This article is about the particular significance of the year 1983 to

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and its people.

Incumbents

Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales (), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Ki ...

–

Nicholas Edwards Roger Nicholas Edwards, Baron Crickhowell, PC (25 February 1934 – 17 March 2018) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as an MP from 1970 until 1987 and as Secretary of State for Wales during the first two terms of the That ...

Archbishop of Wales The post of Archbishop of Wales () was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England and disestablished. The four historic Welsh dioceses had previously formed part of the Province of Canterbury, and so came ...

– Derrick Childs, Bishop of Monmouth (elected) *

Archdruid Archdruid () is the title used by the presiding official of Gorsedd Cymru, the Gorsedd. The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, the award of the and the C ...

of the

National Eisteddfod of Wales The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competito ...

– Jâms Nicholas

Events

5 May Events Pre-1600 * 553 – The Second Council of Constantinople begins. * 1215 – Rebel barons renounce their allegiance to King John of England — part of a chain of events leading to the signing of the Magna Carta. *1260 – Ku ...

- District council elections take place across Wales (and England). The

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

regain control of

Cardiff City Council Cardiff City Council was the local government district authority that administered the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, from 1974 until 1996. The district council replaced the Cardiff County Borough Council, pre-1974 county borough council. ...

. * 9 June - In the UK General Election. **The SDP, led by

Roy Jenkins Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician and writer who served as the sixth President of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981. At various times a Member of Parliamen ...

, allies with the Liberals and gains fourteen seats. **

Stefan Terlezki Stefan Terlezki, (29 October 1927 – 21 February 2006) was a British Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff West from 1983 to 1987. Terlezki was born in Oleshiw, a village near the town of Tlumach ...

becomes MP for Cardiff West. **

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; , ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, and often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left, Welsh nationalist list of political parties in Wales, political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from th ...

retains two seats. **

John Marek John Marek (born 24 December 1940) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham from 1983 to 2001, and the Member of the Welsh Assembly (AM) for Wrexham from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party until ...

is elected for Wrexham, becoming the only Czech-speaking MP. ** Geraint Howells retains Ceredigion for the Liberals. *

21 June Events Pre-1600 * 533 – A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily. * 1307 – Külüg Khan is enthroned as Khagan of the Mongols and Wuzong o ...

- Last coal raised at Tymawr and Lewis Merthyr Colliery. *September - The Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, heir to the Dutch throne, begins a two-year course of study at

Atlantic College UWC Atlantic (formally the United World College of the Atlantic, and often referred to by its original name, Atlantic College) is an Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales. Fo ...

. *

5 September Events Pre-1600 * 917 – Liu Yan declares himself emperor, establishing the Southern Han state in southern China, at his capital of Panyu. * 1367 – Swa Saw Ke becomes king of Ava *1590 – Alexander Farnese's army forces Hen ...

Marcher Sound Heart Cheshire and North East Wales (formerly Marcher Sound and previously MFM 103.4) was an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to north east Wales and Cheshire from its Mold Road studios in Gwersyllt, Wrexham, also shared with Gold ( ...

is launched on

1260 AM The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1260 kHz: There are 55 stations in the United States which broadcast on 1260 AM; the Federal Communications Commission classifies 1260 AM as a regional frequency. Because 1260 kHz is a ...

and 95.4 FM (now

BBC Radio Wales BBC Radio Wales is a Wales, Welsh national radio station owned and operated by BBC Cymru Wales, a division of the BBC. It began broadcasting on 13 November 1978, replacing the Welsh opt-out service of BBC Radio 4. As of August 2022, the stat ...

) from Wrexham, inaugurating the Marcher Radio Group. *

2 October Events Pre-1600 * 829 – Theophilos succeeds his father Michael II as Byzantine Emperor. * 939 – Battle of Andernach: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, crushes a rebellion against his rule, by a coalition of Eberhard of Franconia and o ...

Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock (born 28 March 1942) is a Welsh politician who was Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 Labour Party le ...

, 41-year-old MP for

Islwyn The Borough of Islwyn was one of five local government districts of Gwent from 1974 to 1996. History The borough was formed in 1974 as a local government district of Gwent. It covered the whole area of three former districts and part of a fou ...

, replaces

Michael Foot Michael Mackintosh Foot (23 July 19133 March 2010) was a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1980 to 1983. Foot beg ...

as leader of the UK Labour Party. *The BBC National Chorus of Wales is formed.

Arts and literature

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in

Llangefni ; ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales. At the 2011 census, Llangefni's population was 5,116, making it the second-largest town in the county and the largest on the island. The community includes the village of Rhosmeirch. Location The ...

) *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Einion Evans *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Eluned Phillips *National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Tudor Wilson Evans

New books

English language

* Walter Hugh Boore - ''The Odyssey of Dai Lewis'' *

Rachel Bromwich Rachel Bromwich (30 July 1915 – 15 December 2010), born Rachel Sheldon Amos, was a British scholar. Her focus was on medieval Welsh literature, and she taught Celtic Languages and Literature in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic ...

- ''

Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Gwilym ( 1315/1320 – 1350/1370) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and among the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd’s poetry also offers a unique window into the transcultural movement of cultural pract ...

: Poems'' * Alice Thomas Ellis - ''The 27th Kingdom'' *

Emyr Humphreys Emyr Owen Humphreys, FRSL, FLSW (; 15 April 191930 September 2020) was a Welsh novelist, poet, and author. His career spanned from the 1940s until his retirement in 2009. He published in both English and Welsh. Early life and career Humphre ...

– ''The Taliesin Tradition'' *

Nigel Jenkins Nigel Jenkins (20 July 1949 – 28 January 2014) was an Anglo-Welsh poet. He was an editor, journalist, psychogeographer, broadcaster and writer of creative non-fiction, as well as being a lecturer at Swansea University and director of the crea ...

- ''Practical Dreams'' * Robert Nisbet - ''Stories of Sheepskin'' * Craig Thomas - ''Firefox Down''

Welsh language

Marion Eames Marion Eames (born Gwladys Marion Griffith Eames, 5 February 1921 – 3 April 2007)Dictionary of Welsh BiographRetrieved 29 September 2018./ref> was a Welsh novelist writing mainly in Welsh. She was also a talented musician. Biography Marion was ...

- ''Y Gaeaf Sydd Unig'' *

Donald Evans Donald Louis Evans (born July 27, 1946) is an American businessman. He was the 34th U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He was appointed by his longtime friend George W. Bush and sworn into office on January 20, 2001. On November 9, 2004, the White Hous ...

– ''Machlud Canrif'' * R. Tudur Jones - ''Ffydd ac Argyfwng Cenedl'' * Alan Llwyd - ''Yn Nydd yr Anghenfil''

New drama

* W. S. Jones - ''Ifas y tryc''

Music

The Alarm The Alarm are a Welsh rock band that formed in Rhyl, Wales in 1981. Initially formed as a punk band, the Toilets, in 1977 under lead vocalist Mike Peters, the group soon embraced arena rock and included marked influences from Welsh language ...

- "

Sixty Eight Guns "Sixty Eight Guns" (or written as "68 Guns") is a song by Welsh rock band the Alarm that was released as a single in August 1983 and later appeared on the group's debut album '' Declaration'' in February 1984. It was written by Alarm members Mik ...

" (#17 in the UK Singles Chart) *

Y Cyrff (1983–1991; The Bodies) were a Welsh language indie band in the 1980s, regarded by many as one of the greatest Welsh language rock bands. Initially formed at the Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy secondary school in Llanrwst, Conwy, the original line-up ...

form at

Llanrwst ; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is on the east bank of the River Conwy and the A470 road, and lies within the historic counties of Wales, historic county boundaries of Denbighshire (histori ...

*First Cardiff Singer of the World competition, won by Finnish soprano

Karita Mattila Karita Marjatta Mattila (born 5 September 1960) is a Finnish operatic soprano. Mattila appears regularly in the major opera houses worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra Bastil ...

*" Yma o Hyd" is released by

Dafydd Iwan Dafydd Iwan Jones (born 24 August 1943) is a Welsh people, Welsh singer and Welsh nationalism, nationalist politician who rose to fame writing and performing folk music in the Welsh language. From 2003 to 2010, Iwan was the president of Plaid ...

and Ar Log

Film

*''Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales'' (TV film), starring David Barry

Welsh-language films

*''Yr Alcoholig Llon''

Broadcasting

Welsh-language television

*''

SuperTed ''SuperTed'' is a Welsh language superhero animated television series about an anthropomorphic teddy bear with superpowers, created by writer and animator Mike Young. Originally created by him as a series of stories to help his son overcome h ...

'' makes his first appearance.

English-language television

*''QED: Simon's War'' (about

Simon Weston Simon Weston (born 8 August 1961) is a Welsh veteran of the British Army who is known for his charity work and recovery from severe burn injuries suffered during the Falklands War. Early life Weston was born at Caerphilly District Miners ...

)

Sport

* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Colin Jones *

Boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

- David Pearce of Newport wins the British

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...

title.

Births

11 January Events Pre-1600 * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence. * 630 – Conquest of Mecca: Muhammad and his fol ...

** Claire Evans, beauty queen ** Rhodri Gomer-Davies, rugby player and reporter *

14 February It is observed in most countries as Valentine's Day. Events Pre-1600 * 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the A ...

Rhydian Roberts Rhydian James Roberts (born 14 February 1983), also known mononymously as Rhydian, is a Welsh baritone singer, television presenter and musical theatre actor. He rose to fame in series 4 of ''The X Factor'' (2007). Rhydian Roberts retired fr ...

, singer *

18 February Events Pre-1600 *3102 BC – Kali Yuga, the fourth and final yuga of Hinduism, starts with the death of Krishna. * 1229 – The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, signs a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem ...

- David Vaughan, footballer *

5 March Events Pre-1600 * 363 – Roman emperor Julian leaves Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sasanian Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death. * 1046 – Nasir Khusraw begins the seven-year Middle Eastern ...

Owain Arthur Owain Arthur (born 5 March 1983) is a Welsh actor, who rose to fame playing Francis Henshall in The National Theatre's production of '' One Man, Two Guvnors'' at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His early years were spent in Bangor, Wales, filmi ...

, actor * 28 March - Richard Jones, chess master * 13 April -

Nicole Cooke Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE (born 13 April 1983) is a Welsh former professional road bicycle racer and Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion. At Beijing in 2008 she became the first British woman to win a Gold Olympic medal in any ...

, cyclist *

12 May Events Pre-1600 * 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism. * 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang ...

- Jamie Tolley, footballer *

7 June Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Emperor Theodosius II marries Aelia Eudocia at Constantinople (Byzantine Empire). * 879 – Pope John VIII recognises the Duchy of Croatia under Duke Branimir as an independent state. *1002 – Henry ...

- Gareth Jewell, actor * 9 June ** Kate Alicia Morgan, beauty queen ** Ryan Watkins, cricketer *

11 June Events Pre-1600 * 173 – Marcomannic Wars: The Roman army in Moravia is encircled by the Quadi, who have broken the peace treaty ( 171). In a violent thunderstorm emperor Marcus Aurelius defeats and subdues them in the so-called "miracle ...

- Huw Bennett, rugby player *

19 June Events Pre-1600 * 325 – The original Nicene Creed is adopted at the First Council of Nicaea. * 1179 – The Battle of Kalvskinnet takes place outside Nidaros (now Trondheim), Norway. Earl Erling Skakke is killed, and the battle chan ...

- Richard Evans, footballer * 22 July - Ifan Evans, rugby player * 6 August - Lloyd Langford, comedian *

10 August Events Pre-1600 * 654 – Pope Eugene I elected to succeed Martinus I. * 955 – Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor defeats the Magyars, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of the West. * 991 – Battle of Maldon: The ...

Richie Pugh Richie Pugh (born 10 August 1983) is Wales international rugby union player who plays at openside flanker. Pugh was born in Swansea and attended Brynmill primary and Bishop Gore Comprehensive schools before going on to study Sports Science at t ...

, rugby player and coach * 23 August - James Collins, footballer * 26 August -

Darren Jones Darren Paul Jones (born 13 November 1986) is a British politician who has served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury since July 2024, having previously been Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from September 2023 to July 2024. A member of ...

, footballer * 9 October - Rianti Cartwright, half-Welsh actress (in Indonesia) *

5 November Events Pre-1600 *1138 – Lý Anh Tông is enthroned as emperor of Vietnam at the age of two, beginning a 37-year reign. * 1499 – The '' Catholicon'', written in 1464 by Jehan Lagadeuc in Tréguier, is published; this is the first Br ...

- David Pipe, footballer

Deaths

5 January Events Pre-1600 * 1477 – Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is defeated and killed in a conflict with René II, Duke of Lorraine; Burgundy subsequently becomes part of France. 1601–1900 *1675 – Battle of Colmar: The French arm ...

- Amy Evans, singer and actress, 98 *

10 January Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war. * 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and the beg ...

(in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

) -

Carwyn James Carwyn Rees James (2 November 1929 – 10 January 1983) was a Welsh rugby union player and coach. He won two Wales national rugby union team, Welsh international caps but is most famous for his coaching achievements with Llanelli RFC, Llanelli, t ...

, rugby coach, 53 * 31 January - Edwin Williams, dual-code rugby international, 84 *

10 February Events Pre-1600 * 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire. *1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bruce m ...

- Michael Roberts, politician, 55 (collapsed in Parliament) *

3 March Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. *1575 &ndas ...

- Percy Morgan, cricketer, 78 *

20 March Events Pre-1600 *1206 – Michael IV Autoreianos is appointed Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. *1600 – The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden: five Swedish noblemen are publicly behead ...

- Alec Jones, politician, 58 *

23 March Events Pre-1600 *1400 – The Trần dynasty of Vietnam is deposed, after one hundred and seventy-five years of rule, by Hồ Quý Ly, a court official. *1540 – Waltham Abbey is surrendered to King Henry VIII of England; the last rel ...

- David Wynne, composer, 82 *

16 April Events Pre-1600 * 1457 BC – Battle of Megido – the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. * 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Roman emperor Otho commits suicide. * 7 ...

- Gladys Morgan, comedienne, 84 * 6 June -

Bryn Howells Bryn Howells (9 February 1911 – 6 June 1983) was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Llanelli RFC, a ...

, dual-code rugby player, 72 *

23 June Events Pre-1600 * 229 – Sun Quan proclaims himself emperor of Eastern Wu. * 1266 – War of Saint Sabas: In the Battle of Trapani, the Venetians defeat a larger Genoese fleet, capturing all its ships. *1280 – The Spanish Rec ...

Emrys Evans Sir David Emrys Evans (29 March 1891 – 20 February 1966) was a Wales, Welsh classicist and university principal. Life Evans, from Clydach, Swansea, Clydach, Glamorgan, was educated at Ystalyfera County School, before going on to Univers ...

, dual-code rugby player, 72 *

31 August Events Pre-1600 * 1056 – After a sudden illness a few days previously, Byzantine Empress Theodora dies childless, thus ending the Macedonian dynasty. * 1057 – Abdication of Byzantine Emperor Michael VI Bringas after just one yea ...

Iorwerth Jones Iorwerth Jones (3 April 1903 – 31 August 1983) was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Llanelli RFC, as a num ...

, dual-code rugby player, 80 *

1 September Events Pre-1600 * 1145 – The main altar of Lund Cathedral, at the time the seat of the archiepiscopal see of all the Nordic countries, is consecrated. *1173 – The widow Stamira sacrifices herself in order to raise the siege of An ...

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

, Dean of Llandaff, 76 * 9 September - Edgar Morgan, dual-code rugby international, 87 *

1 October Events Pre-1600 *331 BC – Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. * 366 – Pope Damasus I is consecrated. * 959 – Edgar the Peaceful becomes king of all England, in succession to Eadwig. ...

- Ernie Finch, Wales international rugby player, 84 *

8 October Events Pre-1600 * 316 – Constantine I defeats Roman Emperor Licinius, who loses his European territories. * 451 – The first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins. * 876 – Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger pr ...

- Ron Wynn, footballer, 59 * 24 October -

Norman Fender Norman Henry Fender (2 September 1910 – 24 October 1983) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby footballer who played rugby union for Cardiff as a flanker and rugby league with York. He won six caps for Wales at rugby union, and a ...

, Wales dual-code rugby international, 73 * 2 November - Tudor Watkins, politician, 80 * 8 November - E. G. Bowen, geographer, 82 * 15 November (in London) -

Dai Rees David James Rees, (31 March 1913 – 15 November 1983) was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of the Second World War. The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as ...

, golfer, 70 *

30 November Events Pre-1600 * 978 – Franco-German war of 978–980: Holy Roman Emperor Otto II lifts the siege of Paris and withdraws. 1601–1900 *1707 – Queen Anne's War: The second Siege of Pensacola comes to end with the failure of t ...

Richard Llewellyn Richard Dafydd Vivian Llewellyn Lloyd (; 8 December 1906, London – 30 November 1983, Dublin), known by his pen name Richard Llewellyn ( , ), was a British novelist of a Welsh background, who is best remembered for his 1939 novel '' How G ...

, novelist, 76 * 30 December - Ellis Evans, Dean of Monmouth, 75 *''date unknown'' -

Mary Vaughan Jones Mary Vaughan Jones (28 May 1918 – April/May/June 1983) was a celebrated Welsh children's author and schoolteacher. She was born at 'Firs Cottage', Maenan near Llanrwst in 1918, and died in the Rhuddlan area, Clwyd in 1983. Jones authore ...

, novelist, 64/65

References

{{Reflist

Wales 1980s in Wales 1983 in Europe