1929 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1929 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

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

Events

• 6 January - The abbey on Caldey Island is handed over by the Benedictine order to its new owners, Belgian Cistercians.^[3]
• February - 700 people are involved in a riot at Cwmfelinfach, when strikebreakers are used during an industrial dispute at the Nine Mile Point Colliery.^[4]
• 13 March - Former ironclad warship is towed to Pembroke Dock to finish her service with the Royal Navy as an oil fuelling hulk.^[5]
• 24–26 April - The Royal Air Force's Squadron Leader Arthur G. Jones-Williams and Flight Lieutenant Norman H. Jenkins make the first non-stop flight from Britain to India.^[6]
• 30 May - In the United Kingdom general election:
  • Megan Lloyd George becomes Liberal MP for Anglesey – the first female MP in Wales.^[7]
  • Aneurin Bevan becomes MP for Ebbw Vale.
  • Other newly elected MPs include John Jestyn Llewellin at Uxbridge and Robert Richards at Wrexham.
  • Lewis Valentine is Plaid Cymru’s first parliamentary candidate. Plaid Cymru obtain a total of 609 votes in Wales.
  • J. H. Thomas becomes Lord Privy Seal in the new government.
• 9 July - After a collision with another vessel, HMS L12, the Royal Navy submarine H47 sinks off the Pembrokeshire coast, killing 21 crewmen.^[8]
• 10 July - Nine miners are killed in a mining accident at Milfraen, Blaenavon.
• 11 November - of rain falls within a single day at Lluest-wen Reservoir, a record for a place in Wales.^[9] Below in the Rhondda this month, 400 people are made homeless by flooding.
• 25 November - Cargo steamer Molesey is wrecked on Skomer Island with the loss of 7 lives;^[10] British Movietone News shoots the first-ever sound footage of such an event.
• 28 November - Seven miners are killed in an accident at Wernbwll Colliery, Penclawdd.^[11]
• date unknown
  • The University of Wales begins awarding teacher training certificates at colleges of education in Wales.^[12]
  • The number of motor vehicles in Wales exceeds 100,000 for the first time.

Arts and literature

• The first Urdd National Eisteddfod is held, at Corwen Pavilion.^[13]

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Liverpool)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - David Emrys Jones, "Dafydd ap Gwilym"^[14]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Caradog Prichard, "Y Gân Ni Chanwyd"^[15]

New books

English language

• John Hugh Edwards - David Lloyd George, the Man and the Statesman
• Richard Hughes - A High Wind in Jamaica^[16]
• Elisabeth Inglis-Jones - Starved Fields
• Huw Menai - The Passing of Guto^[17]
• Bertrand Russell - Marriage and Morals

Welsh language

• Ambrose Bebb - Llydaw
• Kate Roberts - Rhigolau Bywyd^[18]

Music

• W. Bradwen - Paradwys y Bardd^[19]
• David John de Lloyd - Forty Welsh Traditional Tunes (arrangements)

Film

• Ray Milland appears in his first Hollywood films.

Broadcasting

• Welsh-language radio begins to be broadcast from the BBC's Daventry transmitter.^[20]

Sport

• Football - The Football Association of Wales makes its first overseas tour, to Canada.
• Rugby Union
  • 23 February - 1929 Wales beat France 8–3 at the National Stadium in Cardiff

Births

• 2 January - John Lansdown, computer graphics pioneer (died 1999)^[21]
• 28 January - Clem Thomas, Wales and British Lions international rugby player (died 1996)^[22]
• 14 February - Wyn Morris, conductor (died 2010)^[23]
• 20 March - Herbert Wilson, physicist and biophysicist (died 2008)
• 25 April - Malcolm Thomas, Wales international rugby union captain (died 2012)
• 20 May - Bobi Jones, author (died 2017)
• 11 August - Alun Hoddinott, composer (died 2008)^[24]
• 2 September - Victor Spinetti, actor (died 2012)^[25]
• October - Robyn Léwis, politician and archdruid (died 2019)
• 16 October - Ivor Allchurch, Wales international footballer (died 1997)^[26]
• 20 October - Colin Jeavons, actor^[27]
• 27 October - Alun Richards, novelist (died 2003)^[28]
• 2 November - Carwyn James, rugby coach (died 1983)^[29]
• 7 November - Urien Wiliam, dramatist (died 2006)^[30]
• 4 December - Ednyfed Hudson Davies, politician (died 2018)^[31]
• 30 December - Charles Lynn Davies, Wales international rugby player
• date unknown
  • Paul Ferris, author
  • John Morgan, journalist and broadcaster (died 1988)

Deaths

• 2 January - David James, Wales international rugby player, 62
• 15 January - William Boyd Dawkins, geologist and historian, 91^[32]
• 20 February - Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare, 77^[33]
• 16 April - Sir John Morris-Jones, poet and grammarian, 64^[34]
• 29 April - Violet Herbert, Countess of Powis, 63^[35]
• 30 April - Cliff Bowen, Wales international rugby player and county cricketer, 54^[36]
• 13 May - David Thomas (Afan), composer, 47^[37]
• 15 May - Grace Rhys, writer, wife of Ernest Rhys, 64^[38]
• 30 May - Owen Davies, Baptist minister and writer, 68/9^[39]
• 2 June - Fred Andrews, Wales international rugby player, 64
• 15 June - Llewellyn Atherley-Jones, politician, 78/79^[40]
• 23 July - John Hinds, businessman and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire, 65^[41]
• 29 August - Viv Huzzey, Wales international rugby union player, 53
• 6 September - Richard Ellis, bibliographer and librarian, 62^[42]
• 19 October - John Evan Davies, Calvinistic Methodist minister and writer, 79^[43]
• 20 November - David Williams, archdeacon of Cardigan, 88^[44]
• 7 December - Jenkin Jones, trade union leader, 70^[45]
• 17 December - Arthur G. Jones-Williams, aviation pioneer, 31 (air crash)^[46]
• 21 December - James Williams, hockey player, 51
• date unknown - John Evan Davies, minister and writer, 78/9

See also

• 1929 in Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. s-EDWA-GEO-1848. Edwards, Alfred George (1848-1937), first archbishop of Wales. Thomas Iorwerth Ellis. 15 October 2021.
2. s-WILL-OWE-1853. Williams, John Owen (Pedrog; 1853-1932), Congregational minister, and poet. Idwal Lewis. yes. 15 October 2021.
3. Book: Roscoe Howells. Total Community: The Monks of Caldey Island. 1975. H. G. Walters (Publishers) Limited. 38.
4. Book: The Illustrated London News. 1929. Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited. 270.
5. Book: Andrew D. Lambert. Warrior: the world's first ironclad, then and now. May 1987. Naval Institute Press. 978-0-87021-986-3. 44.
6. O'Connor, Derek, "Going Long," Aviation History, March 2016, p. 53.
7. Book: John Davies. Nigel Jenkins. Menna Baines. The Welsh Academy encyclopaedia of Wales. 2008. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-1953-6. 515.
8. Book: M. D. Dewar. Collisions at Sea--- How?. 1989. Brown, Son & Ferguson, Limited. 978-0-85174-561-9. 776.
9. News: Britain's Ten Wettest Places . The Daily Telegraph. London. 2016-09-16. 2020-03-11.
10. The wreck of the Molesey . 28 November 1929 . 11 . 45372 . B .
11. Book: Great Britain. Mines Department. F. H. Wynne. Explosion at Wernbwll Colliery, Penclawdd, Glamorganshire: Report on the Causes of and Circumstances Attending the Explosion which Occurred ... on the 28th November, 1929. 1930. H.M. Stationery Office.
12. Book: Reference Wales. 1994. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-1234-6. 109.
13. Book: Recreation. 1947. National Recreation Association. 252.
14. Web site: Winners of the Chair. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
15. Web site: Winners of the Crown. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
16. Book: Neil King. Sarah King. Dictionary of Literature in English. 2002. Taylor & Francis. 978-1-57958-381-1. 92.
17. Book: Glyn Jones. Tony Brown. The Dragon Has Two Tongues: Essays on Anglo-Welsh Writers and Writing. 1 December 2001. University of Wales Press. 978-1-4175-0857-0. 133.
18. Book: Katie Gramich. Kate Roberts. 15 February 2011. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-2339-7. 111.
19. s2-JONE-ART-1892. Jones, William Arthur (W. Bradwen); 1892-1970), musician. Huw Williams. yes. 30 July 2019.
20. Book: Asa Briggs. The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: Volume II: The Golden Age of Wireless. 23 March 1995. OUP Oxford. 978-0-19-212930-7. 298.
21. Huw Jones, Obituaries — Great plans for computers: John Lansdown, The Guardian, 3 March 1999.
22. Book: Peter Jackson. Lions of Wales: A Celebration of Welsh Rugby Legends. 1998. Mainstream. 978-1-84018-026-8. 215.
23. Web site: Obituary - Wyn Morris. 26 Feb 2010. The Daily Telegraph. 27 June 2018.
24. Web site: Alun Hoddinott. 14 March 2008. Geraint Lewis. The Guardian. 26 July 2019.
25. Web site: Victor Spinetti obituary. 19 June 2012. Michael Coveney. The Guardian. 26 July 2019.
26. Book: Keir Radnedge. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Soccer. 2001. Universe Pub.. 978-0-7893-0670-8.
27. Book: Peter Noble. British Film and Television Year Book. 1974. Cinema TV Today. 214.
28. Web site: Alun Richards. 19 June 2004. Dai Smith. The Guardian. 26 July 2019.
29. Book: Alun Gibbard. Into the Wind: The life of Carwyn James. Y Lolfa. 2017. 978-1-78461-404-1.
30. Web site: Urien Wiliam. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/urien-wiliam-421615.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription . live. 26 October 2006. Meic Stephens. Meic Stephens. The Independent. 26 July 2019.
31. Web site: Ednyfed Hudson Davies, Welsh language champion and Labour MP – obituary. 14 January 2018. The Telegraph. 3 February 2018.
32. s-DAWK-BOY-1837. DAWKINS, Sir WILLIAM BOYD (1837-1929), geologist and antiquary. F. J. North. F. J. North. yes. 27 June 2018.
33. Book: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (London, England). The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. 1984. The Society. 233.
34. s-MORR-JOH-1864. Morris-Jones, (formerly Jones), Sir John (Morris) (1864-1929), scholar, poet, and critic. Thomas Parry. Thomas Parry (author). yes. 15 August 2019.
35. Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1029.
36. http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/1163.html Cliff Bowen player profile
37. s-THOM-JOH-1881. Thomas, David John. William Evans. 1959. 23 April 2022.
38. Book: John Kimberley Roberts. Ernest Rhys. 1983. University of Wales Press. 9.
39. Owen Davies. s-DAVI-OWE-1840. Humphreys. Edward Morgan. Edward Morgan Humphreys. yes. 1 August 2017.
40. Book: Frank Moore Colby. Herbert Treadwell Wade. Frank H. Vizetelly. The New international year book. 1930. Dodd, Mead and Company. 559.
41. Book: Who's Who of British Members of Parliament Vol. III 1919-1945. 1979. Harvester Press. Hassocks. 9780391006133. Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees. registration.
42. s-ELLI-RIC-1865. Ellis, Richard (1865 - 1928), librarian and bibliographer. Davies. Sir William Llewelyn. William Llewelyn Davies. 31 October 2008.
43. John Evan Davies. s-DAVI-EVA-1850. Jenkins. Robert Thomas. Robert Thomas Jenkins. yes. 12 July 2017.
44. WILLIAMS, Ven. David’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007 accessed 5 Aug 2013
45. "News in brief", The Times, 12 December 1929
46. Flight Global, 14 March 1930, p. 308 http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1930/untitled0%20-%200324.html Retrieved 27 February 2010.