1885 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1885 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

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

Events

• October – Keswick House, predecessor of Aberdare Hall, in Cardiff opens, allowing women to study for degrees through the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire.
• 24 November – The United Kingdom general election is the first in which the Liberal Party has a candidate in every Welsh constituency. The Liberals win 30 of the 34 available seats.
• 23 December – 81 miners are killed in an accident at the Maerdy Colliery, Rhondda.
• The world's first passenger-carrying ropeway comes into use over the River Aeron at Aberaeron.
• Opening of steelworks at Brymbo.
• By order of the Admiralty, only Welsh coal is to be used on ships of the Royal Navy.
• Three people are killed when fire breaks out at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
• Frances Hoggan is the first woman doctor registered in Wales.
• Opening of the first local authority secondary school in Cardiff.
• Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the constituencies of Denbighshire, Glamorganshire, North and South Monmouthshire are among those disestablished.

Arts and literature

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales – held at Aberdare

• Chair – Watkin Hezekiah Williams, "Y Gwir yn Erbyn y Byd"^[17]
• Crown – Griffith Tecwyn Parry

New books

• Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) – Caneuon Gwyrosydd
• Daniel Owen – Hunangofiant Rhys Lewis, Gweinidog Bethel, the first long novel written in Welsh

Music

• 5 August – Queen Victoria's harpist John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) marries a former student, Joan Francis Denny.^[18]

Sport

• Football – Druids win the Welsh Cup for the fourth time in its eight-year history.
• Golf – Course at Borth opens.
• Rugby union
  • Cross Keys RFC, London Welsh RFC, Neyland RFC and Risca RFC are founded.
  • Arthur Gould plays his first international match for Wales.

Births

• 21 May – William Dowell, Welsh dual-code rugby player (died 1949)
• 26 June – David John Williams, writer and politician (died 1970)
• 2 August – Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare (died 1957)
• 5 September – Jenkin Alban Davies, Welsh international rugby captain (died 1976)
• 21 November – Robert Evans, footballer (died 1965)
• date unknown
  • Ernest Evans, politician (died 1965)
  • James Grey West, architect (died 1951, in Beer, Devon)

Deaths

• 21 January – John Gwyn Jeffreys, conchologist, 76^[19]
• 15 March – Jane Williams (Ysgafell), writer, 79^[20]
• 1 May – Henry Brinley Richards, composer, 67^[21]
• 10 May – Edward Stephen, composer, 62^[22]
• 27 July – Penry Williams, artist, 82^[23]
• 1 August – Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, metallurgist and inventor, 34^[24]
• 24 September – Samuel Roberts, political and economic writer, 85^[25]

See also

• 1885 in Ireland

Notes and References

1. s-DAVI-RIC-1818 . Davies, Richard (1818-1896), M.P.. Robert Thomas Jenkins. 1959. 24 November 2021.
2. Book: Dod's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland, Including All the Titled Classes. Dod. 1921. 356.
3. Book: National Museum of Wales. Adroddiad Blynyddol. The Museum. 1935. 3.
4. Book: Edward Arthur Copleston. Where's where? Pt. 1. A concise gazetteer of Somerset. Pt. 2. Statistical, educational, parliamentary and practical information. 1878. 80.
5. Book: Potter, Matthew . The concept of the 'master' in art education in Britain and Ireland, 1770 to the present . Routledge . Abingdon, Oxon . 2016 . 9781351545471 . 149.
6. Journal of the Architectural, Archaeological, and Historic Society for the County and the City of Chester and North Wales. Popish recusants in Flintshire in 1625. Henry Taylor. Architectural, Archaeological, and Historic Society for the County and the City of Chester and North Wales. 1895. 304.
7. s-TALB-MAR-1700 . William Llewelyn Davies . Talbot family, of Margam Abbey and Penrice Castle Glamorganshire . yes . 1959 . 24 November 2021.
8. Book: The Annual Register. Rivingtons. 1892. 179.
9. Book: Reese, M. M. . The royal office of Master of the Horse . Threshold Books Ltd . London . 1976 . 9780901366900 . 348.
10. News: Weyman. Henry T.. Shropshire M.P.s - Memoirs. T.S.A.S., Series 4, Volume XII. 1929. 28.
11. Book: Lodge, Edmund . Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire... . Salzwasser-Verlag GMBH . 2020 . 9783752502664 . 318.
12. Book: Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. Burke's Peerage Limited. 1885. 1027.
13. Death Of The Bishop Of Llandaff, The Times, 25 January 1905; page 4; Issue 37613; col A
14. s-HUGH-JOS-1807 . Hughes, Joshua (1807-1889), bishop . 1959 . William Thomas . Havard . William Havard . yes . 26 October 2021.
15. Web site: William Basil Jones, Bishop of St Davids . Dictionary of National Biography . 21 April 2011.
16. s-GRIF-DAV-1800. Griffith, David (Clwydfardd; 1800-1894), eisteddfodic bard and arch-druid. Daniel Williams. 1959. yes. 24 November 2021.
17. Web site: Winners of the Chair National Eisteddfod. 2021-02-27. eisteddfod.wales.
18. Web site: John Thomas: Pencerdd Gwalia. Louvain. Rees. Historia. 2013-03-17. 2019-10-04.
19. Obituary-John Gwyn Jeffreys, LL.D., F.R.S. & c. Journal of Conchology. Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 1885. 283–284. 10 April 2016.
20. s-WILL-JAN-1806. Williams, Jane (Ysgafell; 1806-1885), Welsh historian and miscellaneous writer. Brinley Rees. Brinley Rees. 1959. 14 December 2021.
21. s-RICH-BRI-1819. Richards, Henry Brinley (1819-1885), musician. Robert David Griffith. 1959. 21 November 2021.
22. s-STEP-JON-1822. Stephen, Edward (Jones) (Tanymarian; 1822-1885), musician. Robert David Griffith. 1959. 14 December 2021.
23. s-WILL-PEN-1800. Williams, Penry (1800-1885), painter. Megan Ellis. 1959. 14 December 2021.
24. s-THOM-GIL-1850. Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist (1850-1885), metallurgist and inventor. William Llewelyn Davies. 1959. 14 December 2021.
25. s-ROBE-SAM-1800. Roberts, Samuel ('S.R.'; 1800-1885), Independent minister, editor, Radical reformer. Robert Ivor Parry. 1959. 10 November 2021.