# 1922 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1922 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – Alfred George Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfed
* Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
* Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 2nd Baron Glanusk
* Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves
* Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans
* Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Hinds
* Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Lloyd Tyrell-Kenyon, 4th Baron Kenyon
* Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Henry Gladstone, later Baron Gladstone
* Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
* Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Sir Osmond Williams, 1st Baronet
* Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Ivor Herbert, 1st Baron Treowen
* Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
* Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – John Philipps, 1st Viscount St Davids
* Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Arthur Walsh, 3rd Baron Ormathwaite (until 20 January); Charles Coltman-Rogers (from 20 January)

## Events

* 1 January - The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway is incorporated into the Great Western Railway.
* 25 January - A letter written by Ifan ab Owen Edwards to the children's periodical Cymru'r Plant results in establishment of the Welsh youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
* February - The last fighting ship completes fitting out and commissioning at Pembroke Dock, Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Capetown.
* 26 April - The last ship is launched from Pembroke Dock, Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Oleander.
* 18 October - In a by-election at Newport, caused by the death of Liberal MP Lewis Haslam, Reginald Clarry wins the seat for the Conservatives.
* 22 October - David Lloyd George is replaced by Bonar Law as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after the Conservatives leave the Coalition Government.
* 23 December - Cargo ship Maid of Delos sinks in St George's Channel off Skomer with all 26 crew killed.

## Arts and literature

* Wilfred Mitford Davies sets up the first Welsh children's book publisher, Cymru'r Plant.
* The Gregynog Press is established by the sisters Margaret and Gwendoline Davies (granddaughters of Victorian industrialist David Davies) of Gregynog Hall.
* The University of Wales Press is established.

### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ammanford)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - J. Lloyd-Jones, "Y Gaeaf"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Robert Beynon, "Y Tannau Coll"

### New books
#### English language

* Henry Jones - A Faith that Enquires
* Arthur Machen - The Secret Glory

#### Welsh language

* D. Ambrose Jones - Llenyddiaeth a Llenorion Cymreig y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg
* J. Glyn Davies Cerddi Huw Puw

### Music

* 10 October - Contralto Leila Megane makes the first recording of Sir Edward Elgar's Sea Pictures, with Elgar himself conducting.
* Walford Davies is knighted for his services to music.

## Film

* The Last King of Wales, starring Charles Ashton
* Lyn Harding makes an early screen appearance in When Knighthood Was in Flower.
* Ivor Novello stars in The Bohemian Girl

## Broadcasting

* Preparations begin for the start of radio broadcasting by the BBC in Cardiff; the first broadcast will take place in February 1923.

## Sport

* Rugby union - Wales wins the Five Nations championship.
* Football (soccer)
** Cardiff City FC win the Welsh Cup
** Porth F.C. win the Welsh Football League, but are suspended from the SWMFA for failing to pay their debts.
** Garden Village Football Club is formed.

## Births

* 2 January – D. Geraint James, physician (d. 2010)
* 15 January – Emlyn Davies, rugby international (d. 2016)
* 16 February – Sir Geraint Evans, opera singer (d. 1992)
* 14 March – Colin Fletcher, pioneering backpacker and writer (d. 2007)
* 24 March – Arthur "Waring" Bowen, solicitor and charity worker
* 16 April
** (in London) Kingsley Amis, novelist associated with Swansea (d. 1995)
** Rees Stephens, Welsh international rugby union captain (d. 1998)
* 21 April – Allan Watkins, England Test cricketer (d. 2011)
* 7 May
** Gwyn Hughes, footballer (d. 1999)
** Monica Jones, lecturer in English literature, a lover of Philip Larkin (d. 2001)
* 11 June – Tom Cole, Welsh-American racing driver (d. 1953)
* 26 June – William Griffiths, hockey player (d. 2010)
* 4 July (in the United States) – Phyllis Kinney, expert on Welsh folk music
* 18 July
** Ray Cale, dual code international rugby player (d. 2006)
** Ray Lambert, footballer (d. 2009)
* 20 July – Ruth Bidgood (née Jones), poet (d. 2022)
* 10 August – Bert Evans, Welsh-American footballer (d. 2008)
* 12 September – Arthur Daniels, rugby league player (d. 2001)
* 3 October – Hugh James, aviator (d. 2015)
* 31 October – Talfryn Thomas, comedy actor (d. 1982)
* 18 December – Maldwyn Jones, historian (d. 2007)
* 22 December – Eryl Davies, teacher and school inspector (d. 1982)
* date unknown
** Thomas Nathaniel Davies, painter (d. 1996)
** Denis Griffiths, tenor (d. 2001)

## Deaths

* 29 January – George Owen, footballer, 56
* 4 February – Sir Henry Jones, philosopher, 69
* 25 February – Mary Jane Evans, teacher, preacher and actress, 34
* 9 April – Constance Jones, English-born philosopher and educator, 74
* 22 April – W. Llewelyn Williams, lawyer and historian, 55
* 3 May – Dick Kedzlie, Wales international rugby player, 59
* 14 May – William Abraham ("Mabon"), politician, 79
* 16 May – Thomas Powel, Celtic scholar, 76/77
* 2 June – Sir John David Rees, politician, 67
* 20 June – John Williams, politician, 60
* 8 July – James Bevan Edwards, army officer and politician, 86
* 6 August – Thomas Pryce-Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 60
* 12 August – Arthur Griffith, Irish-born nationalist politician of Welsh descent, 50
* 22 August – John Bryn Edwards, ironmaster, 33
* 12 September – George Rowles, Wales international rugby player, 56
* 28 September – Charlie Newman, Wales rugby union captain, 65
* 21 December – William Morris (Rhosynnog), Baptist minister, 79
* 25 December – Percy Jones, former world boxing champion, 29
* 27 December – Thomas William Rhys Davids, Pali scholar, 79