39166.html. live.
29. Book: Richard Burton. The Richard Burton Diaries. 23 October 2012. Yale University Press. 978-0-300-18010-7. 2. 12 September 2021. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114137/https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP39oBztlcC&pg=PA2. live.
30. Web site: Tise Vahimagi. Owen, Alun (1925–1994). British Film Institute. Screenonline. 2006-02-07.
31. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6087234.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 "Obituary: Sir John Maddox"
32. Web site: JONES, JOHN PULESTON (1862-1925). Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig. Robert Richard Hughes. 8 June 2018. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114109/https://bywgraffiadur.cymru/article/c-JONE-PUL-1862. live.
33. Book: The Encyclopedia Americana. 1954. Americana Corporation. 460. 2021-09-12. 2021-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20210620131347/https://books.google.com/books?id=kN0XAQAAIAAJ. live.
34. s-DRIS-JAM-1880. Driscoll, James (1880-1925), boxer. Emlyn Wynne Evans. 8 November 2022.
35. Book: Peter Yorke. Peter Yorke. William Haggar (1851-1925): fairground film-maker : [biography of a pioneer of the cinema]]. 8 May 2007. Accent Press. 978-1-905170-87-6. 114. 12 September 2021. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912114101/https://books.google.com/books?id=mus4AQAAIAAJ. live.
36. http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/542.html Edward John Lewis player profile
37. http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/1621.html David Thomas player profile
38. Web site: Owen, William David (1874-1925), lawyer and journalist. Robert Thomas Jenkins. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 11 July 2019. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711151238/https://biography.wales/article/s1-OWEN-DAV-1874. live.
39. Web site: Jones, Josiah Towyn (1858-1925), Congregational minister and Member of Parliament. David Thomas Jones. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 26 February 2020. 11 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711150913/https://biography.wales/article/s-JONE-TOW-1858. live.
40. Eilers, Marlene A., Queen Victoria's Descendants, p. 171.
41. Web site: Hughes, Elizabeth Phillips (1851-1925), educationalist. Megan Lewis. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. 26 February 2020. 18 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191218204449/https://biography.wales/article/s-HUGH-PHI-1851. live.