1984 in Wales

Centuries:	18th; 19th; 20th; 21st; ;
Decades:	1960s; 1970s; 1980s; 1990s; 2000s;
See also:	List of years in Wales; 1984 in The United Kingdom England Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1984 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents[]

Secretary of State for Wales – Nicholas Edwards^[1]
Archbishop of Wales – Derrick Childs, Bishop of Monmouth^[2]
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
- (outgoing)^[3]
- Elerydd (incoming)^[4]

Events[]

2 March – Carmarthen MP Dr Roger Thomas announces his resignation, having been prosecuted for importuning.^[5]
12 March – The miners' strike begins, with a solid turn out from all NUM mines in Wales.^[6]
31 March - The Guildford Crescent Baths close in Cardiff after 122 years, despite a campaign to keep them open.^[7]
3 May – At the Cynon Valley by-election brought about by the death of MP Ioan Lyonel Evans, Ann Clwyd retains the seat for Labour with an increased majority.^[8]
19 July – The Lleyn Peninsula earthquake, which strikes the Llŷn Peninsula at 06:56 UTC (07:56 BST), measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, is the largest known onshore earthquake to occur in the UK since instrumental measurements began.^[9]
4 October – Dafydd Wigley resigns as leader of Plaid Cymru for domestic reasons.^[10]
30 November – Taxi driver David Wilkie is killed when a concrete block is dropped onto his car as he drives a strikebreaker to work on the M4 motorway. Dean Hancock and Russell Shankland of Rhymney are later convicted of murder.^[11]
3 December – First McDonald's hamburger fast food restaurant in Wales opens in Cardiff.
date unknown
- Sam Edwards becomes Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge.^[12]
- Clive Sinclair's C5 electric vehicle is manufactured at the Hoover works in Merthyr Tydfil.^[13]
- Border Breweries (Wrexham) ceases to brew in Wales.
- Creation of Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency.^[14]

Arts and literature[]

Awards[]

Griff Rhys Jones wins the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Comedy Performance for his role in Charley's Aunt.^[15]
National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Lampeter)
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – ^[16]
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – ^[17]
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – ^[18]
Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Richard Cyril Hughes, Castell Cyfaddawd

New books[]

English language[]

Duncan Bush – Aquarium
Hywel Francis – Miners Against Fascism: Wales and the Spanish Civil War
Sian James – Dragons and Roses
Mike Jenkins – Empire of Smoke^[19]
Robert Minhinnick – Life Sentences
Leslie Thomas – In My Wildest Dreams^[20]

Welsh language[]

Gwynn ap Gwilym – Gwales
Geraint H. Jenkins – Hanes Cymru yn y Cyfnod Modern Cynnar: 1530–1760
– Oed Rhyw Addewid
– Colli cyswllt

Music[]

Ar Log IV
The Alarm – Declaration (debut studio album)
Icons of Filth – Onward Christian Soldiers
Shakin' Stevens records "Teardrops" with Hank Marvin on guitar.
Phil Campbell joins Motörhead.
First Brecon Jazz Festival staged.

Film[]

Ray Milland makes his last film appearance in The Sea Serpent.
Sian Phillips stars in Dune.
Kevin Allen makes his big screen debut in The Man Who Shot Christmas.

Welsh-language films[]

None

Broadcasting[]

Gareth Gwenlan becomes Head of Comedy at the BBC.

Welsh-language television[]

English-language television[]

The District Nurse starring Nerys Hughes

Sport[]

Football – Ian Rush becomes the first Welshman to win the European Golden Boot award.
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ian Rush^[21]
Horse racing – wins the Grand National on Hallo Dandy.

Births[]

27 February – Rhys Williams, athlete
9 March – Owain Wyn Evans, television presenter
11 March – Tom James, Olympic gold medal-winning rower
22 June – Arron Davies, footballer
23 June – Duffy, singer
31 July – Craig Stiens, footballer
14 August – Rob Davies, table tennis player
15 September – Prince Harry, English prince
20 September – Byron Anthony, footballer
15 October – Owain Tudur Jones, footballer
24 November – Matthew Mason, cricketer
date unknown – Gwawr Edwards, soprano

Deaths[]

4 January – Enoch Jenkins, sports shooter, 91^[22]
11 January – Gwyn Thomas, rugby player, 91
14 January – Ivan Lloyd-Phillips, colonial administrator, 73
26 January – Nathan Rocyn-Jones, doctor, international rugby player and President of the WRU, 81
10 February – Ioan Evans, politician, 56^[23]
11 April – John Lloyd Thomas, clergyman and teacher, 76^[24]
15 April – Tommy Cooper, comedian, 63 (heart attack on stage)^[25]
21 April – Wilf Hughes, cricketer, 73^[26]
8 May – David Williams, geologist, 85^[27]
20 May – Meredith Thomas, flying ace, 91^[28]
13 June – David Evans, microbiologist, 74^[29]
18 June – Idris Foster, academic, 72
22 June – Dill Jones, jazz pianist, 60
29 June – Seiriol Evans, clergyman and writer, 89^[30]
6 July – Denys Val Baker, British writer and promoter of Celtic culture, 66
30 July – Peter Jones, surgeon, 67^[31]
5 August – Richard Burton, actor, 58 (brain haemorrhage)^[32]
17 August – Mostyn Thomas, operatic baritone, 88
27 August – Amabel Williams-Ellis, writer, 90^[33]
9 September – Margaret Phillips, actress, 61^[34]
23 September – Daniel Granville West, politician, 80^[35]
12 October – Sir Anthony Berry, politician and son of Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley, 59 (killed in Brighton hotel bombing)^[36]
26 October – Seaborne Davies, lawyer and politician, 80^[37]
18 November – Thomas Jones, Baron Maelor, politician, 86^[38]
11 December (in Hendon) – Will Paynter, miners' leader, 81^[39]
date unknown – Arthur Fear, operatic bass-baritone

References[]

^ Stephen Bates (19 March 2018). "Lord Crickhowell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
^ "Bishop hat-trick at Newport Cathedral". South Wales Argus. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Meic Stephens (17 October 2013). "James Nicholas: Poet, teacher and Archdruid of Wales". The Independent. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ "WJ Gruffydd". The Independent. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
^ "Portrait of the week". The Spectator. F.C. Westley: 7. July 1984.
^ "Miners' Strike 1984-1985". Archives Hub. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ Deacon, Thomas (28 January 2019). "How campaigners first fought to save Cardiff's Guildford Crescent in the 1980s". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ Dod's Parliamentary Communications (1992). Bedford, Michael J. (ed.). Dod's Guide to the General Election. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 57.
^ "BGS FAQ What are the largest two instrumental, onshore earthquakes?". BGS. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09.
^ Keesing's Contemporary Archives. Keesing's Limited. 1986. p. xii.
^ Winterton, Jonathan; Winterton, Ruth (1989). Coal, Crisis and Conflict: The 1984-85 Miners' Strike in Yorkshire. Manchester University Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-7190-2830-4.
^ "The Cavendish Professorship of Physics". University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
^ Neil Prior (13 July 2014). "Sinclair C5 built in Merthyr in 1984 'was ahead of its time'". BBC News. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
^ Mike Taylor (1995). World Travel Atlas. Columbus Travel Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-946393-48-0.
^ Plays. Ocean Publications. 1984. p. 4.
^ "Winners of the Chair". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
^ "Winners of the Crown". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
^ "Winners of the Prose Medal". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ Matthew Jarvis (2008). Welsh Environments in Contemporary Poetry: Writing Wales in English. University of Wales Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-7083-2152-2.
^ Leslie Thomas (1987). The Adventures of Goodnight and Loving. Penguin Books. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-14-008672-0.
^ "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
^ "Enoch Jenkins". IOC. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ John Graham Jones. "Evans, Ioan Lyonel (1927-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Rev J. R. Lloyd Thomas. The Times (London, England), Thursday, 19 April 1984; p. 14; Issue 61810
^ Hugh Massingberd (2006). The Spectator. F.C. Westley. p. 72.
^ "Player profile: Wilf Hughes". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who, Containing the Biographies of Those who Died. A. & C. Black. 1981. p. 815. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.
^ Barrass, M. B. "Air Vice-Marshal Meredith Thomas". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
^ Downie, A. W.; Smith, C. E. G.; Tobin, J. O. . (1985). "David Gwynne Evans. 6 September 1909-13 June 1984". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 31: 172–196. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1985.0007. JSTOR 769924.
^ The Antiquaries Journal. Oxford University Press. 1985. p. 590.
^ England, Royal College of Surgeons of (26 May 2015). "Jones, Peter Henry - Biographical entry". Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
^ J. Randy Taraborrelli (25 March 2011). Elizabeth: The Biography of Elizabeth Taylor. Pan Macmillan. p. 507. ISBN 978-1-4472-0226-4.
^ Roland Turner (1985). The Annual Obituary. St. Martin's. p. 456.
^ "Margaret Phillips Dies at 61; Veteran Broadway Actress" New York Times (11 September 1984).
^ John Graham Jones. "West, Daniel Granville, Baron Granville-West of Pontypool (1904-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
^ Crown, Hannah (12 October 2009). "Brighton bombing: 25th anniversary of Sir Anthony Berry's death remembered". Thisislocallondon. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
^ Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who, Containing the Biographies of Those who Died. A. & C. Black. 1981. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.
^ John Graham Jones. "Jones, Thomas William ('Tom'), Baron Maelor of Rhos (1898-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
^ Ann Evory; Hal May (October 1985). Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers. Gale. p. 350. ISBN 978-0-8103-1915-8.

[1] Stephen Bates (19 March 2018). "Lord Crickhowell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2020.

[2] "Bishop hat-trick at Newport Cathedral". South Wales Argus. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[3] Meic Stephens (17 October 2013). "James Nicholas: Poet, teacher and Archdruid of Wales". The Independent. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[4] "WJ Gruffydd". The Independent. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.

[5] "Portrait of the week". The Spectator. F.C. Westley: 7. July 1984.

[6] "Miners' Strike 1984-1985". Archives Hub. Retrieved 31 January 2019.

[7] Deacon, Thomas (28 January 2019). "How campaigners first fought to save Cardiff's Guildford Crescent in the 1980s". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 May 2019.

[8] Dod's Parliamentary Communications (1992). Bedford, Michael J. (ed.). Dod's Guide to the General Election. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 57.

[BGS3-9] "BGS FAQ What are the largest two instrumental, onshore earthquakes?". BGS. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09.

[10] Keesing's Contemporary Archives. Keesing's Limited. 1986. p. xii.

[11] Winterton, Jonathan; Winterton, Ruth (1989). Coal, Crisis and Conflict: The 1984-85 Miners' Strike in Yorkshire. Manchester University Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-7190-2830-4.

[12] "The Cavendish Professorship of Physics". University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.

[13] Neil Prior (13 July 2014). "Sinclair C5 built in Merthyr in 1984 'was ahead of its time'". BBC News. Retrieved 19 March 2020.

[14] Mike Taylor (1995). World Travel Atlas. Columbus Travel Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-946393-48-0.

[15] Plays. Ocean Publications. 1984. p. 4.

[16] "Winners of the Chair". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.

[17] "Winners of the Crown". National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.

[18] "Winners of the Prose Medal". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 7 November 2019.

[19] Matthew Jarvis (2008). Welsh Environments in Contemporary Poetry: Writing Wales in English. University of Wales Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-7083-2152-2.

[20] Leslie Thomas (1987). The Adventures of Goodnight and Loving. Penguin Books. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-14-008672-0.

[21] "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

[22] "Enoch Jenkins". IOC. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[23] John Graham Jones. "Evans, Ioan Lyonel (1927-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[24] Rev J. R. Lloyd Thomas. The Times (London, England), Thursday, 19 April 1984; p. 14; Issue 61810

[25] Hugh Massingberd (2006). The Spectator. F.C. Westley. p. 72.

[26] "Player profile: Wilf Hughes". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[27] Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who, Containing the Biographies of Those who Died. A. & C. Black. 1981. p. 815. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.

[28] Barrass, M. B. "Air Vice-Marshal Meredith Thomas". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

[29] Downie, A. W.; Smith, C. E. G.; Tobin, J. O. . (1985). "David Gwynne Evans. 6 September 1909-13 June 1984". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 31: 172–196. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1985.0007. JSTOR 769924.

[30] The Antiquaries Journal. Oxford University Press. 1985. p. 590.

[31] England, Royal College of Surgeons of (26 May 2015). "Jones, Peter Henry - Biographical entry". Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online. Retrieved 29 December 2017.

[32] J. Randy Taraborrelli (25 March 2011). Elizabeth: The Biography of Elizabeth Taylor. Pan Macmillan. p. 507. ISBN 978-1-4472-0226-4.

[33] Roland Turner (1985). The Annual Obituary. St. Martin's. p. 456.

[34] "Margaret Phillips Dies at 61; Veteran Broadway Actress" New York Times (11 September 1984).

[35] John Graham Jones. "West, Daniel Granville, Baron Granville-West of Pontypool (1904-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

[36] Crown, Hannah (12 October 2009). "Brighton bombing: 25th anniversary of Sir Anthony Berry's death remembered". Thisislocallondon. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2009.

[37] Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who, Containing the Biographies of Those who Died. A. & C. Black. 1981. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.

[38] John Graham Jones. "Jones, Thomas William ('Tom'), Baron Maelor of Rhos (1898-1984), Labour politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

[39] Ann Evory; Hal May (October 1985). Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers. Gale. p. 350. ISBN 978-0-8103-1915-8.

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1984 in Wales

Contents

Incumbents[]

Events[]

Arts and literature[]

Awards[]

New books[]

English language[]

Welsh language[]

Music[]

Film[]

Welsh-language films[]

Broadcasting[]

Welsh-language television[]

English-language television[]

Sport[]

Births[]

Deaths[]

See also[]

References[]