1976 in Wales

← 1975 1974 1973 1976 in Wales → 1977 1978 1979
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1976 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1976 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Secretary of State for Wales – John Morris
• Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – R. Bryn Williams

Events

• February - The Prince of Wales becomes commander of HMS Bronington.
• 17 February - Operation Julie is launched; it eventually results in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.
• June–September - 1976 United Kingdom heat wave: A very hot summer brings a major drought with water shortages.
• 24 September - Former Submarine Commander Neil Rutherford, DSC & Bar, murders four people at the Red Gables Hotel in Penmaenmawr.^[1]
• 4 October - The Inter-City 125 high speed train runs for the first time between Swansea and London Paddington station.
• 7 December - Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland (Swansea-born former fashion model Lilian Davies) marries Prince Bertil of Sweden at Drottningholm Palace after a 30-year relationship.
• The Welsh Regional Office of the European Community opens in Cardiff.
• Miners’ leader Dai Francis challenges Charles, Prince of Wales, in the election for Chancellor of the University of Wales.
• David Emanuel marries Elizabeth Weiner.

Arts and literature

• May 27 - Actor Stanley Baker is given a knighthood in the Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, a few months before his death.^[2]
• August - Dic Jones loses the National Eisteddfod chair on a technicality.
• Griff Rhys Jones becomes Vice-President of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club.
• Mistar Urdd is created by Wynne Melville Jones.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardigan)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Alan Llwyd
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Alan Llwyd
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Marged Prichard

New books

English language

• Ruth Bidgood - Not Without Homage
• Glyn Davies - Overseas Investment In Wales
• Kenneth Morgan - Keir Hardie
• Bernice Rubens - I Sent a Letter to My Love

Welsh language

• John Emyr - Enaid Clwyfus
• Alan Llwyd - Edrych Trwy Wydrau Lledrith
• Alun Llywelyn-Williams - Gwanwyn yn y Ddinas
• Marged Prichard - Gwylanod ar y Mynydd

Poetry

• J. M. Edwards - Cerddi Ddoe a Heddiw - Egin
• Donald Evans
• Geraint Jarman - Cerddi Alfred Street
• Gwilym R. Jones - Y Syrcas a Cherddi Eraill

New drama

• John Gwilym Jones - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif

Music

• Edward H. Dafis - 'Sneb yn Becso Dam
• Alun Hoddinott - Murder the Magician (opera)
• Dafydd Iwan - Mae'r Darnau yn Disgyn i'w Lle (album)
• Geraint Jarman - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif (album)
• Daniel Jones - Dance Fantasy
• Man - The Welsh Connection
• Bonnie Tyler - Lost in France (debut single)

Film

Welsh-language films

• Y Dieithryn, produced by Emlyn Williams

Broadcasting

• Sir Huw Wheldon is knighted for his services to broadcasting.

Welsh-language television

Welsh language radio

• Tros Fy Sbectol

English-language television

• How Green Was My Father, with Ryan Davies

Sport

• Football - The Wales national football team plays in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1976.
• Rugby union - Wales win their seventh Grand Slam.

Births

• 14 January - Scott Young, footballer
• 6 April - James Fox, singer
• 8 May - Ian Watkins, pop singer
• 13 May - Mark Delaney, footballer
• 16 June - Cian Ciaran, musician
• 25 June - Iestyn Harris, rugby player
• 14 July - Geraint Jones, cricketer
• 9 August - Aled Haydn-Jones, radio producer
• 7 November - Andrew Davies, cricketer
• 20 December – Adam Powell, inventor
• date unknown - Steffan Cravos, musician and language activist

Deaths

• 3 January - Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger, 40
• 23 January - Sir Tudor Thomas, ophthalmic surgeon, 82
• 4 February - Roger Livesey, actor, 69
• 12 February - John Lewis, Marxist philosopher, 87
• 14 February - Tommy Scourfield, dual code rugby player, 66
• 26 March - Duster Bennett, blues musician, 29 (car accident)
• 30 March - Jackie Mittell, footballer, 70
• 31 March - Billy Moore, rugby player, 66
• 28 April – Richard Hughes, novelist, 76
• 6 June - David Jacobs, athlete, 88
• 20 June - Sir Goronwy Edwards, historian, 84
• 28 June - Sir Stanley Baker, actor, 48
• 18 July - Jenkin Alban Davies, Wales international rugby captain, 90
• 30 August - David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, politician, 72
• 10 October - David Lewis, 1st Baron Brecon, politician, 71
• 7 November - Glyn Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 49
• 22 November - Rupert Davies, actor, 60
• 24 November - Ambrose Baker, rugby player, ?79
• date unknown - Meirion Williams, songwriter

References

1. North Wales Weekly News, 30 September 1976.
2. Ellen Baker, 'My Husband, My Love', Woman's Own Magazine, December 1976 accessed 26 May 2012