# 1954 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1954 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfnallt

## Events

* 1 April – Civilian flights from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport at Pengam Moors are transferred to the new Cardiff Airport near Rhoose.
* 29 May – Gwyneth Phillips marries John Dunwoody, continuing a dynasty of Labour politicians.
* 19 June – The Welsh Chess Union is founded.
* October – Launch of the Empire News, the first Sunday newspaper to be printed and published in Wales.
* 19 October – Gwilym Lloyd George becomes Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs – the first Welshman to hold the position.
* 9 December – Flag of the Church in Wales officially inaugurated.

## Arts and literature
### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ystradgynlais)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – John Evans, "Yr Argae"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – E. Llwyd Williams, "Y Bannau"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Owen Elias Roberts, Y Gor o Ystradgynlais

### New books

* Dannie Abse – Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve
* Kingsley Amis – Lucky Jim
* Glyn Daniel – Welcome Death
* Margiad Evans – The Nightingale Silenced (unpublished)
* Ronald Fenton – The Story of Sker House
* Eiluned Lewis – Honey Pots and Brandy Bottles
* V. E. Nash-Williams – The Roman Frontier in Wales
* Bertrand Russell – Nightmares of Eminent Persons and Other Stories
* Dylan Thomas – Quite Early One Morning

### Music

* Geraint Evans stars in William Walton's new opera, Troilus and Cressida.
* Alun Hoddinott – Clarinet Concerto (performed at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli).
* Arwel Hughes – Menna (opera)
* Daniel Jones – Symphony no 4

## Film

* Donald Houston co-stars in Doctor in the House.
* Ray Milland stars in Dial M for Murder.
* The Black Knight, starring Alan Ladd, is partly filmed at Castell Coch.

## Broadcasting

* 25 January – Under Milk Wood is performed for the first time on BBC radio with an all-Welsh cast led by Richard Burton and including Hugh Griffith, Rachel Thomas and Philip Burton.

## Sport

* Football – John Charles finishes the 1953–54 season having scored 42 goals for Leeds United.
* Rugby union – Wales win the Five Nations Championship, but a loss against England prevents Wales lifting the Triple Crown.
* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ken Jones

## Births

* 5 January – Elgan Rees, Wales international rugby player
* 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
* 21 January – Tony Ridler, darts player
* 12 March – Chris Needs, broadcaster (died 2020)
* 13 March – Francis Ormsby-Gore, 6th Baron Harlech
* 17 March – Trish Law, born Patricia Bolter, AM, politician
* 6 April – Alan Curtis, footballer
* 19 April – Jon Owen Jones, politician
* 23 May – David Richards, Wales international rugby player
* 28 May – Gwyn Morgan, writer
* 9 June
** Paul Chapman, rock guitarist
** Rhys Morgan, Wales international rugby player
* 7 July – Mickey Thomas, Welsh international footballer
* August – Ceri Sherlock, filmmaker and theatre director
* 27 August – Bryn Fôn, singer and actor
* 12 September – Sir Michael Moritz, businessman and philanthropist
* 19 September – Mark Drakeford, politician
* 24 September – Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
* 25 September – Gareth Thomas, politician
* 12 October – Keith Griffiths, architect
* 13 October – Kim Davies, cricketer
* 14 October – Lowri Gwilym, television and radio producer
* 13 November – Les Keen, Wales international rugby player

## Deaths

* 12 January – Thomas Brinsmead Williams, cricketer, 69
* 6 March – William Davies Thomas, academic, 74
* 25 March – William Jackson, footballer, 78
* 10 April – Harry Hiams, rugby union international, 67
* 6 May – J. J. Williams, poet and archdruid, 84
* 15 June
** William Ewart Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, 74
** Charles Edwards, politician, 87
* 10 July – Jack Anthony, jockey, 64
* 10 August – Ernest Morgan, architect and painter, 72/73
* 29 September – William John Gruffydd, author and politician, 73
* 31 October – Rhys Davies, trade unionist and politician, 77
* 8 November – Sir Geoffrey Crawshay, soldier and social benefactor, 62
* 3 December – Sir Joseph Davies, statistician and Liberal politician, 87
* 10 December – Sir Cadwaladr Bryner Jones, civil servant and educationist, 82
* 14 December – Cliff Pritchard, Welsh international rugby player, 73
* 20 December – Frank Connah, hockey player, 70
* 22 December – Robert Richards, Welsh politician, 70