1909 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1909 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfed^[1]
  • Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 2nd Baron Glanusk^[2]
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves^[3]
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans^[4]
• Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – Sir James Williams-Drummond, 4th Baronet^[5]
• Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West^[6]
• Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes^[7]
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne (until 25 February);^[8] Sir Osmond Williams, 1st Baronet (from 22 March)^[9]
• Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar^[10]
  • Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor^[11]
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank^[12]
• Bishop of Bangor – Watkin Williams^[13]
• Bishop of Llandaff – Joshua Pritchard Hughes^[14]
• Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards (later Archbishop of Wales)^[15]
• Bishop of St Davids – John Owen^[16]

Events

• January – Noah Ablett is a founding member of the Plebs' League at Ruskin College, Oxford.^[17]
• 1 January – John Ballinger becomes first librarian of the National Library of Wales which is being set up in Aberystwyth, initially in temporary premises in the former Assembly Rooms.^[18]
• 16 January – Edgeworth David is a member of the expedition which successfully reaches the Magnetic South Pole.
• 2 July – Thirty-six men are killed when a trench collapses during construction of the Alexandra Dock part of Newport Docks.
• 26 July–7 August - The National Pageant of Wales is held at Cardiff Castle.^[19]
• 30 August – calls at Fishguard.
• October – Monthly rainfall of 56.5inches is measured at Llyn Llydaw, Snowdonia - a British record.
• 29 October – A mining accident at Darren Colliery, New Tredegar, kills 26 men.
• December – Thomas "Toya" Lewis is awarded the Albert Medal by Edward VII for his heroism in rescuing survivors of the Newport Dock collapse on 2 July.^[20]
• date unknown
  • King's Dock, part of Swansea Docks, is opened.^[21]
  • First coal raised from Penallta Colliery.
  • The first mines rescue station in south Wales is opened at Aberaman.
  • The Bryn Eglwys slate quarry, the Abergynolwyn estate and village and Talyllyn Railway are purchased by Henry Haydn Jones.
  • Thomas Rees becomes principal of Bala-Bangor Theological College.
  • Completion of Berw Bridge over the River Taff above Pontypridd, the longest reinforced concrete span in the U.K. at this date (116feet); it is designed by L. G. Mouchel to Hennebique patents and built by Watkin Williams and Page.^{[22] [23]}
  • Clark's Pies originates in Cardiff.

Arts and literature

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales – held in London
  • Chair – T. Gwynn Jones, "Gwlad y Bryniau"^[24]
  • Crown – W. J. Gruffydd, "Yr Arglwydd Rhys"^[25]

New books

English language

• John Gwenogvryn Evans (ed.) – Facsimile of the Chirk Codex^[26]
• Edward Thomas – The South Country
• Arthur Wade-Evans – Welsh Mediaeval Law^[27]

Welsh language

• Emrys ap Iwan – Homilïau vol. 2 (posthumous)^[28]
• Hugh Brython Hughes – Tair Cwpan Aur^[29]

Music

• Evan Thomas Davies – Ynys y Plant^[30]

Sport

• Boxing

• • 23 August – Freddie Welsh wins the European lightweight title (at Mountain Ash).
  • 8 November – Freddie Welsh wins the British lightweight title, and becomes the first boxer to be awarded a Lonsdale Belt (in London).
  • 20 December – Thomas Thomas is awarded the first Lonsdale Belt at middleweight.
• Sport of athletics
  • 23 August – Welshman Fred 'Tenby' Davies beats Irishman Bert Day to become world champion over the half-mile distance (at Pontypridd).
• Rugby league
  • Aberdare RLFC, Barry RLFC and Mid-Rhondda RLFC fold after just one season. The first Welsh League competition is won by Ebbw Vale.
• Rugby union
  • Wales win their second Grand Slam.

Births

• 4 January – Glyndwr Michael, vagrant whose body was used as Maj. William Martin, RM, in Operation Mincemeat (died 1943)^[31]
• 29 January – George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy (died 1997)^[32]
• 14 February – Harry Peacock, Wales rugby union player (died 1996)
• 20 February – Bill Roberts, Wales international rugby union player (died 1969)
• 5 March – Howard Thomas, radio and television producer (died 1986)
• 10 March – Glen Moody, boxer (died 1989)
• 30 March – Dai Thomas, Wales national rugby player (date of death unknown)
• 1 April – George Ewart Evans, folklorist and oral historian (died 1988)^[33]
• 11 May – Aneirin Talfan Davies, writer and publisher (died 1980)^[34]
• 11 June – Ronnie Boon, Wales rugby union player (died 1998)
• 12 June – Mansel Thomas, composer and conductor (died 1986)^[35]
• 16 July – Eddie Jenkins footballer (died 2005)
• 28 July – Jack Morley, Wales and British Lions rugby player (died 1972)
• 25 August – Arwel Hughes, composer (died 1988)^[36]
• 30 September – Arthur Probert, politician (died 1975)^[37]
• 1 October – Jim Lang, Wales rugby union player (died 1991)
• 24 October – Elwyn Jones, Baron Elwyn-Jones, politician (died 1989)^[38]
• 25 October – Walter Vickery, Wales national rugby player (died 2000)
• 7 November – Eirene White, politician (died 1999)^[39]
• 29 November – Goronwy Rees, journalist and academic (died 1979)^[40]
• 14 December – Ronald Welch, historical novelist (died 1982)^[41]
• date unknown
  • Isaac Davies (Eic Davies), dramatist (died 1993)
  • Evan Roberts, botanist (died 1991)

Deaths

• 3 January – Robert Bird, politician, 69
• 8 January – Frederick Courtenay Morgan, politician, 74^[42]
• 9 January – Erasmus Jones, Welsh-American minister and author, 91^[43]
• 5 February – W. R. M. Wynne, politician, landowner, collector of manuscripts, Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire, 68^[44]
• 9 March – David Thomas (Dewi Hefin), poet, 80^[45]
• 29 March – Catherine Prichard, poet, 66^[46]
• April – Ivor James, educationist^[47]
• 19 April – J. S. Pughe, Welsh-born American political cartoonist, 39^[48]
• 31 May – Thomas Price, Premier of South Australia, 57^[49]
• 9 June – Walter Rice Evans, Wales international rugby player^[50]
• 2 July – Sir Arthur Cowell-Stepney, landowner and politician, 74^[51]
• 1 August – General Sir Hugh Rowlands, VC recipient, 81^[52]
• 23 September – Thomas Edward Lloyd, politician, 89^[53]
• 17 October – Edward David Williams, politician in Australia, 67
• 22 October – David Rogers, politician in Canada, 79
• 9 November – Montague Guest, politician, son of Lady Charlotte Guest, 70^[54]
• 10 November – George Essex Evans, Welsh-Australian poet, 46 (complications arising from gall bladder surgery)^[55]
• 11 December – Ludwig Mond, industrialist, 70^[56]
• 13 December – Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, shipping magnate, 64^[57]

See also

• 1909 in Ireland

Notes and References

1. Rhys . James Ednyfed . Rees, Evan (Dyfed; 1850-1923), Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, and archdruid of Wales . s-REES-EVA-1850 . National Library of Wales . 2 August 2018 . 1959.
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: The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Dalcassian Publishing Company. 1860. 443.
5. Book: The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. The Society. 1986. 63.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Web site: Transactions of the Liverpool Welsh National Society 1891-92. National Library of Wales. 15 March 2022.
9. Davies . Sir William Llewelyn . s-WILL-BRO-1800 . Williams family, of Bron Eryri, later called Castell Deudraeth, Meirionnydd. 30 January 2020.
10. Book: Cyril James Oswald Evans. Monmouthshire, Its History and Topography. W. Lewis (printers). 1953. 190.
11. s-CAMP-VAU-1847. Campbell, Frederick Archibald Vaughan, viscount Emlyn (1847-1898), earl Cawdor (1898-1911). Glyn Roberts. 1959. 20 March 2022.
12. Book: Whitaker's Almanack. Joseph Whitaker. Whitaker's Almanack. 1913. 847.
13. Book: Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. Burke's Peerage Limited. 1925. 2437.
14. s-HUGH-JOS-1807 . Hughes, Joshua (1807-1889), bishop . William Thomas . Havard . William Havard . 26 October 2021.
15. [Who's Who (UK)#Who Was Who|''Who was Who 1897–2007'']
16. s-OWEN-JOH-1854. Owen, John (1854-1926), bishop. Thomas Iorwerth Ellis. 1959. 19 March 2022.
17. Book: Kenneth O. Morgan. Rebirth of a Nation: Wales, 1880-1980. registration. 1981. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-821736-7. 150.
18. Book: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (London, England). The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. 1982. The Society. 151.
19. Book: Paul Ward. Britishness since 1870. 15 April 2004. Routledge. 1-134-60042-9. 204.
20. Web site: History. Newport Harbour Commissioners.
21. Book: Stephen Hughes. Stephen R. Hughes. Paul Rupert Reynolds. A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of the Swansea Region. 1992. RCAHMW. 978-1-871184-01-3. 25.
22. Book: Roger Cragg. Wales and West Central England. 1997. Thomas Telford. 978-0-7277-2576-9. 88–.
23. Book: Thomas, Keith. 149. Civil Engineering Heritage  - Wales. Andover. Phillimore. 2010. 978-1-86077-638-0.
24. Web site: Winners of the Chair National Eisteddfod. 27 February 2021. eisteddfod.wales.
25. Web site: Crown Winners. 28 February 2021. eisteddfod.wales.
26. s-EVAN-GWE-1852. Evans, John Gwenogvryn. Evan David Jones. 28 February 2021.
27. s2-WADE-WAD-1875. Wade-Evans, Arthur Wade (Arthur Wade Evans); 1875 - 1964; clergyman and historian. James. Mary Auronwy. yes. 5 December 2019.
28. s-JONE-AMB-1848. Jones, Robert Ambrose. David Myrddin Lloyd. yes. 28 February 2021.
29. s-HUGH-BRY-1848. Hughes, Hugh (Brython) (1848-1913), school-teacher and author. Idwal Lewis. yes. 5 December 2019.
30. s2-DAVI-THO-1878. Davies, Evan Thomas. Huw Williams. yes. 28 February 2021.
31. s8-MICH-GLY-1909. Michael, Glyndwr ('Major William Martin, RN') (1909-1943), 'the man who never was'. Brynley Francis Roberts. 2013. 3 June 2024.
32. Book: Charles Roger Dod. Robert Phipps Dod. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. 1997. Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Limited. 355.
33. s6-EVAN-EWA-1909. 2008. Evans, George Ewart (1909-1988), writer and oral historian. Gareth W. Williams. 3 June 2024.
34. s12-DAVI-TAL-1909. Davies, Aneirin Talfan (1909-1980), poet, literary critic, broadcaster and publisher. Alan Llwyd. Alan Llwyd. yes. 2 October 2019.
35. Gilmore-James . Terence . Thomas, Mansel Treharne (1909-1986), Composer, Conductor, BBC Wales Head of Music . s8-THOM-TRE-1909 . yes. 23 June 2018.
36. Book: Maggie Humphreys. Robert Evans. Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland. 1 January 1997. A&C Black. 978-0-7201-2330-2. 173.
37. John Graham Jones. Probert, Arthur Reginald (1909-1975), Labour politician. s6-PROB-REG-1909. yes. 23 June 2018.
38. Book: Who's Who in European Politics. December 1990. Bowker-Saur. 978-0-86291-911-5. 203.
39. Web site: Baroness White of Rhymney. 27 December 1999. Lena Jeger. The Guardian. 29 April 2019.
40. Book: John Harris. Goronwy Rees. 2001. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-1677-1. 4.
41. Book: Contemporary authors : new revision series . Gale . Detroit . 2000 . 9780787630959 . 47.
42. Book: William Paget. Mary Paget. Man of the valleys: the recollections of a South Wales miner. 1985. A. Sutton. 978-0-86299-244-6. 159.
43. s-JONE-ERA-1817. Jones, Erasmus (1817-1909), novelist. Robert (Bob) Owen. yes. 7 May 2020.
44. News: Death of Mr W.R.M. Wynne. 22 June 2015. Aberystwyth Observer. 11 February 1909. 5.
45. s-THOM-DAV-1828. Thomas, David (Dewi Hefin; 1828 - 1909), poet. Griffiths. Griffith Milwyn. yes. 13 February 2009.
46. s-PRYS-JOH-1807. Pryse, Robert John (1807-1889), man of letters. Enid Pierce Roberts. yes. 7 May 2020.
47. Book: Bye-gones, Relating to Wales and the Border Counties. 1909. 56.
48. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/04/20/101035116.pdf "Obituary Notes: John S. Pughe"
49. News: Death of the Hon. T. Price. . . XLIX . 4729 . South Australia . 2 June 1909 . 23 July 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
50. Book: Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed & Official Classes. 1921. Kelly's Directories. 597.
51. Web site: BARONET FOUND DEAD. - Body in Railroad Station Believed to be That of Sir Arthur Cowell-Stepney. - View Article . The New York Times . 3 July 1909 . 10 September 2013.
52. s3-ROWL-HUG-1828. Rowlands, Sir Hugh (1828-1909), general, first Welshman to be awarded the Victoria Cross. William Alister Williams. yes. 7 May 2020.
53. News: The Late Mr T.E. Lloyd.. 17 January 2018. Cambrian News. 8 October 1909. 8.
54. Book: The Bystander: An Illustrated Weekly, Devoted to Travel, Literature, Art, the Drama, Progress, Locomotion. 1909. 311.
55. Book: Who's who in Australia. 1922. The Herald. 305.
56. Book: Helmut Werner. Landmarks in Organo-Transition Metal Chemistry: A Personal View. 16 December 2008. Springer Science & Business Media. 978-0-387-09848-7. 82.
57. Jones, Sir Alfred Lewis. 15. 498.