Tributes are being paid to a proud citizen of Pembrokeshire who spent an astonishing 75 years of his life in show business.
Narberth-born Wyn Calvin, known as The Welsh Prince of Laughter, died yesterday, Wednesday January 25, after a short illness. He was 96.
Wyn was renowned throughout the United Kingdom as a trouper of the highest order, revelling in his many roles as pantomime dame and entertaining as a stand-up comedian, broadcaster and after-dinner speaker.
But he never forsook his Pembrokeshire roots, and made regular visits to Narberth where he was honoured with the presidency of Narberth Civic Week.
Town mayor, Councillor Sue Rees, said:
“It was with great sadness that I heard the news that Wyn Calvin MBE OStJ has passed away at the grand age of 96.
“Narberth will never forget their celebrity citizen, ‘The Welsh Prince of Laughter'.
“Although Wyn left Narberth as a child of five, he returned often to visit family and never forgot the town he was born in.
“He is renowned for all his charitable work and will be remembered for his natural ability to bring fun and laughter into peoples' lives.
“He was very proud to be a Narberthian, always supported the town whenever he could, and returned 'home' at every opportunity.
“ He was honorary president of Narberth Civic Week for at least 30 years; I cannot remember a Narberth civic service, or a Narberth Carnival Day, when he and his wife Carole did not attend and join in all the fun.
"Our most sincere sympathy goes to Carole and all his family.
“Narberth has lost one of our most loved and famous citizens, but he will always be remembered in our hearts.”
And in an article in the Western Telegraph to mark his 95th birthday, he recalled how he grew up in Narberth’s Temperance Hotel, opposite the town hall, and how he was later invalided out of the Army with a heart complaint that doctors said was likely to kill him in six months.
Narberth Civic Week chairman, Cllr Chris Walters, said the committee was ‘extremely saddened to learn of the death of Wyn.
He added: “Wyn travelled without fail to the carnival every year and will be a huge loss to both the community of Narberth but also to everyone on the Civic Week committee.
“ Wyn was a brilliant entertainer and always had something to make us laugh whenever he visited.
‘We send our deepest condolences to Carole his wife, and his whole family.
“We thank Wyn for spreading the word of Narberth around the world and also all his involvement with Narberth Civic Week.”
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