Dylan Thomas
7 October: Dylan Marlais Thomas is born in Swansea, South Wales.
DT becomes a pupil at Swansea Grammar School, where his father teaches English.
DT's first poem is published in the school magazine, which he later edits.
The poem "His Requiem" appears in Wales' Western Mail newspaper.
DT begins the first of four notebooks containing his poetry.
DT leaves school to become a reporter for the South Wales Evening Post.
DT leaves his job at the Evening Post, though he continues as a freelance journalist.
March: "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" is published in the New English Weekly.
DT moves to London.
DT's first poetry volume, 18 Poems, is published.
DT moves to Cornwall. Meets Caitlin Macnamara.
His second poem collection, Twenty-five Poems, is published.
21 April: DT makes his first radio broadcast, "Life And The Modern Poet."
11 July: Marries Caitlin Macnamara in Penzance, Cornwall.
April: The couple move to his parents' house in Swansea.
May: They move to Laugharne.
30 January: The couple's first son, Llewelyn, is born.
August: A collection of poems and prose, The Map Of Love, is published.
December: The World I Breathe becomes DT's first collection published in America.
Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog, a collection of autobiographical short stories, is published.
July: Leaves Laugharne to move to London. The family moves between London and Wales frequently during the war.
October: Begins writing film scripts for the Strand Film Company.
3 March: Daughter Aeronwy is born in London. She is named after Cardiganshire's Aeron river.
September: The family joins his parents at Llangain, near the Fernhill farm which later inspires the poem "Fern Hill."
February: The family moves to Bosham in Sussex.
September: The family moves to New Quay in Cardigan Bay.
14 December: Records "Quite Early One Morning," a predecessor of "Under Milk Wood," in London for the BBC Welsh Home Service.
6 December: Records "Memories Of Christmas" for the BBC Welsh Service Children's Hour.
February: The poetry collection Deaths And Entrances, which contains "Fern Hill," is published.
Selected Writings is published in America.
24 July: Son Colm is born in Carmarthen Hospital.
February: DT begins his first American lecture tour.
February: DT's collection In Country Sleep is published in America.
DT does a second American tour, with Caitlin.
10 November: Collected Poems 1934-1952 is published in Britain.
April-June: Third American tour.
9 October: Leaves Laugharne for the final American tour.
27 October: DT's 39th birthday.
October-November: Goes on a sustained drinking binge in New York.
4 November: Falls into a coma.
7 November: Caitlin flies to New York.
9 November: DT dies at St Vincent's Hospital, New York.