# 1934 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1934 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales
** Alfred George Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph (retired)
** Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor (elected)
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Gwili

## Events

* 22 September - At Gresford Colliery in Wrexham, 265 miners are killed in a mining accident. Later in the year, Paul Robeson performs in Caernarfon in a benefit concert for victims of the accident.
* 23 October - Opening of the Guildhall, Swansea, designed by Percy Thomas.
* 24 October - Aneurin Bevan marries fellow MP Jennie Lee.
* date unknown
** Anthracite production in Wales reaches its peak.
** The Special Areas Act is passed to help areas such as the South Wales Valleys that have been particularly affected by the Great Depression in the United Kingdom.
** Courtaulds establishes a new rayon factory at Greenfield.
** Tudor Thomas's work on corneal grafting restores the sight of a man who had been nearly blind for 27 years.

## Arts and literature

* Sir Henry Walford Davies is appointed Master of the King's Musick.
* The Welsh Folk Dance Society is founded at Bala.
* Caradog Prichard becomes sub-editor of the News Chronicle.
* Richard Hughes and his wife move into Laugharne Castle.

### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Neath)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - William Morris, "Ogof Arthur"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Eirug Davies, "Y Gorwel"

### New books

* Edward Tegla Davies - Y Llwybr Arian
* Margiad Evans - Turf or Stone
* D. Gwenallt Jones - Plasau'r Brenin
* Jack Jones - Rhondda Roundabout
* Eiluned Lewis - Dew on the Grass
* Howard Spring - Shabby Tiger
* Dylan Thomas - 18 Poems (his first collection, including "The Force that Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower")

### Drama

* James Kitchener Davies - Cwm Glo

### Music

* Harry Parr Davies becomes accompanist to Gracie Fields.

### Film

* Ray Milland appears in We're Not Dressing.
* Gareth Hughes appears in Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.
* Yr Ail Fordaith Gymraeg (Second Welsh Cruise), a silent film made by Ifan ab Owen Edwards focusing on the activities of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (with Welsh-language titles)

### Broadcasting

* A new radio station is established at Bangor.

## Sport

* Badminton - Wales is a founder member of the Badminton World Federation.
* Cricket - Cyril Walters becomes the first Welshman to captain an England Test team
* Rugby Union
** 10 March - Wales defeat Ireland 13–0 in a game held at St Helen's, Swansea

## Births

* 11 February – Mary Quant, fashion designer
* 25 February (in London) – Nicholas Edwards, Baron Crickhowell, politician (died 2018)
* 28 March – Graham Vearncombe, footballer (died 1993)
* 30 March – Dic Jones, bard and archdruid (died 2009)
* 18 April – Brynmor John, politician (died 1988)
* 16 May – Kenneth O. Morgan, historian and academic
* 10 May – Cliff Wilson, snooker player (died 1994)
* 13 June – Gren (Grenfell Jones), cartoonist (died 2007)
* 5 July – Philip Madoc, actor (died 2012)
* 13 July – Dai Ward, footballer (died 1996)
* 6 August – Billy Boston, rugby league footballer
* 16 August – Dave Thomas, golfer and architect (died 2013)
* 4 September – Clive Granger, econometrician (died 2009)
* 19 August – Ron Jones, athlete (died 2021)
* 20 September – David Marquand, academic and MP
* 1 November – William Mathias, composer (died 1992)
* 6 November – Betty Campbell, née Johnson, Wales's first black head teacher (died 2017)
* 24 November – Dewi Zephaniah Phillips, philosopher (died 2006)
* date unknown – Mary Lloyd Jones, painter and printmaker

## Deaths

* 6 January – Dorothy Edwards, novelist, 30 (suicide)
* 8 January – Ivor Bowen, judge, 71
* 23 January – Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway, owner of Bodnant, 83
* 2 February – Edward Bevan, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, 72
* 4 February – Harry Wetter, Welsh international rugby union player, 52
* 25 February – Daniel Protheroe, composer and conductor, 67
* 28 February – David Davies, textile merchant, 81
* 3 May – Courtenay Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, 68
* 24 May – William Nathaniel Jones, politician, 76
* 14 June – George Thomas, Wales international rugby union player, 76/77
* 30 June – Hugh Evans, author and publisher, 79
* 19 July – Christopher Williams, painter, 61
* 28 August – Edgeworth David, geologist and explorer, 76
* 11 October – John Kelt Edwards, cartoonist, 59
* 13 November – Sir Evan Vincent Evans, journalist, 81
* 4 December – Henry Davies, cricketer, 69