1926 in Wales

← 1925 1924 1923 1926 in Wales → 1927 1928 1929
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1926 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1926 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - Edward
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Archbishop of Wales – Alfred George Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Elfed

Events

• 2 February - Spelling of the town of Carnarvon changed to Caernarvon (modern-day Caernarfon); the county makes the same change on 1 July.
• 28 April - J. G. Parry-Thomas breaks the world land speed record on Pendine Sands, in his new car, "Babs".
• 1 May - A lockout of coal miners leads to the declaration of the 1926 United Kingdom general strike. Police and miners clash eighteen times in the course of industrial disputes in the South Wales coalfield.
• June - England footballer Dixie Dean fractures his skull in a motorcycle accident near Holywell but goes on to make a full recovery.
• 6 August - Edward, Prince of Wales visits Llandrindod Wells for a scout jamboree.
• October - Miners begin to return to work in large numbers.
• 14 October - David Lloyd George becomes the first Welshman to lead the Liberal Party.
• 29 November - New Jubilee Bridge (Queensferry) across the River Dee is opened.
• The first parachute jump from an RAF plane is made at RAF Sealand in Flintshire.
• Orthopaedic surgeon Robert Jones is created a baronet (Jones of Rhyl).
• Sir William Henry Hoare Vincent represents India at the League of Nations.
• The Roman amphitheatre at Isca Augusta near Caerleon is excavated by Victor Erle Nash-Williams.

Arts and literature

Film

• Ivor Novello stars in The Triumph of the Rat.

Broadcasting

Sport

• Boxing
  • 5 April - Dick Power beats Tom Norris at Taff Vale Park in Pontypridd to become the new Welsh heavyweight champion.
• Cricket - The South Wales and Monmouthshire Cricket Association is founded.
• Rugby league - Wales defeat New Zealand 34-8.

Births

• 12 January - T. Glynne Davies, poet, novelist and broadcaster (d. 1988)
• 25 January - Richard Davies, actor
• 21 February - Danny Canning, footballer
• 2 May - Clive Jenkins, trade union leader (d. 1999)
• 17 May - Tenniel Evans, actor (d. 2009)
• 27 July - Eddie Thomas, boxing champion and manager (d. 1997)
• 30 July - Gareth Alban Davies, poet and Hispanist (d. 2009)
• 1 August - Robert Thomas, sculptor (d. 1999)
• 23 September - Courtney Meredith, Wales and British Lions rugby player
• 2 October (at Clevedon, Somerset) - Jan Morris (as James Morris), author
• 9 October - Ruth Ellis, murderer (executed 1955)
• 14 December - Margaret John, actress (d. 2011)
• 20 December - Geoffrey Howe, politician (d. 2015)
• 30 December - Clifford Williams, actor and director
• date unknown - Sir Ronald Waterhouse QC

Deaths

• 7 February - William Evans Hoyle, director of the National Museum of Wales, 71
• 17 March - Sir David William Evans, lawyer, public servant, and Wales international rugby player, 59
• 20 May (in London) - Thomas Rees, academic, 56
• 24 May - John Williams, royal physician, 85
• 10 August - John Humphreys Davies, academic, 55
• 20 August - Billy Trew, Wales rugby union captain
• 23 August - Ernest Willows, aviation pioneer, 40
• 5 October - Dorothy Tennant (Lady Stanley), artist, 71
• 13 October - Eliseus Williams (Eifion Wyn), poet, 59
• 4 November - John Owen, Bishop of St David's, 72
• 30 November - Ellis Ellis-Griffith, politician, 66

See also

• 1926 in Northern Ireland