2002 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 2002 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
- vacant - First Minister - Rhodri MorganRhodri MorganHywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
- Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for WalesPresiding Officer of the National Assembly for WalesThe Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales is the Speaker of the National Assembly for Wales, elected by the Members of the National Assembly for Wales to chair their meetings ; to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the...
- Dafydd Elis-ThomasDafydd Elis-ThomasDafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, PC, AM, is a Welsh politician and was the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales until 2011... - Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
- Paul Murphy (until 24 October)
- Peter HainPeter HainPeter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
- Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished...
- Rowan WilliamsRowan WilliamsRowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
Events
- In the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's 100 Greatest Britons100 Greatest Britons100 Greatest Britons was broadcast in 2002 by the BBC. The programme was the result of a vote conducted to determine whom the United Kingdom public considers the greatest British people in history. The series, Great Britons, included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further...
poll, those with a Welsh connection who finished in the top 100 were:- Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
- 3 - Elizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
- 7 - Owain GlyndŵrOwain GlyndwrOwain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
- 23 - Henry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
- 40 - Aneurin BevanAneurin BevanAneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
- 45 - Henry V of EnglandHenry V of EnglandHenry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
- 72 - Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
- 96
- Diana, Princess of Wales
- April - Welsh Assembly GovernmentWelsh Assembly GovernmentThe Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
concessionary travel scheme (‘Cerdyn Cymru’) entitles over-60s and registered disabled people to uniform free off-peak travel on all stage carriage bus services. - May - H & ClaireH & ClaireH & Claire were a pop duo, consisting of former Steps members Claire Richards and Ian "H" Watkins. They released one low-charting album and three top ten singles in 2002 before disbanding.- History :...
release their debut single. - May 25 - Jessica GarlickJessica GarlickJessica Julie Anne Garlick is a Welsh pop singer.Garlick made her first steps into showbusiness when she was 16. At that age she won the Welsh final of the TV talent show Star For A Night. The same year she also featured in Michael Barrymore's My Kind of Music...
represents the UK in the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song Contest 2002The Eurovision Song Contest 2002 was the 47th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place on 25 May 2002 at the Saku Suurhall Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
held in Estonia. - June
- Archaeologists discover the Newport shipNewport shipThe Newport Ship is a fifteenth-century sailing vessel discovered by archaeologists in June 2002 in the city of Newport, South Wales. It was found on the west bank of the River Usk, which runs through the city centre, during the building of the Riverfront Arts Centre; from which process it...
. - DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
from the exhumed body of Joe Kappen proves beyond reasonable doubt that he was responsible for the murders of three teenage girls in 1973.
- Archaeologists discover the Newport ship
- June 18 - Cowbridge businessman Peter ShawPeter Shaw (kidnap victim)Peter Shaw is a British businessman who spent several months as a hostage during 2002.Shaw, originally from Cowbridge in South Wales, was working as an adviser to the Agro-Business Bank in Tbilisi, Georgia, when he was kidnapped on June 18, 2002, shortly before he was due to return to the UK. He...
is kidnapped while working in TbilisiTbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. He is held in brutal conditions until he escapes in November. - June 28 - David Morris receives four life sentences for the Clydach murders of June 1999. Despite his having been a suspect days after the murder was committed, it had taken police 21 months to arrest and charge him.
- July - Research reveals that Wales has the highest figures for company failures of any region of the UK.
- August - "Barney" saves his owners' lives by warning them of a fire at their home in WrexhamWrexhamWrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. - August 5 - Rowan WilliamsRowan WilliamsRowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
is admitted to the GorseddGorseddA gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
of bards. - October - Archaeological excavations on a Bronze AgeBronze AgeThe Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
site recover the Banc Ty'nddôl sun-discBanc Ty'nddôl sun-discThe Banc Ty'nddôl sun-disc is a small, decorated, gold ornament discovered at Cwmystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales. It most likely was part of a funerary garment and is more than 4,000 years old, which makes it the earliest gold artifact found in Wales....
, one of the earliest goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
objects found in Wales. - October 24 - Paul Murphy is appointed Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSecretary of State for Northern IrelandThe Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
.
Arts and literature
- Teenage actor Gethin Rhys Williams is killed in an accident in Spain.
- Connie FisherConnie FisherConnie Fisher is a Welsh actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
wins the Wilbert Lloyd Roberts Scholarship in the National Eisteddfod "Songs from the Shows" competition. - Menna ElfynMenna ElfynMenna Elfyn is a Welsh poet, playwright, columnist, and editor who writes with passion of the Welsh and identity. She has published ten volumes of poetry and a dozen more of children’s books and anthologies. She has also written eight plays for stage, six radio plays for BBC, two plays for...
is named Poet Laureate for the Children of Wales.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Myrddin ap Dafydd
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Aled Jones Lewis
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - O! Tyn y Gorchudd - Hunangofiant Rebecca Jones by Angharad PriceAngharad PriceAngharad Price is a Welsh academic and novelist.Price was born in Bethel, Gwynedd, Wales, the daughter of the Welsh historian Emyr Price. She graduated with a BA and DPhil in Modern Languages from Jesus College, Oxford. She teaches at Bangor University and works on Welsh prose of the modern era...
- Wales Book of the YearWales Book of the YearThe Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors...
:- English language: Stevie DaviesStevie DaviesStevie Davies is an award-winning Welsh novelist. She is currently a lecturer at the Swansea University, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature....
, The Element of Water - Welsh language:
- English language: Stevie Davies
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Eurig WynEurig WynEurig Wyn is a Welsh politician. He was a Plaid Cymru Member of the European Parliament for Wales from 1999 to 2004, when he lost his seat in part due to a reduction of the number of seats that Wales had....
- John TrippJohn Tripp (poet)John Tripp was an Anglo-Welsh poet and short-story writer.Born in Bargoed, Wales, he worked for the BBC as a journalist with the BBC, and later became a civil servant. He edited the literary magazine, Planet, and was a popular performance poet...
Prize for Spoken Poetry - Cliff Forshaw
New books
- Richard J. EvansRichard J. EvansRichard John Evans is a British academic and historian, prominently known for his history of Germany.-Life:Evans was born in London, of Welsh parentage, and is now Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and President of Wolfson College...
- Telling Lies About Hitler - Ken FollettKen FollettKen Follett is a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels. He has sold more than 100 million copies of his works. Four of his books have reached the number 1 ranking on the New York Times best-seller list: The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, Triple, and World Without End.-Early...
- Hornet FlightHornet FlightHornet Flight is a World War II based spy thriller written by British author Ken Follett. It was published in 2002 by Macmillan in the UK and Dutton in the US.-Plot introduction:... - Steve JonesSteve Jones (biologist)John Stephen Jones is a Welsh geneticist and from 1995 to 1999 and 2008 to June 2010 was Head of the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at University College London. His studies are conducted in the Galton Laboratory. He is also a television presenter and a prize-winning author on...
- The Descent of Men - Jo Mazelis - Diving Girls
- Jan MorrisJan MorrisJan Morris CBE is a Welsh nationalist, historian, author and travel writer. She is known particularly for the Pax Britannica trilogy, a history of the British Empire, and for portraits of cities, notably Oxford, Venice, Trieste, Hong Kong, and New York City.With an English mother and Welsh father,...
- A Writer's House in Wales - Steve StrangeSteve StrangeSteve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
- Blitzed! The Autobiography of Steve Strange - Rachel TreziseRachel TreziseRachel Trezise is a Welsh author, born in Cwmparc, Rhondda.-Background and career:Trezise studied at the University of Glamorgan in Wales and University of Limerick in Ireland. Her first novel, In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl, released in 2002 while she was still as a student, received broad...
- In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl - Eirug WynEirug WynEirug Wyn was a Welsh satirical novelist who wrote in the Welsh language. He was born Eirug Price Wynne, in Llanbrynmair in Mid Wales, and educated at Brynrefail School and Trinity College, Carmarthen...
- Bitsh
Film
- Christian BaleChristian BaleChristian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
stars in Laurel Canyon. - Craig HandleyCraig HandleyCraig Handley is a Welsh film writer, director, producer and script editor. He is the creator of the upcoming web-series, Bleedout. Handley was born in Merthyr Tydfil and attended Cyfarthfa High School...
writes On All FloorsOn All FloorsOn All Floors is a 2002 British film directed by Geoff Evans and written by Craig Handley. It is a dark comedy which tells the story of five people who are trapped in a falling elevator...
. - Anthony HopkinsAnthony HopkinsSir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
plays Hannibal Lecter for the third time, in Red DragonRed Dragon (film)Red Dragon is a 2002 thriller film based on Thomas Harris' novel of the same name and featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It is a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs....
.
Music
- 3SL3SL3SL were a short lived Welsh pop vocal group made up of Steve, Ant and Andy Scott-Lee. They are the brothers of former Steps singer, Lisa Scott-Lee, who also managed the group. They originated from Rhyl in North Wales. The group's first single, "Take It Easy", reached number 11 in the UK Singles...
- "Take it Easy" (single) - Carreg LafarCarreg LafarCarreg Lafar is a traditional Welsh band.It was formed in Cardiff in 1994 with Antwn Owen Hicks, James Rourke, Rhian Evan Jones, Linda Owen Jones and Simon O'Shea. Carreg Lafar literally means a "speaking stone", or "echo stone"....
- Profiad (album) - FeederFeeder-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
- Comfort In Sound (album) - Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
- Heart & Soul/Heart Strings (album)
Sport
- John FashanuJohn FashanuJohn "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
becomes Chairman of Barry TownBarry Town F.C.Barry Town FC are a football team based in Barry. They dominated the League of Wales during the 1990s, but finished bottom in 2003-04 and were relegated...
. - Barry TownBarry Town F.C.Barry Town FC are a football team based in Barry. They dominated the League of Wales during the 1990s, but finished bottom in 2003-04 and were relegated...
are Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
winners after beating Bangor CityBangor City F.C.Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....
4-1. - Barry TownBarry Town F.C.Barry Town FC are a football team based in Barry. They dominated the League of Wales during the 1990s, but finished bottom in 2003-04 and were relegated...
win a sixth League of WalesLeague of WalesThe Welsh Premier League is the national football league for Wales. It has both Professional and Semi-Professional status clubs and is at the top of the Welsh football league system. Prior to 2002, the league was known as the League of Wales, but changed its name as part of a sponsorship deal...
title. - Winners of the three divisions in the Welsh Football LeagueWelsh Football LeagueThe Welsh Football League is a club football league in Wales. Division One of the Welsh Football League is at Level 2 of the Welsh football league system, immediately below the national Welsh Premier League.The Welsh Football League's history stretches back to 1904 when the competition was first...
are: Ton PentreTon Pentre F.C.Ton Pentre Football Club is a football team based in Ton Pentre, Wales, which plays in the Welsh Football League Division Two.Nicknamed the "Rhondda Bulldogs", the team plays at Ynys Park, Ton Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taff, which once accommodated 2700 seated spectators...
(Division 1), Garden VillageGarden Village F.C.Garden Village Association Football Club is a football club, based in Swansea, south west Wales and currently playing in the Welsh Football League Division Two...
(Division 2) & Newport YMCA (Division 3). - Welshpool TownWelshpool Town F.C.Welshpool F.C. is a football team, based in Welshpool, playing in the Spar Mid Wales League.The club was founded as Welshpool Town F.C. in 1878 and plays at the Maes y Dre Recreation Ground, Welshpool, which accommodates 2000 spectators ....
are champions of the Cymru Alliance.
Deaths
- 2 January - Ian GristIan GristIan Grist was a British Conservative Party politician.Grist studied History at Jesus College, Oxford from 1957 to 1960....
, politician, 63 - 7 January - Jon Lee, rock musician, 33
- 12 January - Moss EvansMoss EvansArthur Mostyn Evans , better known as Moss Evans, was the general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union , then the largest general trade union in the United Kingdom, from 1978 until 1985....
, trade union leader, 76 - 3 February - Edward Thomas ChapmanEdward Thomas ChapmanEdward Thomas Chapman VC, BEM was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, Victoria Cross recipient, 82 - 22 February - David JamesDavid James (cricketer)David James was a Welsh cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler who played first-class cricket for Glamorgan...
, cricketer, 80 - 3 March - Bill HopkinBill HopkinWilliam "Bill" Henry Hopkin was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s....
, rugby player, 87 - 5 March - David JenkinsDavid Jenkins (librarian)David Jenkins CBE was the Librarian of the National Library of Wales from 1969 to 1979 and author of an official history of the library.- Biography :...
, Librarian of the National Library of Wales 1969-79, 89 - 12 March - Cyril P. Cule, author, 99
- 26 September - Willie DaviesWillie DaviesWillie Davies was a Welsh international dual-code rugby fly half who played rugby union for Swansea and rugby league for Bradford Northern. He won six caps for the Wales rugby union team and nine caps for the Wales rugby league side...
, Wales international rugby union and league player, 86 - 20 November - George GuestGeorge GuestGeorge Guest was a Welsh organist and choral conductor.- Birth and early life :George Guest was born in Bangor, Wales. His father was an organist, and George assisted him by acting as organ blower. He became a chorister at Bangor Cathedral, and subsequently at Chester Cathedral, where he...
, organist and choirmaster of St John's College, CambridgeSt John's College, CambridgeSt John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, 78 - 31 December - Billy MorrisBilly Morris (footballer)William "Billy" Morris was a Welsh international footballer who played as an inside forward. He was part of the Burnley side which lost 0–1 to Charlton Athletic in the 1947 FA Cup Final...
, footballer, 84