The office of Secretary of State for Wales was created in October 1964 under Harold Wilson’s new Labour government. The Secretary, who in April the following year became head of the newly-created Welsh Office, had responsibility for Welsh issues and for some areas of public expenditure.

Pertaining to a feudal lord rather than to the king.

Land worked directly by the lord of the manor’s servants.

In legal possession of property.

Official in household of prince to whom control of justice and administration was given.

An underground explosion at the Universal Colliery, Senghennydd, Glamorgan, killed 436 miners on 14 October, 1913: the worst disaster in the history of UK coalmining.

Serfs were tied to the lord’s land and went with the land when it changed ownership.

The first Severn Bridge, a suspension bridge, was opened in 1966.

Constructed by the Great Western Railway company between 1873 and 1886 to connect the west of England with south Wales by railway. Chief engineer was Brunel.

Theoretically outlawed the exclusion of women from the professions on grounds of their sex alone. The act was often ignored and, in any case, women were excluded, on marriage, from, for example, the teaching profession.