1938 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Archbishop of Wales – Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor
 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – J.J.

Events

 * 14–19 January – A storm causes extensive damage in Aberystwyth; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds.
 * 8 May – William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech.
 * October – The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
 * 23 November – Opening of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff.
 * Mining comes to an end at Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
 * The excavation of Llantwit Major Roman Villa by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948).
 * Opening of RNAD Trecwm.

Arts and literature

 * April – Augustus John resigns from the Royal Academy.
 * September – Ivor Novello appears in Henry V at Drury Lane Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardiff)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Gwilym R. Jones
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Edgar H. Thomas
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Elena Puw Morgan

In English

 * Idris Davies – Gwalia Deserta
 * Ness Edwards – History of the South Wales Miners Federation
 * Richard Hughes – In Hazard
 * Jack Jones – Bidden to the Feast
 * Edith Picton-Turbervill – Myself When Young
 * William Plomer (ed.) – Kilvert's Diary, 1870-1879

In Welsh

 * Richard Bennett – Methodistiaeth Caersws
 * Tom Beynon – Gwrid ar Orwel ym Morgannwg
 * Edward Tegla Davies – Stori Sam
 * Edward Morgan Humphreys – Dirgelwch Gallt Y Ffrwd
 * Ifor Williams (ed.) – Canu Aneirin

New drama

 * James Kitchener Davies – Susannah
 * Charles Langbridge Morgan – The Flashing Stream
 * Emlyn Williams – The Corn is Green

Music

 * Tudor Davies plays the lead in the first English-language production of Verdi's Don Carlos, at Sadler's Wells.

Film

 * Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in The Lady Vanishes.

Broadcasting

 * 1 March – BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of Arwel Hughes's latest composition, Tydi a Roddaist.

Sport

 * Empire Games
 * Wales win three medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing), Jim Alford (1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke).
 * Rugby union
 * 5 February – Scotland beat Wales 8–6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Births

 * 6 January – William Edwards, politician (d. 2007)
 * 1 February – Cynog Dafis, politician
 * 22 January – Brook Williams, actor (d. 2005)
 * 2 March – Deddie Davies, actress (d. 2016)
 * 20 April – Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016)
 * 25 April – John Davies, historian (d. 2015)
 * 14 May – Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach (d. 2023)
 * 25 May – Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014)
 * 31 May – John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK
 * 13 June – Gwynne Howell, bass
 * 6 July – Tony Lewis, cricketer and commentator
 * 23 July – Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018)
 * 6 August – Rees Davies, historian (d. 2005)
 * 12 September
 * Richard Booth, secondhand bookseller (d. 2019)
 * Patrick Mower, Welsh-descended actor
 * 9 October – Denzil Davies, politician (d. 2018)
 * 22 October – Dai Davies, English-born Welsh sports journalist (d. 2008)
 * 1 November – Delwyn Williams, politician
 * 4 December – Richard Meade, equestrian (d. 2015)
 * 15 December – Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d. 2017 in Greece)

Deaths

 * 3 February – James Bevan, First Wales rugby union captain, 81
 * 9 February – Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63
 * 30 March – Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66
 * 16 April – Sir William Price, industrialist
 * 8 May – George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83
 * 28 May – Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66
 * 23 June – Clement Edwards, politician, 69
 * 22 July – Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73
 * 22 October (in Dublin) – Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90
 * 4 November – John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
 * 28 November – Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56
 * 29 December (at sea) – Eluned Morgan, writer, 68
 * date unknown – Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist