1885 in Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1885 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey â Richard Davies[1]
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire â Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk[2]
- Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire â Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn[3]
- Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire â Edward Pryse
- Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire â John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor[4]
- Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire â William Cornwallis-West[5]
- Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire â Hugh Robert Hughes[6]
- Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan â Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot[7]
- Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire â Robert Davies Pryce [8]
- Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire â Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort[9]
- Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire â Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis[10]
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire â William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington[11]
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire â Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite[12]
- Bishop of Bangor â James Colquhoun Campbell[13]
- Bishop of Llandaff â Richard Lewis[14]
- Bishop of St Asaph â Joshua Hughes[15]
- Bishop of St Davids â Basil Jones[16]
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales â Clwydfardd[17]
Events
- October â 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 â 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 â 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 â held at Aberdare
- Chair â Watkin Hezekiah Williams, "Y Gwir yn Erbyn y Byd"[18]
- Crown â Griffith Tecwyn Parry
New books
- Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) â Caneuon Gwyrosydd
- Daniel Owen â Hunangofiant Rhys Lewis, Gweinidog Bethel, the first long novel written in Welsh
Music
- 5 August â Queen Victoria's harpist John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) marries a former student, Joan Francis Denny.[19]
Sport
- Football â Druids win the Welsh Cup for the fourth time in its eight-year history.
- Golf â 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 â William Dowell, Welsh dual-code rugby player (died 1949)
- 26 June â David John Williams, writer and politician (died 1970)
- 2 August â Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare (died 1957)
- 5 September â Jenkin Alban Davies, Welsh international rugby captain (died 1976)
- 21 November â Robert Evans, footballer (died 1965)
- date unknown
- Ernest Evans, politician (died 1965)
- James Grey West, architect (died 1951, in Beer, Devon)
Deaths
- 21 January â John Gwyn Jeffreys, conchologist, 76[20]
- 15 March â Jane Williams (Ysgafell), writer, 79[21]
- 1 May â Henry Brinley Richards, composer, 67[22]
- 10 May â Edward Stephen, composer, 62[23]
- 27 July â Penry Williams, artist, 82[24]
- 1 August â Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, metallurgist and inventor, 34[25]
- 24 September â Samuel Roberts, political and economic writer, 85[26]