1962 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1962 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

January–April – An outbreak of smallpox spreading from Cardiff infects 45 people and kills 19 in south Wales; 900,000 people in the region are vaccinated against the disease.
12 April – Nine miners are killed and nine injured in an accident at Tower Colliery, Hirwaun, Wales.
15 May – Emlyn Hooson wins the Montgomeryshire by-election brought about by the death of Clement Davies. In the run-up to the by-election, the "Elvis Rock" is painted with the graffiti "Elis" by supporters of Plaid Cymru candidate Islwyn Ffowc Elis.
20 July – The world's first regular passenger hovercraft service is introduced between Rhyl and Wallasey.
4 August – Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, is founded.
September – Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, the first Welsh-medium secondary school in south Wales, opens its doors.
19 September – Atlantic College opens its doors for the first time at St Donat's Castle, marking the birth of the pioneering United World College educational movement.
26 October – Richard Thomas and Baldwins's new steelworks at Llanwern near Newport, is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
28 October – Chepstow Railway Bridge rebuilding completed.
date unknown
*Richard Booth opens his first second-hand bookshop at the old fire station in Hay-on-Wye.
*Cardiff Zoo opened.

13 February – Saunders Lewis gives the Welsh Home Service’s Annual Lecture, entitled Tynged yr Iaith .

17 September – First edition of the Welsh national news programme BBC Wales Today.

18 January – Iolo Aneurin Williams, journalist, author and politician, 71
26 January – George Jeffreys, founder of the Elim Pentecostal Church, 72
11 February – John Edward Daniel, theologian, chairman of Plaid Cymru, 59
14 February – Ezer Griffiths, physicist, 73
27 February – Albert Rhys Williams, Welsh-American journalist, labour organiser, and publicist, 78
23 March – Clement Davies, politician, 80
April – Edgar Morgan, rugby union player, 80
25 April – Herbie Baxter, Glamorgan cricketer, 79
30 April – Charles Williams, Anglican priest and academic, 55
11 May – Eliot Crawshay-Williams, politician and author, 82
16 June – Edgar Rees Jones, barrister and politician, 83
24 June – Thomas Richards, historian, 84
3 August - Edgar Phillips, poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, 72
23 August - Robert Bye, VC recipient, 72
23 September - Margaret Jane Gordon, singer, 82
5 November – Percy Cudlipp, journalist, 56
30 November – Lewis Pugh Evans, Victoria Cross recipient, 81
15 December – Charles Rhys, 8th Baron Dynevor, politician, 63
17 December – Lonza Bowdler, Wales international rugby union player, 61
21 December – Gary Hocking, motorcycle road racer, 25