1863 in Wales
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 1863 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Prince of Wales — The Prince Albert Edward, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
- Princess of Wales — Alexandra of Denmark
Events
- 10 March — Marriage of Edward Albert, Prince of Wales, to Alexandra of Denmark. Alexandra becomes the first Princess of Wales since 1820.
- 23 October — Festiniog Railway introduces steam locomotives into general service, the first time this has been done anywhere in the world on a public railway of such a narrow gauge (2 ft (60 cm)).[1]
- Founding of the Anglesey Central Railway.
- English church services are introduced for English-speaking minorities in Welsh-speaking areas.
- Sir Hugh Owen becomes an honorary secretary of the London committee formed to set up the University of Wales.
- Mesac Thomas becomes the first Bishop of Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.
- Publication of The Bards of Wales, first written in 1857 by Hungarian poet János Arany, using the story of Edward I's conquest of Wales to disguise criticism of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
- Machynlleth born John Evans arrives in British Columbia, Canada, with a group of other Welsh miners. He subsequently becomes a major political figure in the province.
- Spa pump room built at Trefriw.
- Guest Memorial Library at Dowlais opened.
Arts and literature
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Swansea.
New books
- John Ceiriog Hughes — Cant o Ganeuon
- John Jones (Ioan Emlyn) — Golud yr Oes
- David William Nash — The Pharaoh of the Exodus
- Ebenezer Thomas — Cyff Beuno
Music
- John Ceiriog Hughes — Cant O Ganeuon
- John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) — Llewelyn (cantata)
Sport
- Cricket
- 23 July — South Wales Cricket Club defeat MCC at Lord's.
- 27 July — South Wales Cricket Club defeat Gentlemen of Kent at Cranbrook.
Births
- 15 January — James Webb, Wales rugby international (died 1913)
- 17 January — David Lloyd George, politician (died 1945)
- 3 March — Arthur Machen, writer (died 1947)
- 16 March — Dan Beddoe, operatic tenor (died 1937)
- 25 March — Owen Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant (died 1937)
- 13 April — Walter E. Rees, Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union (died 1949)
- May — William Rees Morgan Davies, politician (died 1939)
- 8 May — Charles Taylor Wales rugby international (died 1915)
- 18 May — Lewis Davies (Lewis Glyn Cynon), novelist and historian (died 1951)
- 21 May — William Jones Williams, civil servant (died 1949)
- 11 June — Llewellyn Henry Gwynne, first suffragan Bishop of Khartoum (died 1957)
- 18 June — George Essex Evans, Australian poet of Welsh parentage (died 1909)
- 2 July — Billy Douglas, Wales international rugby player (died 1943)
- 7 August — Edward Perkins Alexander, Wales international rugby player (died 1931)
- 8 August — John Herbert Roberts, Baron Clwyd of Abergele, politician (died 1955)
- 17 August — Joseph Harry, minister, writer and teacher (died 1950)
- 29 August — Sir Daniel Lleufer Thomas, magistrate (died 1940)
- 10 September — Walter Rice Evans, Wales international rugby player (died 1909)
- 7 November — Rowley Thomas, Wales international rugby player (died 1949)
Deaths
- 17 February — Ebenezer Thomas (Eben Fardd), poet, 60
- 28 February — David Williams (Alaw Goch), industrialist, 53
- 21 March — David Griffiths, missionary, 71
- 24 March — Thomas Powell, industrialist, 84
- 13 April — George Cornewall Lewis, statesman, 56
- May/June — David Bevan Jones (Dewi Elfed), Mormon leader, 55
- 15 July — Edward Pryce Owen, artist, 75
- 8 November — Joseph Hughes (Carn Ingli), poet, 60
- 13 December — Robert Saunderson, printer, 83
References
- ↑ Ransom, P. J. G. (1996). Narrow Gauge Steam: its origins and world-wide development. Sparkford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-533-7.