1878 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1878 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Clwydfardd^[1]
• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – William Owen Stanley^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk^[6]
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn^[7]
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse^{[8] [3]}
  • • Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot^[9]
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Edward Lloyd-Mostyn, 2nd Baron Mostyn^[10]
• Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort^[11]
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis^[12]
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington^[3]
  • Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell^{[13] [14]}
  • Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant Bishop of St Asaph – Joshua Hughes^[15]
• Bishop of St Davids – Basil Jones^{[16] [17]}

Events

• March
  • The 'basic' process, enabling the use of phosphoric iron ore in steelmaking, developed at the failing Blaenavon Ironworks by Percy Gilchrist and Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, is first made public.^[18]
  • The Swansea Improvements and Tramway Company SITC) opens a street tramway from Gower Street, Swansea, to join up with the Oystermouth Railway.^[19]
• 16–17 July – Spanish seaman Joseph Garcia, just released from Usk Prison, murders all 5 members of the Watkins family at Llangybi, Monmouthshire.^[20]
• 17 July – Swansea tramways are forced by legal action to return to horse-drawn operation after experimenting with steam locomotives.^[21]
• 11 September – In a mining accident at the Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarn, 268 men are killed.^[22]
• Founding of Dr Williams School for Girls at Dolgellau with Eliza Ann Fewings as first head.^[23]
• Opening of Marine Drive around the Great Orme at Llandudno.
• A passenger ferry service is established between Bangor and Porthaethwy on the Menai Strait.
• Industrialist John Corbett buys Ynysymaengwyn.
• Slate industry in Wales

The Oakeley quarry at Blaenau Ffestiniog absorbs the previously independently-worked Upper and Middle quarries.^[24]

• The prison system in Wales is nationalised and brought under centralised government control.^[25]
• Nanteos Cup first exhibited.

Arts and literature

New books

• Daniel Silvan Evans – Celtic Remains
• William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog) – Llythyrau 'Rhen Ffarmwr

Music

• John Owen (Owain Alaw) – Jeremiah (oratorio)

Sport

• Football – The Welsh Cup competition takes place for the first time, and is won by Wrexham.

Births

• 4 January – Augustus John, painter (died 1961)^[26]
• 30 January – Reg Skrimshire, Wales and British Lions rugby union player (died 1963)
• 24 February – Lou Phillips, Wales international rugby player (killed in action 1916)
• 3 March – Edward Thomas, poet (killed in action 1917)
• 12 March – Mary Sophia Allen, women's rights activist (died 1964)
• 15 March – Thomas Richards, historian and librarian (died 1962)^[27]
• 21 March – Edwin Thomas Maynard, Wales international rugby player (died 1961)
• 16 April – Owen Thomas Jones, geologist (died 1967)
• 26 May – Abel J. Jones, writer (died 1949)
• 5 June – Billy O'Neill, Wales national rugby player (died 1955)
• 8 June – Evan Roberts, religious revivalist (died 1951)^[28]
• 20 June – Seymour Farmer, politician in Canada (died 1951)
• 1 July – Billy Trew, rugby player and Welsh Triple Crown winning captain (died 1926)
• 27 August – Edgar Rees Jones, lawyer and politician (died 1962)
• 28 October – Charles Benjamin Redrup, aeronautical engineer (died 1961)
• 30 October – Caradog Roberts, musician (died 1935)^[29]
• 8 November – Dorothea Bate, palaeontologist (died 1951)
• 31 December – Caradoc Evans, writer (died 1945)
• date unknown – Richard Hughes Williams (Dic Tryfan), Welsh language short story writer (died 1919)^[30]

Deaths

• 16 February – Alexander Jones, footballer, 23 (accidentally shot)^[31]
• 25 February – Townsend Harris, Welsh-descended American diplomat, 73^[32]
• 30 March – Peter Maurice, priest and writer, 74^[33]
• 4 July – William Roos, Welsh artist and engraver, 70^[34]
• 13 August – Francis Rice, 5th Baron Dynevor, 74^[35]
• 30 September – Evan James, poet, lyricist of the Welsh national anthem, 69^[36]
• 18 November – John Jones (Mathetes), clergyman and writer, 57^[37]
• 20 November – William Thomas (Islwyn), poet, 46^[38]
• 25 November – Llewelyn Lewellin, clergyman and academic, 80^[39]
• 5 December – David Price, minister, 67^[40]
• 13 December – David Charles, secretary of the University for Wales movement, 56

See also

• 1878 in Ireland

Notes and References

1. GRIFFITH, DAVID (Clwydfardd; 1800–1894). s-GRIF-DAV-1800. Daniel Williams. National Library of Wales. 15 December 2019.
2. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 24.
3. Book: J.C. Sainty . John Sainty (civil servant) . List of Lieutenants of Counties of England and Wales 1660-1974 . Swift Printers (Sales) Ltd . London . 1979.
4. Book: Nicholas, Thomas . Annals and antiquities of the counties and county families of Wales . Genealogical Pub. Co . Baltimore . 1991 . 9780806313146 . 695.
5. Book: Cylchgrawn Hanes Cymru. University of Wales Press. 1992. 169.
6. Book: Edwin Poole. The Illustrated History and Biography of Brecknockshire from the Earliest Times to the Present Day: Containing the General History, Antiquities, Sepulchral Monuments and Inscriptions. Edwin Poole. 1886. 378.
7. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 26.
8. News: Death of Colonel Pryse. 27 February 2018. Cambrian News. 1 June 1888. 4.
9. Campbell. Thomas Methuen. C.R.M. Talbot 1803–1890. Morgannwg. 2000. 44. 66–104. 17 May 2014.
10. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 29.
11. Book: James Henry Clark. History of Monmouthshire. County Observer. 1869. 375.
12. s-POWY-HER-1674. Herbert family (earls of Powis). Evan David Jones. 1959. 27 February 2022.
13. Book: Fryde, E. B. . Handbook of British chronology . New York Cambridge University Press . Cambridge England . 1996 . 9780521563505 . 292.
14. Book: Thomas Duffus Hardy. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae: Or A Calendar of the Principal Ecclesiastical Dignitaries in England and Wales.... University Press. 1854. 266.
15. Book: The Apostolical Succession in the Church of England. James Parkes and Company. 1866. 15.
16. Book: Thomas Duffus Hardy. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae: Or A Calendar of the Principal Ecclesiastical Dignitaries in England and Wales.... University Press. 1854. 307.
17. s-JONE-BAS-1822 . Jones, William Basil (Tickell) (1822–1897) . 21 April 2011.
18. s-THOM-GIL-1850. William Llewelyn. Davies. Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist. 2009. 2012-11-09.
19. Book: The Tramway Review. 1993. Light Railway Transport League. 97.
20. Book: Williams, Roger. 2004. Their Deadly Trade: Murders in Monmouthshire. Gomer Press. Llandysul. 1-84323-389-4.
21. Book: The Tramway Review. 1993. Light Railway Transport League. 100.
22. Book: United States Department of State. Commercial Relations of the United States with Foreign Countries. 1897. U.S. Government Printing Office. 593.
23. Book: W. Gareth Evans. Education and Female Emancipation: The Welsh Experience, 1847–1914. 1 January 1990. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-1079-3. 75.
24. Book: Richards, Alun John. Slate Quarrying in Wales. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. 0-86381-319-4. 131. Llanrwst. 1995.
25. Book: Davies, John. Jenkins, Nigel. The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. 2008. University of Wales Press. Cardiff. 978-0-7083-1953-6.
26. s2-JOHN-EDW-1878. John, Augustus Edwin (1878-1961), artist. Ceridwen Lloyd-Morgan. 2001. 27 February 2022.
27. s2-RICH-THO-1878. Richards, Thomas (1878–1962), librarian and historian. Gwilym Beynon Owen. National Library of Wales. 10 October 2019.
28. s2-ROBE-JOH-1878. Roberts, Evan (1878–1951), ‘Y Diwygiwr (the Revivalist)’ revivalist preacher. Gomer Morgan Roberts. National Library of Wales. 10 October 2019.
29. s-ROBE-CAR-1878. Roberts, Caradog (1878–1935), musician. Robert David Griffith. National Library of Wales. 10 October 2019.
30. s-WILL-HUG-1878. Williams, Richard Hughes (Dic Tryfan; 1878?-1919), journalist and short story writer. Edward Morgan Humphreys. 1959. 27 February 2022.
31. Book: Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players . Davies . Gareth . Garland . Ian . 1991. Bridge Books . 1-872424-11-2.
32. Book: David Shavit. The United States in Asia: A Historical Dictionary. 1990. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-26788-8. 218.
33. Book: Thomas Mardy Rees. Notable Welshmen (1700-1900): ... with Brief Notes, in Chronological Order, and Authorities. 1908. Herald Office. 353.
34. Book: Thomas Mardy Rees. Welsh Painters, Engravers, Sculptors (1527–1911). 1912. Welsh Publishing Company. 125.
35. Book: The Illustrated London News. 1878. William Little. 167.
36. s-JAME-EVA-1809. James, Evan (Ieuan ap Iago; 1809-1878), author of the words of 'Hen Wlad fy Nhadau'. Watkin William Price. 1959. 29 December 2021.
37. s-JONE-JOH-1821. Jones, John (Mathetes, 1821-1878), Baptist minister and littérateur. Benjamin George Owens. 1959. 29 December 2021.
38. s-THOM-WIL-1832. THOMAS, WILLIAM (Islwyn; 1832–1878), Calvinistic Methodist minister, and poet. David Gwenallt Jones. National Library of Wales. 6 March 2019.
39. s-LEWE-LLE-1798. Lewellin, Llewelyn (1798–1878), cleric. Thomas Iorwerth. National Library of Wales. 10 October 2019.
40. News: Funeral of a Dissenting Minister at Aberdare. 22 January 2014. Cardiff Times. 14 December 1878.