1897 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1897 to Wales
and its people
.
— held at Newport, Monmouthshire
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...
.
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...
— Alexandra of DenmarkAlexandra of DenmarkAlexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom... - ArchdruidArchdruidThe Archdruid is the title used by the presiding official of the Gorsedd.The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, The Award of the Prose Medal and Chairing of the Bard. From 1932 only former winners of the...
of the National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of WalesThe National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
— Hwfa MônRowland Williams (Hwfa Môn)Rev. Rowland Williams , commonly known by his bardic name of "Hwfa Môn", was a Welsh clergyman and poet, who served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1895 to 1905.- Early Life and education:...
Events
- 9 April — The Snowdon Mountain RailwaySnowdon Mountain RailwayThe Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
resumes operation, a year after a fatal accident on its maiden run. - 13 May — Guglielmo MarconiGuglielmo MarconiGuglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
sends the first ever wireless communication over water, from Lavernock Point to Flat HolmFlat HolmFlat Holm is a limestone island lying in the Bristol Channel approximately from Lavernock Point in the Vale of Glamorgan, but in the City and County of Cardiff. It includes the most southerly point of Wales....
. - 20 June — Celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee is muted in Nonconformist parts of Wales, as the date falls on a Sunday.
- November — Four Customs officers are rescued from the River UskRiver UskThe River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
, near NewportNewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
's Alexandra Dock pier-head after their boat capsizes. - Opening of the Tal-y-cafn Bridge across the River ConwyRiver ConwyThe River Conwy is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is a little over long. "Conwy" is sometimes Anglicized as "Conway."...
. - Opening of the Grand Theatre, Swansea.
- Weaver's Mill, SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, becomes the first building in the UK to be constructed from reinforced concreteReinforced concreteReinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
, by L. G. MouchelLouis Gustave MouchelLouis Gustave Mouchel was the founder of Mouchel, one of the United Kingdom's largest engineering consultancies.-Career:...
of Briton FerryBriton FerryBriton Ferry is a town and community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The town encompasses the electoral wards of Briton Ferry East and Briton Ferry West....
. - Launch of the first Welsh-language Socialist newspaper, Llais Llafur.
- Merthyr TydfilMerthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
is refused a town charter; it was eventually granted one in 1905. - Opening of the Canterbury Building at St David's College, LampeterUniversity of Wales, LampeterUniversity of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
(demolished in 1971). - Edgeworth DavidEdgeworth DavidSir Tannatt William Edgeworth David KBE, DSO, FRS, was a Welsh Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer. A household name in his lifetime, David's most significant achievements were discovering the major Hunter Valley coalfield in New South Wales and leading the first expedition to reach the...
leads the Royal Society 's expedition to the coral atoll of FunafutiFunafutiFunafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...
. - Opening of LlanfyllinLlanfyllinLlanfyllin is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales, United Kingdom.- Location, history and amenities :Llanfyllin's population at the date of the 2001 Census was 1,407. The town lies on the River Cain by the Berwyn Mountains in Montgomeryshire. It is known for its holy well, dedicated to Saint Myllin....
County School. Politician Clement DaviesClement DaviesClement Edward Davies KC, MP was a Welsh politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945 to 1956.-Life:...
is one of the first pupils. - Sir Owen Morgan EdwardsOwen Morgan EdwardsOwen Morgan Edwards was a Welsh historian, educationalist and writer. He is often known as O. M. Edwards....
founds the periodical Heddyw. - The Plynlimon and Hafan TramwayPlynlimon and Hafan TramwayThe Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway was a gauge narrow gauge railway in Cardiganshire in Mid Wales. It ran from Llanfihangel station on the Cambrian Railways via the village of Talybont and the valley of the Afon Leri into the foothills of Plynlimon Fawr...
opens
Awards
National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
— held at Newport, Monmouthshire
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
- Chair — John Thomas JobJohn Thomas JobJohn Thomas Job , was a Welsh minister, hymn-writer and poet.He was born at Llandybie in Carmarthenshire, and educated locally. He went on to Trefeca College to train as a Methodist minister. In 1894, he married Etta Davies, and they had three children...
- Crown — Thomas Mafonwy Davies
New books
- Caniadau Cymru (anthology)
- John Cadvan DaviesJohn Cadvan DaviesJohn Cadvan Davies 1846 – 1923 was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister and a Welsh poet who served as Archdruid. He is better known in Wales by his bardic name Cadfan -Early Life:...
— Caneuon Cadvan - Alfred Neobard PalmerAlfred Neobard PalmerAlfred Neobard Palmer was a chemist and local historian. He published several books concerning the local history of Wrexham and north Wales.-Biography:...
— Owen Tanat - Ellis Pierce — Teulu'r Gilfach
- Owen RhoscomylArthur Owen VaughanLt. Colonel Arthur Owen Vaughan DSO OBE DCM also known by his bardic name Owen Rhoscomyl was an English-born writer, soldier and Welsh nationalist...
— The White Rose of Arno - John William Willis-BundJohn William Willis-BundJohn William Bund Willis-Bund was an historian and local Worcestershire politician.Willis-Bund was born in 1843 at Wick Episcopi, Worcestershire, the son of John Walpole Willis and his second wife Ann Susanna Kent Bund. The adoption of his mother's surname was necessary in order to inherit from...
— The Celtic Church of Wales
Music
- Walford Davies — Overture in D minor
- Llyfr Hymnau a Thonau y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd (collection of hymns)
Sport
- Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
— Due to an argument with the International Football Rugby BoardInternational Rugby BoardThe International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
the Welsh Rugby UnionWelsh Rugby UnionThe Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
withdraws from the organisation and Wales do not play international rugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for 12 months. - SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
— The Welsh Amateur Swimming Association is founded. The first Welsh championships take place, with events for men only.
Births
- 3 April — Frank Evans, dual-code international rugby player (died 1972)
- 5 April — Ness EdwardsNess EdwardsOnesimus Edwards was a Welsh Labour Party politician.A trade unionist, Ness Edwards was imprisoned in 1917 as a conscientious objector to the conscription of the First World War. He was elected Member of Parliament for Caerphilly at a by-election in 1939 following the death of Labour MP and...
, politician (died 1968) - 21 April — Albert StockAlbert StockAlbert Stock was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Newport. While with Newport, Stock faced three international touring teams and scored over a hundred tries for the club.-Rugby career:...
, Wales international rugby player (died 1969) - 22 June — Kathleen FreemanKathleen Freeman (classicist)Kathleen Freeman was a British classical scholar and author of detective novels....
, classical scholar (died 1959) - 21 August — Victor Nash-Williams, archaeologist (died 1955)
- 28 September — Harry BeadlesHarry BeadlesGeorge Harold "Harry" Beadles was a Welsh professional footballer and Wales international.-Early life:...
, Wales international footballer (died 1958) - 15 November — Aneurin BevanAneurin BevanAneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
, politician (died 1960)
Deaths
- 14 January — William Basil JonesWilliam Basil JonesWilliam Basil Jones was a Welsh priest and scholar who became the Bishop of St David's in 1874, holding the post until his death in 1897.-Personal history:...
, Bishop of St David's, 75 - 3 February — David Pugh Evans, songwriter, 31
- 1 April — William GwynnWilliam GwynnWilliam Gwynn was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket for Swansea, of which he became...
, Rugby union international - 12 May — Thomas Llewellyn ThomasThomas Llewellyn ThomasThomas Llewellyn Thomas was a Welsh Anglican clergyman and scholar of the Welsh language. He wrote poems in English, Latin and Welsh and worked on a Basque translation of the Old Testament...
, linguist, 56 - 6 September — Thomas Rees Morgan, engineer, 63
- 8 September — James Milo GriffithJames Milo GriffithJames Milo Griffith was a Welsh sculptor, who after originally training as an artisan mason, became notable for his memorial statues.-Life history:Griffith was born in Pontseli, Pembrokeshire in 1843...
, sculptor, 54 - 16 September — Edward EdwardsEdward Edwards (musician)Edward Edwards , also known by his bardic name of "Pencerdd Ceredigion", was a Welsh musician and composer.He was born in Aberystwyth and became a regular churchgoer at Llanbadarn Fawr, joining the choir. When the family moved to Capel Dewi, he was appointed precentor of the local chapel. Later...
(Pencerdd Ceredigion), musician, 83 - 20 September — Hugh MorrisHugh Morris (footballer)Hugh Morris was a Welsh footballer who played for Manchester City, Sheffield United and Grimsby Town in the 19th century. He gained three caps for the Welsh national team.-Playing career:...
, footballer, 25 - 15 October — Charles John VaughanCharles John VaughanCharles John Vaughan , was an English scholar and churchman.He was educated at Rugby School and Cambridge, where he was bracketed senior classic with Lord Lyttelton in 1838. In 1839 he was elected fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and for a short time studied law. He took orders in 1841, and...
, former Dean of Llandaff, 81 - 2 December — Thomas LewisThomas Lewis (Welsh politician)Thomas Lewis was a Welsh politician. He was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Anglesey 12 July 1886 - 19 July 1895.-References:...
, politician, 76 - 4 December — Griffith Rhys JonesGriffith Rhys JonesGriffith Rhys Jones, or Caradog as he was commonly known was a Welsh conductor of the famous 'Côr Mawr' of some 460 voices , which twice won first prize at Crystal Palace choral competitions in London in the 1870sGriffith Rhys Jones was born in Trecynon, near Aberdare...
("Caradog"), choral conductor, 62 - date unknown — Arthur James HerbertArthur James HerbertGeneral Sir James Arthur Herbert KCB was Quartermaster-General to the Forces.-Military career:Born Arthur James Jones, Herbert was commissioned into the 23rd Regiment of Foot in 1839. Along with other members of his family he changed his surname to Herbert in 1848.He rose through the officer ranks...
, Quartermaster-General