1938 in Wales

← 1937 1936 1935 1938 in Wales → 1939 1940 1941
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1938 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - vacant
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Archbishop of Wales – Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – J.J.

Events

• 14-19 January - A storm causes extensive damage in Aberystwyth; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds.
• 8 May - William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech.
• October - The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
• November - Completion of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff.
• Closure of Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
• Opening of RNAD Trecwm.
• Excavation of Llantwit Major Roman Villa, by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948).

Arts and literature

• Ivor Novello appears in Henry V at Drury Lane Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson.
• Augustus John resigns from the Royal Academy.

Film

• Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in The Lady Vanishes.

Broadcasting

• 1 March - BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of Arwel Hughes's latest composition, Tydi a Roddaist.

Sport

• Empire Games
  • Wales win three medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing), Jim Alford (1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke).
• Rugby union
  • 5 February - Scotland beat Wales 8–6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Births

• 6 January - William Edwards, politician (d. 2007)
• 22 January - Brook Williams, actor (d. 2005)
• 20 April - Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016)
• 25 April - John Davies, historian (d. 2015)
• 14 May - Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach
• 25 May - Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014)
• 31 May - John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK
• 13 June - Gwynne Howell, bass
• 6 July - Tony Lewis, cricketer
• 23 July - Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018)
• 6 August - Rees Davies, historian (d. 2005)
• 9 October - Denzil Davies, politician
• 1 November - Delwyn Williams, politician
• 4 December - Richard Meade, equestrian (d. 2015)
• 15 December - Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d. 2017)

Deaths

• 3 February - James Bevan, First Wales rugby union captain, 81
• 9 February - Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63
• 30 March - Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66
• 16 April - Sir William Price, industrialist
• 8 May - George Ralph Charles Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83
• 28 May - Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66
• 23 June - Allen Clement Edwards, politician, 69
• 22 July - Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73
• 22 October (in Dublin) - Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90
• 4 November - John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
• 28 November - Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56
• 29 December (at sea) - Eluned Morgan, writer, 68
• date unknown - Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist

See also

• 1938 in Northern Ireland