1949 in Wales

• Archbishop of Wales • David Prosser, Bishop of St David's (retired) • John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff (elected) • Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Wil Ifan ==Events==

• Easter - Urdd Gobaith Cymru holds its first "Celtic camp". • April - The government decides to establish an Advisory Council for Wales. • 20 May - Council for Wales and Monmouthshire first meets, with Huw T. Edwards as its first chairman. • June - Meteorologist David Brunt is knighted. • 12 June - Britain's first all-world Muslim conference is held in Cardiff. • 21 September • The first comprehensive school in Wales is opened in Holyhead, Anglesey. • A meteorite falls through the roof of the Prince Llewelyn Hotel, Beddgelert. • John Morgan is enthroned as Archbishop of Wales. • 26 December - The Gwyn Nicholls memorial gates at Cardiff Arms Park are officially opened. • date unknown • Closure of the granite quarry at Llanbedrog, the last in the town. • Sale of Bron-y-garth, Porthmadog, ancestral home of Sir Lewis Casson. • Bodnant Garden is donated to the National Trust. • Gwynfor Evans is elected to Merionethshire County Council. • Jack Jones spends three months in the USA promoting the Moral Re-Armament Movement. ==Arts and literature==

• May - Dylan and Caitlin Thomas settle at the Boat House, Laugharne. • Geraint Evans stars in The Marriage of Figaro at Covent Garden. • Huw Menai is granted a civil list pension. Awards • National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Dolgellau) • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Roland Jones, "Y Graig" • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - John Tudor James, "Meirionnydd" • National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld New books English language • Dannie Abse - After Every Green Thing • Stan Awbery - ''Labour's Early Struggles in Swansea'' • David James Davies - Towards an Economic Democracy • Cledwyn Hughes - A Wanderer in North Wales • Arthur Leach - Charles Norris of Tenby and Waterwynch • Gordon Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald of Gwaenysgor - Newfoundland at the Cross Roads • Thomas Mardy-Jones - Character, Coal and Corn – the Roots of British Power • Bertrand Russell - Authority and the Individual • Gwyn Thomas - All Things Betray Thee Welsh language • Aneirin Talfan Davies - Gwyr Llen • Richard Davies (Isgarn) - Caniadau Isgarn (posthumously published) • John Daniel Vernon Lewis - Bydd melys fy myfyrdod: detholiad o lyfr y Salmau • Kate Roberts - Stryd y Glep • Louie Myfanwy Thomas • as Jane Ann Jones - Y bryniau pell • as Ffanni Llwyd - Diwrnod yw ein bywyd (submitted to National Eisteddfod; published 1954) • William Nantlais Williams - ''Emynau'r daith'' Music • Ivor Novello - ''King's Rhapsody'' • Grace Williams - Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes - first recording, made by London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mansel Thomas (first recording of any work by a female Welsh composer) ==Film==

• Blue Scar, starring Kenneth Griffith and Rachel Thomas • The Last Days of Dolwyn, starring Emlyn Williams, Richard Burton and Hugh Griffith • Yr Etifeddiaeth (The Heritage), documentary by Geoff Charles and John Roberts Williams, depicting traditional ways of life in rural North Wales, with narration by Cynan; the first film to be made in the Welsh language • The Fruitful Year, a promotional film about Wales, commissioned by the Post Office National Savings • The Road to Yesterday, travelogue made for troops serving abroad ==Broadcasting==

• January - Glyn Griffiths writes: "It would be advisable now for Wales to weigh in with its campaign of aggravation and persuasion to get a Welsh Radio Corporation." ==Sport==

• Football - John Charles joins Leeds United • Netball - The Welsh team plays its first international matches, against Scotland and England • Rugby Union • 26 March - France beats Wales 5–3 at the Stade Colombes in Paris • 26 December - Rhys Gabe officially opens the Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Gates at Cardiff Arms Park. • Steeplechasing - The first Welsh Grand National to be run at Chepstow Racecourse is won by Dick Francis riding Fighting Line. ==Births==

• 1 January - Sue Jones-Davies, actress, singer and local politician • 7 February - Martin Daunton, historian and academic • 2 March - J. P. R. Williams, rugby player (died 2024) • 5 March - Mike Gwilym, actor • 9 March - Neil Hamilton, politician • 22 March - John Toshack, footballer and football manager • 14 April - Dennis Bryon, rock drummer (died 2024) • 22 May • Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, politician • Derek Quinnell, rugby player • 5 June - Ken Follett, novelist • 11 June - Tom Pryce, racing driver (killed in racing accident 1977) • 14 June - Alan Evans, darts player (died 1999) • 23 June - Hilary Boyd, novelist • 16 July - Angharad Rees, actress (died 2012) • 15 August - Richard Deacon, sculptor and academic • 25 August (in Oxford) - Martin Amis, novelist • 24 October - Nick Ainger, politician • 29 October - Alun Ffred Jones AM, politician • 18 November - William Graham AM, politician • 15 December (in Epsom) - Jane Hutt AM, politician • date unknown • Anthony O'Donnell, actor • M. J. Trow, writer ==Deaths==

• 20 January - Artie Moore, wireless operator (born 1887) • 21 January • J. H. Thomas, politician, 72 • Rowley Thomas, Wales international rugby player, 85 • 7 March - T. Gwynn Jones ("Tir-na-Nog"), poet and journalist, 77 • 20 April - Sir Evan Davies Jones, 1st Baronet, civil engineer and politician, 90 • 21 April - Sir Alfred Thomas Davies, civil servant, 88 • 27 April - Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar, poet and occulist, 55 • 1 May - Horace Lyne, Wales international rugby player and WRU president, 88 • 3 May - David John Tawe Jones, composer, 64 • 8 May - Abel J. Jones, teacher, writer and public servant • 6 June - Walter E. Rees, Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union, 86 • 3 July - William McCutcheon, Wales international rugby player, 78/79 • 23 July - John Bodvan Anwyl (Bodfan), lexicographer, 74 • 10 August - William Jones Williams, public servant, 86 • 26 August - Edgar Chappell, sociologist, 70 • 1 September - Dr Teddy Morgan, Welsh international rugby player, 69 • 24 October - T. Rowland Hughes, author, 46 • 9 November - William Dowell, Wales dual code rugby international, 64 • 16 December - George Maitland Lloyd Davies, pacifist politician, 59 ==See also==