My friend Peter Stead, who has died aged 82, spent almost his entire academic life at Swansea University, where he lectured on modern history from 1966 to 1997. Thereafter he was an influential figure in the public discourse of Wales, as a commentator in print and a broadcaster on radio and television – for many years, with the journalist Patrick Hannan, he represented Wales on BBC Radio 4’s Round Britain Quiz.
He was best known as the creator in 2005 of the International Dylan Thomas prize for writers aged under 39 (Thomas’s age at his death), across the genres of poetry, fiction, drama and scriptwriting. It was initially awarded biennially, with help from various sponsors, but Peter took great pride as the founder president in seeing it established as an annual award from 2014, with the support of Swansea University in his home city. Notable winners have included Rachel Trezise, Max Porter, Guy Gunaratne and Patricia Lockwood.
