 Roy Noble at an event at Rhydyfelin library | |
| Born | 1942 (age 80–81) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Occupation(s) | Educator broadcaster writer |
| Known for | BBC Radio Wales |
| Spouse | Elaine |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | BBC profile |
Roy Noble, OBE, DL, K.St.J, Rotary Fellow (born 1942) is a Welsh radio and television broadcaster, writer and Bevan Commissioner.
Noble was born and raised in Brynamman in the Amman Valley of Carmarthenshire, the only son of coal miner Ivor Noble and his wife Sadie. After passing his 11 Plus entrance examination he attended Amman Valley Grammar School, where fellow pupils included rugby union administrator and barrister [1] [2] Vernon Pugh and John Cale, of the Velvet Underground. [3]
On finishing school, 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 trained as a teacher at Cardiff Training College, where he was the President of the Students’ Union in his final year. [3]
Noble first taught in England, before returning to South Wales; latterly he was Head Teacher of two primary schools in the County of Powys; Ysgol Thomas Stephens, at Pontneddfechan, near Glynneath, and Llangattock Primary School, at Llangattock, near Crickhowell. [3] Noble won a scholarship to go to Germany and the US to visit and compare schools. [3]
Noble's move to broadcasting was gradual and part-time, writing and presenting a weekly "Letter from Aberdare" monologue for the A.M. programme on BBC Radio Wales. He eventually joined the BBC in Wales full-time in 1985, and went on to present weekday magazine shows for Radio Wales for 27 years, winning high audience figures and a 1999 Sony Award.[ citation needed ]
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 in 2000. He was a regular co-presenter on the Welsh language evening magazine programme Heno (Tonight) for seven years. He also completed a Welsh language television series for S4C , touring the Valleys of South Wales on a Honda Gold Wing trike. He also appeared in a Welsh comedy series and as a new character in the Welsh long running series Pobol y Cwm .
Noble's publications include: 'Bachan Noble' (Welsh Language Autobiography); 'Roy Noble's Welsh Nicknames'; 'Noble Thoughts'; 'Noble Ways'; 'Lay-bys in my Life' (an autobiography); 'Down the Road and Round the Bend' (tales of Wales); 'Fact, Fiction and Fanciful Walking with Bamps' (children's book); 'The Be Team' (children's book)
Noble was Chairman of the Wales Youth Agency from 1998 to 2001.[ citation needed ] In the 2001 Queens Birthday Honours List, he was awarded an OBE for services to the community and for charity support in Wales. [4]
He was appointed as Brother in the Venerable Order of Saint John in 2000, being appointed as Officer of St.John Cymru Wales in 2002, Commander in 2011[ citation needed ] and a Knight of Grace in 2016. [5]
Noble was appointed a commissioner with the Bevan Commission [6] with real responsibilities in the Health and Care sectors in Wales as an independent 'think tank' for the Welsh Government .[ citation needed ]
He was also made a Fellow of UWIC (University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, now [Cardiff Metropolitan University]) and a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International . In 2007,he became a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Mid Glamorgan and was promoted to Vice Lord Lieutenant in 2012. He retired from the post in 2017. In 2008 he was accepted into the National Eisteddfod of Wales 'Gorsedd y Beirdd' (Bardic Circle). [7]
In 2009 he was awarded the Chancellor's Medal at the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales ) [8] for his contribution to the educational and cultural life of Wales and his commitment to its people, in particular to those in need.[ citation needed ] In 2012, Noble was asked by the Minister of Education and Skills at the Welsh Government to chair a group looking into the future of the Welsh National Eisteddfod. The group completed its remit and reported back in October 2013.[ citation needed ]
In 2011 Noble cut the ribbon officially opening the 'Big Pit Branchline' at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway.
Noble was asked to be the Patron of the Senghenydd Mining Disaster 100th Anniversary Memorial Appeal, the memorial being unveiled on 14 October 2013. [9] He acted as narrator of the 'tale of Senghenydd,’ detailing the two explosions at the Universal Pit, and the loss of life that resulted. [10]
Noble was Ambassador for Wales of the WRVS (now RVS) Diamond Champions scheme, initiated by the Duchess of Cornwall to Honour Her Majesty The Queen, in the year of her Diamond Jubilee. He acted as a judge at the Diamond Champions event at St James's Palace that year. [11]
Nobles has appeared as an after-dinner speaker at many organisations, clubs, and societies, including engagements in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Canada. He was a patron of the appeal leading to the establishment of a permanent 'Red Dragon' Bronze Memorial at Passchendaele, which was unveiled in August 2014. In 2017 he hosted the 100th Anniversary Commemoration ceremony of the Battle of Passchendaele at the battlefield site in Flanders. [7]
He is currently the Patron for Radio City 1386AM, the ABM University Health Board's radio service based in Singleton Hospital, Swansea.[ citation needed ]
For the past 30 years, Noble and his wife Elaine have lived in the village of Llwydcoed near the town of Aberdare in the Cynon Valley. The couple have one son, Richard. [12]
Aberdare is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550. Aberdare is 4 miles (6 km) south-west of Merthyr Tydfil, 20 miles (32 km) north-west of Cardiff and 22 miles (35 km) east-north-east of Swansea. During the 19th century it became a thriving industrial settlement, which was also notable for the vitality of its cultural life and as an important publishing centre.
Llanelli is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary and is the largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire. The town is 11 miles (18 km) north-west of Swansea and 12 miles (19 km) south-east of Carmarthen. The town had a population of 25,168 in 2011, estimated in 2019 at 26,225. The local authority was Llanelli Borough Council when the county of Dyfed existed, but it has been under Carmarthenshire County Council since 1996.
Abercynon, is both a village and a community in the Cynon Valley within the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community comprises the village and the districts of Carnetown and Grovers Field to the south, Navigation Park to the east, and Glancynon to the north.
Huw Meredydd Stephens is a Welsh radio and television presenter, currently broadcasting on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 6 Music.
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors typically number 6,000 or more, and overall attendance generally exceeds 100,000 visitors, the highest recently being 118,000 attending the 2022 festival. The 2018 Eisteddfod was held in Cardiff Bay with a fence-free 'Maes'. In 2020, the event was held virtually under the name AmGen; events were held over a one-week period.
Llwydcoed is a small village and community north of the Cwm Cynon, near the town of Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, with a population of 1,302 as of 2011 census.
This article is about the particular significance of the year 2006 to Wales and its people.
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Patrick Hannan MBE was a Welsh political journalist, author and television and radio presenter.
Shân Margaretta Morgan, known professionally as Shân Cothi, is a Welsh singer-songwriter, television and radio presenter.
William Thomas Lewis, 1st Baron Merthyr, known as Sir William Lewis, 1st Baronet, from 1896 to 1911, was a Welsh coal mining magnate.
Benjamin Rory Slade is a British educator.
This article is about the particular significance of the year 2008 to Wales and its people.
Senghenydd is a former mining village in the community of Aber Valley in South Wales, approximately four miles northwest of the town of Caerphilly. Historically within the county of Glamorgan, it is now situated in the county borough of Caerphilly. In the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of the Aber Valley was 6,696.
Iorwerth Cyfeiliog Peate was a Welsh poet and scholar, best known as the founder, along with Cyril Fox, of St Fagans National Museum of History.
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Osi Rhys Osmond was a Welsh painter and an occasional television and radio presenter.
David Williams (1809–1863), known by his bardic name Alaw Goch was a prominent coal-owner in the Aberdare valley and also a keen supporter of Welsh culture and the eisteddfod.
Alun Bennett Oldfield-Davies was a Welsh broadcaster and public servant. He joined the BBC in 1937, holding several posts before being appointed director of the Welsh Region for BBC radio. Throughout his long stewardship of the BBC in Wales, he oversaw a golden age in Welsh spoken broadcasting, and always sought to increase the resources for Welsh broadcasting. He oversaw the introduction of television broadcasting in Wales, and although seen as unadventurous by some, his devotion to the Welsh language was absolute.
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