1856 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1856 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
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Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
— The Prince Albert EdwardEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
— vacant
Events
- 6 February — The sailing ship Grand Duke is wrecked off St Govan's Head, with the loss of 29 lives.
- 10 March — John Jones (Shoni Sguborfawr) is sentenced to three months hard labour for drunkenness.
- May — John FrostJohn Frost (Chartist)John Frost was a prominent Welsh leader of the British Chartist movement in the Newport Rising....
is given an unconditional pardon for his role in the Newport Chartist demonstrations of 1839. - 3 July — 11 men are killed in a mining accident at Coalbrookdale, NantygloNantygloNantyglo is a village in the ancient parish of Aberystruth and county of Monmouth situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent.- Places of interest in Nantyglo :...
. - 15 July — 114 men are killed in a mining accident at New Cymmer Pit, PorthPorthPorth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth...
, RhonddaRhonddaRhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
. - 16 September - The Ffestiniog RailwayFfestiniog RailwayThe Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
publishes its first printed timetable. - Troops are sent into Talargoch in FlintshireFlintshireFlintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
to deal with an industrial dispute involving lead miners. - Richard Cory sells his provision business, and begins to trade as "Richard Cory and Sons", in the coal and shipping business.
- Jane Williams (Ysgafell)Jane Williams (Ysgafell)Jane Williams , was a Welsh writer, often known by her bardic name of Ysgafell. She is sometimes confused with her contemporary, Maria Jane Williams....
returns to her native London, where she remains until her death nearly thirty years later.
New books
- John Ceiriog HughesJohn Ceiriog HughesJohn Ceiriog Hughes , was a Welsh poet and well-known collector of Welsh folk tunes. Sometimes referred to as the "Robert Burns of Wales"...
— Gohebiaethau Syr Meurig Crynswth (vol. 1) - Erasmus Jones — The Higher Law Triumphant: The Captive Youths of Judah
- John Jones (Ioan Emlyn) — Tiriad y Ffrancodym Mhencaer
- Samuel Prideaux TregellesSamuel Prideaux TregellesSamuel Prideaux Tregelles was an English biblical scholar, textual critic, and theologian.- Life :Tregelles was born at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, of Quaker parents, but he himself for many years was in communion with the Plymouth Brethren and then later in life became a Presbyterian...
— An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament - Jane Williams (Ysgafell)Jane Williams (Ysgafell)Jane Williams , was a Welsh writer, often known by her bardic name of Ysgafell. She is sometimes confused with her contemporary, Maria Jane Williams....
— The Origin, Rise, and Progress of the Paper People
Music
- January — The Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy NhadauHen Wlad Fy NhadauHen Wlad Fy Nhadau is the national anthem of Wales. The title – taken from the first words of the song – means "Old Land of My Fathers", usually rendered in English as simply "Land of My Fathers". The words were written by Evan James and the tune composed by his son, James James, both residents...
, is composed by James JamesJames JamesJames James was a harpist and musician from Pontypridd, Wales. He composed the tune of the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad fy Nhadau ....
with lyrics by his father Evan JamesEvan JamesEvan James , a weaver and poet from Pontypridd, Wales, wrote the lyrics of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau , the national anthem of Wales....
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Births
- 2 January — John Viriamu JonesJohn Viriamu JonesJohn Viriamu Jones, FRS , was a British scientist, who worked on measuring the ohm, and an educationalist who was instrumental in establishing the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University.-Early life and studies:...
, academic (died 1901) - 26 March — David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda, politician (died 1918)
- 1 April — Walter Jenkin EvansWalter Jenkin EvansWalter Jenkin Evans was a Welsh academic who served as Principal of Carmarthen Presbyterian College and who wrote about the history and people of Unitarianism in Carmarthen.-Life:...
, academic (died 1927) - 15 April — James BevanJames BevanJames Bevan was a Wales international rugby union three-quarter who played club rugby for Clifton RFC and Newport...
, first Wales rugby union captain (died 1938) - 15 June — Richard Garnons WilliamsRichard Garnons WilliamsRichard Davies Garnons Williams was a Welsh international rugby union and forward who played club rugby for Brecon and Newport...
, soldier and Wales international rugby union player (died 1915) - 11 October — Sir Harry ReichelHenry ReichelSir Henry Rudolf Reichel , was a founder of the University of Wales. Born in Belfast, Reichel was educated at Oxford University and in 1884 was appointed the first principal of the University College of North Wales, in Bangor...
, academic (died 1931) - 20 December — Egerton Phillimore, scholar (died 1937)
Deaths
- 18 February — James MorganJames Morgan (engineer)James Morgan was a British architect and engineer, notably associated with the construction of the Regent's Canal in London....
, engineer, 80? - May — Thomas Robert Jones, founder of the "True Ivorites", 54