# 1976 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1976 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Secretary of State for Wales – John Morris
* Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Bryn

## Events

* 9 February - The Prince of Wales (now Charles III) becomes commander of HMS Bronington.
* 17 February - Operation Julie is launched; it eventually results in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.
* March - The Welsh Regional Office of the European Community opens in Cardiff.
* June–September - 1976 United Kingdom heat wave: A very hot summer brings a major drought with water shortages.
* July - Miners’ leader Dai Francis challenges the Prince of Wales (now Charles III), in the election for Chancellor of the University of Wales.
* 25 July - Former Submarine Commander Neil Rutherford, DSC & Bar, murders four people at the Red Gables Hotel in Penmaenmawr.
* 4 October - The InterCity 125 high speed train runs for the first time between Swansea railway station and London Paddington.
* 7 December - Swansea-born former fashion model Lilian Davies marries Prince Bertil of Sweden at Drottningholm Palace after a 30-year relationship.
* date unknown - David Emanuel marries Elizabeth Weiner.

## Arts and literature

* May 27 - Actor Stanley Baker is given a knighthood in the Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, a few months before his death.
* August - Dic Jones loses the National Eisteddfod chair on a technicality.
* October - Mistar Urdd is created by Wynne Melville Jones.
* unknown date - Griff Rhys Jones becomes Vice-President of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club.

### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardigan)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Alan Llwyd
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Alan Llwyd
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Marged Prichard

### New books
#### English language

* Ruth Bidgood - Not Without Homage
* Glyn Davies - Overseas Investment In Wales
* Kenneth O. Morgan - Keir Hardie
* Bernice Rubens - I Sent a Letter to My Love

#### Welsh language

* John Emyr - Enaid Clwyfus
* Alun Llywelyn-Williams - Gwanwyn yn y Ddinas
* Owain Owain - Y Dydd Olaf

### Poetry

* J. M. Edwards - Cerddi Ddoe a Heddiw - Egin
* Donald Evans
* Geraint Jarman - Cerddi Alfred Street
* Gwilym R. Jones - Y Syrcas a Cherddi Eraill

### New drama

* John Gwilym Jones - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif

### Music

* Edward H. Dafis - 'Sneb yn Becso Dam
* Alun Hoddinott - Murder the Magician (opera)
* Dafydd Iwan - Mae'r Darnau yn Disgyn i'w Lle (album)
* Geraint Jarman - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif (album)
* Daniel Jones - Dance Fantasy
* Man - The Welsh Connection
* Bonnie Tyler - "Lost in France" (debut single)

## Film
### Welsh-language films

* Y Dieithryn, produced by Emlyn Williams

## Broadcasting

* Sir Huw Wheldon is knighted for his services to broadcasting.

### Welsh-language television

* Seren Wib, presented by Emyr Glasnant and Sharon Morgan

### Welsh language radio

* Tros Fy Sbectol

### English-language television

* How Green Was My Father: a Welsh Odyssey for 1976, with Ryan Davies and Max Boyce

## Sport

* Football – The Wales national football team plays in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1976.
* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Mervyn Davies and the Wales national rugby union team.
* Rugby union – Wales win their seventh Grand Slam.
* Snooker
** 30 January – Ray Reardon wins the Masters.
** 23 April – Ray Reardon wins his fifth World Championship title.

## Births

* 14 January - Scott Young, footballer
* 6 April - James Fox, singer
* 8 May - Ian Watkins, pop singer
* 13 May - Mark Delaney, footballer
* 16 June - Cian Ciaran, musician
* 25 June - Iestyn Harris, rugby player
* 14 July - Geraint Jones, cricketer
* 9 August - Aled Haydn-Jones, radio producer
* 1 November - Buffy Williams, politician
* 7 November - Andrew Davies, cricketer
* 20 December – Adam Powell, inventor
* date unknown - Steffan Cravos, musician and language activist

## Deaths

* 3 January – Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger, 40 (shot)
* 23 January – Sir Tudor Thomas, ophthalmic surgeon, 82
* 26 January – Eric Francis, architect, 88
* 4 February – Roger Livesey, actor, 69
* 12 February – John Lewis, Marxist philosopher, 87
* 14 February - Tommy Scourfield, dual code rugby player, 66
* 29 March - Harold Davie, rugby player, 77
* 26 March - Duster Bennett, blues musician, 29 (car accident)
* 30 March - Jackie Mittell, footballer, 70
* 31 March - Billy Moore, rugby player, 66
* 18 April – Haydn Davies, politician, 70
* 28 April – Richard Hughes, novelist, 76
* 6 June – David Jacobs, athlete, 88
* 20 June – Sir Goronwy Edwards, historian, 84
* 28 June – Sir Stanley Baker, actor, 48
* 18 July – Jenkin Alban Davies, Wales international rugby captain, 90
* 22 July – Willie Evans, Welsh international footballer, 63
* 30 August - David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, politician, 72
* 10 October - David Lewis, 1st Baron Brecon, politician, 71
* 7 November - Glyn Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 49
* 22 November - Rupert Davies, actor, 60 (cancer)
* 24 November - Ambrose Baker, rugby player, ?79
* date unknown
** Eveline Annie Jenkins, botanical artist, 82/83
** Meirion Williams, songwriter