List of years in Wales

Indexes of individual years in Wales.

2020s - 2010s - 2000s - 1990s - 1980s - 1970s - 1960s - 1950s - 1940s - 1930s - 1920s - 1910s - 1900s - 1890s - 1880s - 1870s - 1860s - 1850s - 1840s - 1830s - 1820s - 1810s - 1800s - 1790s - 1780s - 1770s - 1760s - 1750s - 1740s - 1730s - 1720s - 1710s - Pre-1710

2020s[]

• –
• –
• –
• –
• –
• –
• –
• –
• 2021 in Wales –
• 2020 in Wales –

2010s[]

• 2019 in Wales – Cardiff City F.C.'s new signing, Emiliano Sala, is killed in a plane crash while returning to Wales from France.
• 2018 in Wales – Mark Drakeford replaces Carwyn Jones as First Minister.
• 2017 in Wales – June Osborne becomes the first female Bishop of Llandaff.
• 2016 in Wales – Ifor ap Glyn replaces Gillian Clarke as the National Poet of Wales.
• 2015 in Wales – The ferry service between Dún Laoghaire in Ireland and Holyhead ends after two centuries.
• 2014 in Wales – Wales win a record total of 36 medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
• 2013 in Wales – A fire at the National Library of Wales causes some damage to the collection.
• 2012 in Wales – The Millennium Stadium hosts the opening event of the London Olympics in the football competition, with 11 matches being held in total.
• 2011 in Wales – The Welsh devolution referendum, 63.49% vote in favour of the Welsh Assembly able to make laws in areas it has powers for.
• 2010 in Wales – Wales hosts golf's Ryder Cup for the first time

2000s[]

• 2009 in Wales - Carwyn Jones takes over from Rhodri Morgan as First Minister of Wales
• 2008 in Wales - Resignation of Peter Hain as Secretary of State for Wales
• 2007 in Wales - Introduction of the legal ban on smoking in public places
• 2006 in Wales - The Queen opens the new Senedd building in Cardiff
• 2005 in Wales - Cardiff celebrates its centenary as a city (50 years as Welsh capital)
• 2004 in Wales - Wales Millennium Centre opens
• 2003 in Wales - Michael Howard becomes leader of the UK Conservative Party
• 2002 in Wales - Cowbridge businessman Peter Shaw is kidnapped in Georgia, but escapes after five months
• 2001 in Wales - Launch of the pressure group Cymuned
• 2000 in Wales - Wales child abuse scandal

1990s[]

• 1999 in Wales - First elections to the National Assembly for Wales
• 1998 in Wales - Alun Michael becomes Secretary of State for Wales
• 1997 in Wales - Referendum on devolution results in narrow "Yes" vote
• 1996 in Wales - Founding of the Owain Glyndwr Society
• 1995 in Wales - Disappearance of Richey Edwards
• 1994 in Wales - Tower Colliery is bought by its workforce
• 1993 in Wales - John Redwood makes an unsuccessful attempt to mime to the Welsh national anthem
• 1992 in Wales - Ebbw Vale Garden Festival
• 1991 in Wales - Four nights of rioting in Ely, Cardiff
• 1990 in Wales - Flooding in Towyn, north Wales

1980s[]

• 1989 in Wales - The Hippocratic oath is taken in Welsh for the first time
• 1988 in Wales - Steve Jones wins the New York Marathon
• 1987 in Wales - Ieuan Wyn Jones wins Ynys Môn
• 1986 in Wales - First Welsh Proms
• 1985 in Wales - The campaigning group Cefn is founded
• 1984 in Wales - Beginning of the miners' strike
• 1983 in Wales - Neil Kinnock becomes leader of the UK Labour Party
• 1982 in Wales - 32 Welsh Guardsmen are killed on Sir Galahad in the Falklands War
• 1981 in Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales marries Lady Diana Spencer
• 1980 in Wales - Campaigners force the government to honour its promise of a Welsh language fourth television channel

1970s[]

• 1979 in Wales - The Saint David's Day devolution referendum rejects the idea of a Welsh Assembly by four to one
• 1978 in Wales - Death of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis
• 1977 in Wales - Johnny Owen wins the British bantamweight boxing championship
• 1976 in Wales - InterCity 125 high-speed trains begin running between Swansea and Paddington
• 1975 in Wales - Opening of the Cleddau Bridge
• 1974 in Wales - Berwyn Mountain Incident
• 1973 in Wales - Completion of the Llyn Brianne dam
• 1972 in Wales - The Local Government Act 1972 transforms Wales into eight counties.
• 1971 in Wales - Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams become household names when their show is transferred to BBC1
• 1970 in Wales - Bernice Rubens wins the Booker Prize

1960s[]

• 1969 in Wales - Investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales
• 1968 in Wales - First bilingual postage stamp
• 1967 in Wales - Welsh Language Act 1967
• 1966 in Wales - Aberfan disaster
• 1965 in Wales - Bryn Terfel born
• 1964 in Wales - The Welsh Office is established
• 1963 in Wales - First protest by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg
• 1962 in Wales - Opening of Llanwern steelworks
• 1961 in Wales - Atlantic College founded
• 1960 in Wales - Ricky Valance becomes the first male Welsh singer to reach no.1 in the charts

1950s[]

• 1959 in Wales - Welsh flag given official status
• 1958 in Wales - Last execution in Wales
• 1957 in Wales - Passing of the Tryweryn Bill
• 1956 in Wales - First Welsh-medium secondary school
• 1955 in Wales - Cardiff becomes official capital
• 1954 in Wales - Opening of Cardiff Wales Airport
• 1953 in Wales - Queen Elizabeth II makes her first official visit to Wales as queen
• 1952 in Wales - Wenvoe television transmitter comes into service
• 1951 in Wales - Death of Ivor Novello
• 1950 in Wales - Dylan Thomas makes his first visit to America

1940s[]

• 1949 in Wales - Dylan Thomas settles at the Boat House in Laugharne.
• 1948 in Wales - Aneurin Bevan brings in the Acts of Parliament that create the welfare state
• 1947 in Wales - Wreck of the Samtampa
• 1946 in Wales - Coal Industry Nationalisation Act
• 1945 in Wales - Lloyd George is created an earl
• 1944 in Wales - Grace Williams writes Sea Sketches
• 1943 in Wales - Welsh National Opera is founded
• 1942 in Wales - Welsh Courts Act
• 1941 in Wales - How Green Was My Valley is filmed
• 1940 in Wales - The song We'll Keep a Welcome is first performed

1930s[]

• 1939 in Wales - The first wartime evacuees arrive in Wales
• 1938 in Wales - The Temple of Peace is opened in Cathays Park, Cardiff
• 1937 in Wales - Tommy Farr fights Joe Louis
• 1936 in Wales - Saunders Lewis and others are imprisoned for their sabotage attack on Penrhos aerodrome
• 1935 in Wales - Felinfoel Brewery starts selling canned beer
• 1934 in Wales - 265 miners are killed in the Gresford mining accident
• 1933 in Wales - Amy Johnson takes off from Pendine
• 1932 in Wales - Frank Brangwyn completes the Empire Panels
• 1931 in Wales - The Welsh School of Medicine is founded
• 1930 in Wales - The first youth hostel opens at Pennant Hall in the Conwy Valley

1920s[]

• 1929 in Wales - Megan Lloyd George becomes Wales's first female MP
• 1928 in Wales - Amelia Earhart lands in Wales after flying the Atlantic
• 1927 in Wales - Coleg Harlech is founded
• 1926 in Wales - Miners' strike leads to General Strike
• 1925 in Wales - Llyn Eigiau dam bursts, killing 16 people
• 1924 in Wales - Claude Friese-Greene travels through Wales
• 1923 in Wales - The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon is created
• 1922 in Wales - Urdd Gobaith Cymru is founded
• 1921 in Wales - The UK's first oil refinery opens at Llandarcy
• 1920 in Wales - Death of Sir Owen Morgan Edwards

1910s[]

• 1919 in Wales - Kinmel Park Riots
• 1918 in Wales - First woman parliamentary candidate in Wales
• 1917 in Wales - Death of Hedd Wyn
• 1916 in Wales - 38th (Welsh) Division in action at Mametz Wood
• 1915 in Wales - Publication of My People by Caradoc Evans
• 1914 in Wales - Welsh Home Rule Bill fails
• 1913 in Wales - 439 men killed at Senghenydd in the worst disaster in British mining history
• 1912 in Wales - National miners' strike
• 1911 in Wales - Investiture of the future Edward VIII of the United Kingdom as Prince of Wales
• 1910 in Wales - First general election in which all Welsh constituencies are contested

1900s[]

• 1909 in Wales - Record British monthly rainfall of 56.5 inches at Llyn Llydaw, Snowdonia
• 1908 in Wales - Strumble Head lighthouse built
• 1907 in Wales - King Edward VII lays foundation of Bangor University
• 1906 in Wales - no Conservative MPs in Wales
• 1905 in Wales - David Lloyd George joins the Cabinet
• 1904 in Wales - start of 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
• 1903 in Wales - Death of Dr Joseph Parry
• 1902 in Wales - Opening of Great Orme tramway
• 1901 in Wales - Prince George and Princess Mary become Prince and Princess of Wales
• 1900 in Wales - Keir Hardie becomes first Labour MP

1890s[]

• 1899 in Wales - First gramophone recording in the Welsh language
• 1898 in Wales - Peak year of slate production in Wales
• 1897 in Wales - Marconi makes the first radio transmission from Lavernock Point
• 1896 in Wales - Opening of the Snowdon Mountain Railway
• 1895 in Wales - Welsh Grand National held for the first time
• 1894 in Wales - 290 men killed in a mining disaster at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd
• 1893 in Wales - Wales win the Triple Crown for the first time
• 1892 in Wales - The South Wales Argus is launched
• 1891 in Wales - Birth of Kate Roberts
• 1890 in Wales - David Lloyd George becomes MP for Caernarfon

1880s[]

• 1889 in Wales - Opening of Barry docks
• 1888 in Wales - Welsh Parliamentary Liberal Party is formed
• 1887 in Wales - Wreck of the Helvetia
• 1886 in Wales - Opening of Severn rail tunnel
• 1885 in Wales - Frances Hoggan is first woman doctor registered in Wales.
• 1884 in Wales - Opening of University of Wales, Bangor
• 1883 in Wales - Treorchy Male Voice Choir formed.
• 1882 in Wales - SA Brain & Company Ltd opens its brewery in Cardiff.
• 1881 in Wales - River Vyrnwy is dammed to create Lake Vyrnwy.
• 1880 in Wales - First "official" National Eisteddfod held at Caernarfon

1870s[]

• 1879 in Wales - Defence of Rorke's Drift by 139 South Wales Borderers
• 1878 in Wales - Gilchrist-Thomas method of steelmaking developed at Blaenavon; Prince of Wales Colliery disaster at Abercarn
• 1877 in Wales - First soccer Welsh Cup
• 1876 in Wales - Cardiff RFC plays its first match
• 1875 in Wales - Mining disasters at New Tredegar and Pentyrch
• 1874 in Wales - Opening of Powysland Museum, Welshpool
• 1873 in Wales - Work begins on the Severn rail tunnel
• 1872 in Wales - University of Wales, Aberystwyth, is founded
• 1871 in Wales - Miners' strike in South Wales
• 1870 in Wales - Francis Kilvert begins his diary

1860s[]

1850s[]

1840s[]

1830s[]

1820s[]

1810s[]

1800s[]

1790s[]

1780s[]

1770s[]

1760s[]

1750s[]

1740s[]

1730s[]

1720s[]

1710s[]

Pre-1710[]

• 1700s in Wales
• 17th century in Wales
• 16th century in Wales
• 15th century in Wales
• 14th century in Wales
• 13th century in Wales
• 12th century in Wales
• 11th century in Wales
• 10th century in Wales
• 9th century in Wales

See also[]

• List of years in the United Kingdom
  • List of years in the Kingdom of England
  • List of years in Northern Ireland
  • List of years in Scotland
• Timeline of Welsh history

Further reading[]

• Breverton, Terry - The Welsh Almanack (Wales Books, 2003)
• Fisher, Deborah C. - Who's Who in Welsh History (Christopher Davies, 1997)
• May, John - Reference Wales (University of Wales Press, 1994)