1840 in Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1840 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey â Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey[1][2][3][4]
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire â Penry Williams[5][6]
- Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire â Peter Drummond-Burrell, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby[7]
- Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire â William Edward Powell[2]
- Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire â George Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor
- Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire â Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet (until 6 January); Robert Myddelton Biddulph (from 8 February)[8]
- Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire â Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster[9]
- Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan â John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute[10]
- Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire â Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet (until 6 January); Edward Lloyd-Mostyn, 2nd Baron Mostyn (from 25 January)[11]
- Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire â Capel Hanbury Leigh[12]
- Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire â Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis[13]
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire â Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet[14]
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire â George Rodney, 3rd Baron Rodney[15][2][16]
- Bishop of Bangor â Christopher Bethell[17][18]
- Bishop of Llandaff â Edward Copleston[19]
- Bishop of St Asaph â William Carey[20][21][19]
- Bishop of St Davids â John Jenkinson (until 7 July); Connop Thirlwall (from 9 August)[22][19][23]
Events
- 1 January - Trial of Chartists John Frost, Zephaniah Williams and William Jones for their part in the Newport Rising of 1839 continues at Monmouth[24] before Chief Justice Tindal. This is the first trial where proceedings are recorded in shorthand.
- 16 January - Frost, Williams and Jones are all found guilty of high treason for their part in the Chartist riots,[25] and are sentenced to death - the last time the sentence of hanging, drawing and quartering is passed in the United Kingdom, although following a nationwide petitioning campaign and, extraordinarily, direct lobbying of the Home Secretary by the Lord Chief Justice, it is commuted to transportation for life (and Frost is much later pardoned).
- 5 June - Joseph Brown is appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Roman Catholic District of Wales, being consecrated as a bishop on 28 October.
- 8 October - Taff Vale Railway is officially opened, the first steam-worked passenger railway in Wales, running from Cardiff docks to Navigation House at Abercynon via the Cardiff station known in modern days as Queen Street.[26][27] Public service begins the following day.
- 30 October - First branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wales formed in Flintshire.[28]
- 18 November - The paddle steamer City of Bristol is wrecked at Llangennith, Gower, drowning about 22 people.[29]
- Approximate date - Rebuilding of Gregynog Hall with extensive use of concrete begins.[30]
Arts and literature
- An eisteddfod is held at Liverpool.
New books
English language
- Sir John Hanmer - Memorials of the Parish and Family of Hanmer
- William Lloyd - The Narrative of a Journey from Cawnpoor to the Boorendo Pass
Welsh language
- Evan Davies (Eta Delta) - Y Weinidogaeth a'r Eglwysi[31]
- David Price (Dewi Dinorwig) - Y Catechism Cyntaf
- Taliesin Williams - Hynafiaeth ac Awdurdodaeth Coelbren y Beirdd
Music
- John Orlando Parry - Wanted: a Governess (opera)[32]
Births
- 7 February - Charles Warren, military and police officer and archaeologist (died 1927)[33]
- 21 June - Sir John RhÅ·s, educationist (died 1915)[34]
- 16 September - Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd (died 1927)[35]
- 29 November - Rhoda Broughton, novelist (died 1920)[36]
- 3 December - Francis Kilvert, diarist (died 1879)[37]
- 5 December - John E. Jones, Welsh-born governor of Nevada (died 1896)[38]
- 17 December - Matthew Vaughan-Davies, 1st Baron Ystwyth, politician (died 1935)[39]
Deaths
- 6 January - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet, politician and soldier, 67[40]
- 17 March - William Williams of Wern, 58[41]
- 19 May - John Blackwell (Alun), poet, 42?[42]
- 7 July - John Jenkinson, Bishop of St Davids, 58[43]
- 17 December - George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, politician, 76[44]
