DR RICHARD PRICE

Born on this day 1723, in Tynton, Llangeinor, Glamorgan

Richard Price -  described as one of the most influential intellectuals to have ever come from Wales. 

Price was a moral and political philosopher, a nonconformist minister and a writer on issues of statistics and finance, being inducted into the Royal Society for both.

 Dr Richard Price was progressive in his views on both religion and politics. He was a Presbyterian and an Arian, who championed religious toleration.  He supported the French and American Revolutions and suggested that governments should rule by consent of the people, arguing for the creation of a British republic, votes for all adult males, women's rights and a basic welfare state.  His death in 1791 was marked by a day of national mourning in France.

RON BERRY

Born this day 1920, in Blaencwm, Rhondda

Ron Berry, an author, who also wrote several plays for BBC television and he is regarded as one of the Wales' more significant post-war authors.  He began writing later in life after attending Coleg Harlech after having had many jobs over his lifetime such as a miner, navvy, fitter, merchant navy seaman, swimming pool manager, boxer and footballer and this gave him a wide variety of life experiences from which to draw on. His books reflect the working class of the industrial valleys and although writing during a sometimes bleak period of Welsh history, he avoided falling into clichés of depressed miners and their families surviving everyday toil.   Largely ignored during his lifetime, Berry's work has recently started to become more appreciated. '

MENINGITIS IN PONTYPRIDD

In February 1999, a severe outbreak of meningitis in the Pontypridd area resulted in three people dying.

A public health emergency was declared after public fears about the likelihood of infection, resulted in alarmed parents marching to demand blanket vaccinations. Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, which is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria.

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CYMRU RYDD

In February 1911, a Welsh Nationalist League was founded, based in Caernarfonshire, to campaign for Home Rule.  Up to this point recognition of Wales had made considerable progress, with the most significant developments occurring in the fields of education and culture.  However in the immediate years following World War I, although Wales gained some administrative devolution, the movement for Welsh "home rule" lost significant momentum.