Roy Noble
Encyclopedia
Roy Noble OBE
, DL
, O.St.J
(born 1942) is a Welsh
radio and television broadcaster.
in the Amman Valley
of Carmarthenshire
, the only son of coal miner Ivor Noble and his wife Sadie. Brought up in Brynamman, after passing his 11 Plus entrance examination he attended Amman Valley Grammar School where fellow pupils included Vernon Pugh and John Cale
.
Upon completing his school education, he tried to join the RAF
as he had always wanted to be a pilot, but was turned down because he suffers from hay fever
. He subsequently left Ammanford and went to Cardiff
to train as a teacher
.
of two primary schools in the County of Powys
. One school was in Pontneddfechan, near Glynneath
and the other in Llangattock, near Crickhowell
; where he qualified as a bus driver to drive children on school trips.
During his years in education he attained several bursaries and was able to travel extensively in Europe
to study education management systems. He also won a Page Scholarship under the auspices of the English-Speaking Union
which allowed him to spend time in several states of the USA
, undertaking a comparative study of education systems.
. He eventually joined the BBC
in Wales full time, and his daily radio programme has attained the highest listening figures in Wales for a number of years, in 1999 receiving a Sony Award.
Television appearances have included a diet programme with Barbara Dickson
and a series of Noble Guides covering many subjects from Paris
to "Manliness and Mortality". The popular Noble Trails series also covered a journey along the "Celtic Rim
" of Europe
and more recently his series, Common Ground was highly acclaimed gaining him the Royal Television Society
Award as Regional Presenter of the Year for the year 2000. He was a regular co-presenter on the Welsh language
evening magazine programme Heno (Tonight) for seven years.
He was also made a Fellow of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
(UWIC), and is an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John
. In 2007 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for the County of Mid-Glamorgan. Roy has appeared as an after-dinner speaker at many organisations, clubs, and societies, including engagements in Hong Kong
, Singapore
, Dubai
and Canada
.
Roy is currently the Patron for Radio City 1386AM
- The ABM University Health Board's Radio Service based in Singleton Hospital
, Swansea
.
near the town of Aberdare
in the Cynon Valley
. The couple have one son Richard.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, O.St.J
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(born 1942) is a Welsh
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...
radio and television broadcaster.
Biography
Noble was born in BrynammanBrynamman
Brynamman is a village sitting on the south facing side of the Black Mountain, part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The village is split in two into Upper Brynamman and Lower Brynamman by the River Amman which also acts as the boundary between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Neath Port...
in the Amman Valley
River Amman
The River Amman is a river of south Wales, which joins the River Loughor at Pantyffynnon. The river gives its name to the town of Ammanford and the villages of Pontamman, Glanaman, Brynamman and Rhosaman. Garnant and Betws also lie in the Amman Valley....
of Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, the only son of coal miner Ivor Noble and his wife Sadie. Brought up in Brynamman, after passing his 11 Plus entrance examination he attended Amman Valley Grammar School where fellow pupils included Vernon Pugh and John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
.
Upon completing his school education, he tried to join the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as he had always wanted to be a pilot, but was turned down because he suffers from hay fever
Hay Fever
Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss. Laura Hope Crews played the role in New York...
. He subsequently left Ammanford and went to Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
to train as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
.
Teaching career
Noble's early professional career was in education and in the latter years he was a Head TeacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
of two primary schools in the County of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
. One school was in Pontneddfechan, near Glynneath
Glynneath
Glynneath , also spelt Glyn Neath, is a small town, community and electoral ward lying on the River Neath in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It was formerly in the historic county of Glamorgan...
and the other in Llangattock, near Crickhowell
Crickhowell
Crickhowell is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales.-Location:The name Crickhowell is taken from that of the nearby Iron Age hill fort of Crug Hywel above the town, the Welsh language name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people...
; where he qualified as a bus driver to drive children on school trips.
During his years in education he attained several bursaries and was able to travel extensively in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to study education management systems. He also won a Page Scholarship under the auspices of the English-Speaking Union
English-Speaking Union
The English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity which was founded by the journalist Evelyn Wrench in 1918. The ESU aims to "bring together and empower people of different languages and cultures," by building skills and confidence in communication, such that individuals realize...
which allowed him to spend time in several states of the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, undertaking a comparative study of education systems.
Broadcasting career
Noble's move to broadcasting was gradual and part-time, writing and presenting a weekly "Letter from Aberdare" on the A.M. programme on BBC Radio WalesBBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
. He eventually joined the BBC
BBC
The 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...
in Wales full time, and his daily radio programme has attained the highest listening figures in Wales for a number of years, in 1999 receiving a Sony Award.
Television appearances have included a diet programme with Barbara Dickson
Barbara Dickson
Barbara Ruth Dickson, OBE is a Scottish singer whose hits include "I Know Him So Well" and "January February"...
and a series of Noble Guides covering many subjects from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to "Manliness and Mortality". The popular Noble Trails series also covered a journey along the "Celtic Rim
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...
" of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and more recently his series, Common Ground was highly acclaimed gaining him the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Award as Regional Presenter of the Year for the year 2000. He was a regular co-presenter on the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
evening magazine programme Heno (Tonight) for seven years.
Charity and other works
He was Chairman of the Wales Youth Agency from 1998 to 2001 and is often involved with public engagements and initiatives. In the 2001 Queens Birthday Honours List, he was awarded an OBE for services to the community and for charity support in Wales.He was also made a Fellow of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. The university serves over 12,000 students...
(UWIC), and is an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
. In 2007 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the County of Mid-Glamorgan. Roy has appeared as an after-dinner speaker at many organisations, clubs, and societies, including engagements in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Roy is currently the Patron for Radio City 1386AM
Radio City 1386AM
Radio City 1386AM - The ABM University Health Board's Radio Service is the Hospital Radio service based in Singleton Hospital, Swansea.-About the service:...
- The ABM University Health Board's Radio Service based in Singleton Hospital
Singleton Hospital
Singleton Hospital is a 550 bed hospital located in Sketty Lane, Swansea, Wales, operated by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board. The main building was completed in 1958. The hospital adjoins Singleton Park and the main campus of the Swansea University where there is a nursing school and...
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
.
Personal life
For the past 30 years, Noble and his wife Elaine have lived in the village of LlwydcoedLlwydcoed
Llwydcoed is a village in the Northern end of the Cynon Valley near the town Aberdare, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales.-History:Initial development of the village was based around the Tregibbon area, where in 1801 workers' housing was built by Thomas ap Shencin ap Gibbon of Fforchaman Farm....
near the town of Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
in the Cynon Valley
Cynon Valley
The Cynon Valley , is a famous former coal mining valley within the South Wales Valleys of Wales. The Cynon Valley lies between the other mining Valley of Rhondda and the iron industrial Valley of the Merthyr Valley. Its main towns are Aberdare located North of the Valley and Mountain Ash located...
. The couple have one son Richard.