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

  • 2029 in Wales
  • 2028 in Wales
  • 2027 in Wales
  • 2026 in Wales
  • 2025 in Wales
  • 2024 in Wales
  • 2023 in Wales
  • 2022 in Wales – 2022 Welsh local elections
  • 2021 in Wales – 2021 Senedd election
  • 2020 in Wales – Start of the COVID-19 pandemic 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 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)

History of Wales Timeline Have Fun With History

64 incredible photos show what life looked like in Wales 100 years ago

A Timeline for Wales Teaching Resources

10 charts showing Wales since the devolution vote BBC News

Wales' past brought to life as part of Year of Legends BBC News