:1897 in Wales

{{For|United Kingdom incumbents|1897 in the United Kingdom#Incumbents}}

• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Hwfa Môn{{cite book|author=Hywel Teifi Edwards|title=The Eisteddfod|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K81RDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT39|date=20 July 2016|publisher=University of Wales Press|isbn=978-1-78316-914-6|pages=39}}

• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk{{cite book|title=Dod's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland, Including All the Titled Classes|publisher=Dod|year=1921|page=356}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves{{cite book|author=National Museum of Wales|title=Adroddiad Blynyddol|publisher=The Museum|year=1935|page=3}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans{{cite book|title=The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland|publisher=Dalcassian Publishing Company|year=1860|page=443}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor{{cite book|author=Edward Arthur Copleston|title=Where's where? Pt. 1. A concise gazetteer of Somerset. Pt. 2. Statistical, educational, parliamentary and practical information|year=1878|page=80}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West{{cite book | last = Potter | first = Matthew | title = The concept of the 'master' in art education in Britain and Ireland, 1770 to the present | publisher = Routledge | location = Abingdon, Oxon | year = 2016 | isbn = 9781351545471 | page=149}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes{{cite journal|journal=Journal of the Architectural, Archaeological, and Historic Society for the County and the City of Chester and North Wales|title=Popish recusants in Flintshire in 1625|author=Henry Taylor|publisher=Architectural, Archaeological, and Historic Society for the County and the City of Chester and North Wales|year=1895|page=304}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne{{cite web|url=https://cylchgronau.llyfrgell.cymru/view/2043441/2044175/159|title=Transactions of the Liverpool Welsh National Society 1891-92|publisher=National Library of Wales|access-date=15 March 2022}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort{{cite book | last = Reese | first = M. M. | title = The royal office of Master of the Horse | publisher = Threshold Books Ltd | location = London | year = 1976 | isbn = 9780901366900 | page=348}}
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank{{cite book|title=Whitaker's Almanack|editor=Joseph Whitaker|publisher=Whitaker's Almanack|year=1913|page=847}}

• Bishop of Bangor – Daniel Lewis Lloyd{{cite DWB|id=s-LLOY-LEW-1843|author=Thomas Iorwerth Ellis|title=Lloyd, Daniel Lewis (1843-1899), schoolmaster and bishop|publisher=National Library of Wales|year=1959|access-date=5 November 2021}}
• Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Lewis{{cite book|author=David Henry Williams|title=Catalogue of Seals in the National Museum of Wales: Seal dies, Welsh seals, papal bullae|publisher=National Museum of Wales|year=1993|page=75}}
• Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards (later Archbishop of Wales)Who was Who 1897–2007, 1991, {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}}
• Bishop of St Davids – Basil Jones (until 14 January);{{cite web | url=http://www.llangynfelyn.org/dogfennau/william_basil_DNB.html | title=William Basil Jones, Bishop of St Davids | work=Dictionary of National Biography | access-date=21 April 2011}} John Owen (from 1 May){{cite DWB|id=s-OWEN-JOH-1854|title=Owen, John (1854-1926), bishop|author=Thomas Iorwerth Ellis|year=1959|access-date=19 March 2022}}

• January – Sir Owen Morgan Edwards founds the periodical Heddyw, published in Wrexham.{{cite book | last = Stephens | first = Meic | title = The new companion to the literature of Wales | publisher = University of Wales Press | location = Cardiff | year = 1998 | isbn = 9780708313831 | page=206}}
• 9 April – The Snowdon Mountain Railway resumes operation, a year after a fatal accident on its maiden run.{{cite book | last = Marshall | first = John | title = The Guinness book of rail facts and feats | publisher = Guinness Superlatives | location = Enfield England | year = 1979 | isbn = 9780900424564 | page=42}}
• c. May – The Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway opens.
• 13 May – Guglielmo Marconi sends the first ever wireless communication over water, from Lavernock Point to Flat Holm.
• 2 June – The first Jubilee Bridge (Queensferry) across the River Dee is opened by William Gladstone.{{cite book|author1=Eija Suomela-Salmi|author2=Fred Dervin|title=Cross-linguistic and Cross-cultural Perspectives on Academic Discourse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kdlkELzzoxgC&pg=PT101|year=2009|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing|isbn=978-90-272-5437-5|pages=101}}
• 20 June – Celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee is muted in Nonconformist parts of Wales, as the date falls on a Sunday.
• July – The Grand Theatre, Swansea, is opened by Adelina Patti.{{cite book | last = Price | first = Cecil | title = The professional theatre in Wales | publisher = University College of Swansea | location = Swansea | year = 1984 | isbn = 9780860760542 | page=34}}
• 30 September – Inauguration of Beacons Reservoir water supply to Cardiff.
• 9 October – Opening of the Tal-y-cafn Bridge across the River Conwy.{{cite book|author=Walter Bezant Lowe|title=The Heart of Northern Wales: As it was and as it Is, Being an Account of the Pre-historical and Historical Remains of Aberconway and the Neighbourhood|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=93I_AQAAMAAJ|year=1912|publisher=W.B. Lowe|pages=247–8}}
• November – Four Customs officers are rescued from the River Usk, near Newport's Alexandra Dock pier-head after their boat capsizes.
• 12 November – Llanfyllin County School is opened by Mrs. John Marshall Dugdale and becomes the sixth Intermediate School in Montgomeryshire. Politician Clement Davies is one of the first pupils.{{cite journal|title=Education in Montgomeryshire|journal=The Montgomeryshire Collections|volume=62-63|publisher=Clifton Press|year=1972|page=147}}
• unknown dates
• A roller coaster erected on Barry Island, origin of Barry Island Pleasure Park.
• Construction work is completed on the Pierhead Building as offices for Cardiff Docks.{{cite book|author=John B. Hilling|title=The Architecture of Wales: From the First to the Twenty-First Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oe2VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA169|date=15 August 2018|publisher=University of Wales Press|isbn=978-1-78683-285-6|pages=169}}
• Weaver's Mill, Swansea, a flour mill and corn storage depot, becomes the first building in the UK to be constructed from reinforced concrete, by L. G. Mouchel of Briton Ferry.{{cite book | last = Gani | first = M. S. J. | title = Cement and concrete | publisher = Chapman & Hall | location = London New York | year = 1997 | isbn = 9780412790508 |page=8}}
• Merthyr Tydfil is refused a town charter; it is eventually granted one in 1905.
• Opening of the Canterbury Building at St David's College, Lampeter (demolished in 1971).
• Edgeworth David leads the Royal Society's expedition to the coral atoll of Funafuti.

National Eisteddfod of Wales – held at Newport

• Chair – John Thomas Job, "Brawdgarwch"{{cite web|url=https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/winners-chair|title=Winners of the Chair|website=National Eisteddfod of Wales|date=11 December 2019}}
• Crown – Thomas Mafonwy Davies, "Arthur y Ford Gron"{{cite web|url=https://eisteddfod.wales/archive/eisteddfod-winners/crown-winners|title=Winners of the Crown|website=National Eisteddfod of Wales|date=17 November 2019}}

• Owen Rhoscomyl – The White Rose of Arno{{cite book|author=John S. Ellis|title=Owen Rhoscomyl|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QeyVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA38|date=15 November 2016|publisher=University of Wales Press|isbn=978-1-78316-950-4|pages=38}}
• John William Willis-Bund – The Celtic Church of Wales
• Alfred Neobard Palmer – Owen Tanat

• Caniadau Cymru (anthology)
• John Cadvan Davies – Caneuon Cadvan{{cite book|title=Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940. Paratowyd dan nawdd Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AXJIAQAAIAAJ|year=1953|publisher=Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorioa|page=127|language=cy}}
• Ellis Pierce – Teulu'r Gilfach{{cite book|author=Meic Stephens|title=Cydymaith i lenyddiaeth Cymru|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yy1KAAAAYAAJ|year=1986|publisher=Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru|isbn=978-0-7083-0915-5|page=471|language=cy}}

• 5 August – French-born painter Alfred Sisley marries his long-time partner Eugénie ("Marie") Lescouezec at Cardiff Register Office.{{Cite web|url=http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/rhagor/article/1998/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911030421/http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/rhagor/article/1998/|archive-date=2012-09-11|url-status=dead|title=A Sisley painting of the south Wales coast | Rhagor|access-date=2020-10-22}} They stay at Penarth, where Sisley paints at least six oils of the sea and the cliffs. In mid-August they move to the Osborne Hotel at Langland Bay on the Gower Peninsula, where he produces at least eleven oil paintings in and around Langland Bay and Rotherslade (at this time called Lady's Cove). They return to France in October.

• Walford Davies – Overture in D minor
• Llyfr Hymnau a Thonau y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd (collection of hymns){{cite book|title=Journal of the Folk-Song Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZzWAAAAMAAJ|year=1910|publisher=The Society|page=299}}

• Arthur Cheetham begins making films in Wales.

• Rugby Union – Due to an argument with the International Football Rugby Board the Welsh Rugby Union withdraws from the organisation and Wales do not play international rugby for 12 months.
• Swimming – The Welsh Amateur Swimming Association is founded. The first Welsh championships take place, with events for men only.

• 3 April – Frank Evans, dual-code international rugby player (died 1972)
• 5 April – Ness Edwards, politician (died 1968){{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s2-EDWA-NES-1897|title=EDWARDS, NESS (1897–1968), trade unionist and Member of Parliament|author=John Davies|website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|publisher=National Library of Wales|access-date=3 March 2019}}
• 21 April – Albert Stock, Wales international rugby player (died 1969)
• 22 June – Kathleen Freeman, classical scholar (died 1959){{cite book|author=NA NA|title=Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_U6vCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA566|date=25 December 2015|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-349-81366-7|pages=566}}
• 21 August – Victor Nash-Williams, archaeologist (died 1955){{cite book|author=William John Townsend Collins|title=Monmouthshire Writers: A Literary History and Anthology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h_c-AAAAIAAJ|year=1948|publisher=R.H. Johns|page=157}}
• 28 September – Harry Beadles, Wales international footballer (died 1958)
• 15 November – Aneurin Bevan, politician (died 1960){{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s2-BEVA-ANE-1897|title=Bevan, Aneurin (1897–1960), politician and one of the founders of the Welfare State|author= John Graham Jones|website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|publisher=National Library of Wales|access-date=30 June 2019}}
• 31 December – Rhys Williams, politician (died 1969)

• 14 January – William Basil Jones, Bishop of St David's, 75{{cite web | url=http://www.llangynfelyn.org/dogfennau/william_basil_DNB.html | title=William Basil Jones, Bishop of St Davids | work=Dictionary of National Biography | access-date=21 April 2011}}
• 30 January – Sarah Thomas, centenarian, 109{{cite news|url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4239584/4239587/15/sarah%20ellen%20morgan|title=Mrs. Sarah Thomas|date=30 January 1897|work=The Llanelly Mercury and South Wales Advertiser|access-date=1 January 2020}}
• 3 February – David Pugh Evans, songwriter, 31
• 2 March – Evan Owen Phillips, Dean of St David's, 70{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s-PHIL-OWE-1826|title=Phillips, Evan Owen (1826–1897), dean of S. Davids|work=Welsh Biography Online |publisher=National Library of Wales|author=Robert Thomas Jenkins|access-date=11 February 2020}}The Times, Friday, 5 Mar 1897; pg. 10; Issue 35143; col B Obituary The Very Rev E.O. Phillips
• 1 April – William Gwynn, Rugby union international
• 16 April – Thomas Lewis, Welsh-born Australian politician, 75{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=506 |name=Mr Thomas Lewis (1821-1897) |former=Yes |access-date=1 July 2020}}
• 10 May – Walter Evans, footballer, about 30{{cite book |title=Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players |last1=Davies |first1=Gareth|last2=Garland |first2=Ian|year=1991 |publisher=Bridge Books|isbn=1-872424-11-2|page=61}}
• 12 May – Thomas Llewellyn Thomas, linguist, 56{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s3-THOM-LLE-1840|title=Thomas, Thomas Llewelyn (1840–1897), scholar, teacher and linguist |work=Welsh Biography Online |publisher=National Library of Wales|last=Jones |first=Gwilym Arthur |author2=Ellis, Thomas Iorwerth |authorlink2=Thomas Iorwerth Ellis |access-date=11 December 2019}}
• June – Hugh Jones, Archdeacon of St Asaph, 81{{cite news|title=Obituary|date=19 June 1897|work=The Times|page=11}}
• 1 September – John Griffiths, Archdeacon of Llandaff, 77'GRIFFITHS, Ven. John', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U186619, accessed 14 Feb 2014]
• 6 September – Thomas Rees Morgan, engineer, 63
• 8 September – James Milo Griffith, sculptor, 54{{cite book|title=The Cambrian|url=https://archive.org/details/cambrian01unkngoog|year=1898|publisher=T.J. Griffiths|page=[https://archive.org/details/cambrian01unkngoog/page/n196 185]}}
• 16 September – Edward Edwards (Pencerdd Ceredigion), musician, 83{{cite DWB|id=s-EDWA-EDW-1816|title=Edwards, Edward (1816–1897), musician|year=1959|publisher=National Library of Wales|author=Robert David Griffith|access-date=11 February 2020}}
• 20 September – Hugh Morris, footballer, 25 (tuberculosis){{cite book|title=Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players|last1=Davies|first1=Gareth|last2=Garland|first2=Ian|year=1991|publisher=Bridge Books|isbn=1-872424-11-2|page=146}}
• 15 October – Charles John Vaughan, former Dean of Llandaff, 81{{ODNBweb|id=28124|title=Vaughan, Charles John|first=John|last=Roach}}
• 12 November – Isaac Evans, trade union leader and politician, 49 (post-operative complications)Joyce Bellamy and John Saville, "Evans, Isaac", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.I, pp.113–114
• 24 November – Arthur James Herbert, Quartermaster-General, 77{{cite news |title= Obituary: General Sir Arthur James Herbert, K.C.B. |work=The Times|date=25 November 1897 |page=6 }}
• 2 December – Thomas Lewis, politician, 76{{cite book|author=Frederic Boase|title=Modern English Biography: Containing Many Thousand Concise Memoirs of Persons who Have Died Between the Years 1851–1900, with an Index of the Most Interesting Matter|url=https://archive.org/details/modernenglishbio0006boas|url-access=registration|year=1965|publisher=Frank Cass|page=[https://archive.org/details/modernenglishbio0006boas/page/n36 49]-50}}
• 4 December – Griffith Rhys Jones ("Caradog"), choral conductor, 62{{cite DWB|id=s-JONE-RHY-1834|title=Jones, Griffith Rhys (1834–1897), conductor of a once well-known South Wales choir, 'Côr Caradog' |year=1959 |publisher=National Library of Wales|author=Robert David Griffith|access-date=11 December 2019}}

• 1897 in Ireland

{{Reflist}}

Wales

Wales

Category:1897 in Europe

Category:1890s in Wales