1883 in Wales

← 1882 1881 1880 1883 in Wales → 1884 1885 1886
Centuries:	17th 18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1883 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1883 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales — The Prince Albert Edward, son of Queen Victoria
• Princess of Wales — Alexandra of Denmark
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales — Clwydfardd

Events

• 27 January — In the same storm, the James Gray is wrecked on Tusker Rocks, Porthcawl, and the Agnes Jack off Port Eynon. The Mumbles lifeboat puts out, and 5 of its crew are drowned in the rescue attempt.
• 1 February — Five miners are killed in an accident at the Lewis Merthyr Colliery.
• 25 June — Six miners are killed in an accident at the New Duffryn Colliery, Rhymney.
• July — The steamship Rishanglys leaves three seamen, who are believed to be suffering from cholera, on the island of Flat Holm; one of them subsequently dies.^[1]
• 21 August — Five miners are killed in an accident at the Gelli Colliery, Gelli, Glamorgan.
• 24 October — Cardiff University opens (under the name of University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire).
• 31 October — 18 people are drowned when the German barque Alhambra sinks off Holyhead.
• November — Samuel Griffith becomes Prime Minister of Queensland.
  • Closure of Point of Ayr lighthouse.
• Peak year for zinc production in Wales.
• Dr William Price, aged 83, marries Gwenllian Llywelyn.
• Welsh-Canadian artist Robert Harris is commissioned to paint the Meeting of the Delegates of British North America.

Arts and literature

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales — held at Cardiff

• Chair — withheld
• Crown — Anna Walter Thomas

New books

• Rhoda Broughton — Belinda
• John Jones (Myrddin Fardd) — Adgof Uwch Anghof
• Robert Owen - Pilgrimage to Rome
• Robert Williams (Trebor Mai) — Gwaith Barddonol Trebor Mai (posthumously published)

Music

• Treorchy Male Voice Choir formed.

Sport

• Football — Wrexham win the Welsh Cup for the second time in its six-year history.
• Rugby union
  • Wales take part in the inaugural Home Nations Championship
  • First home international game played, hosted at St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea.
  • First Wales match against Scotland. Wales lose by three goals to one.

Births

• 6 January — Harry Uzzell, Wales international rugby union captain (died 1960)
• 23 March — William Evans, Wales dual code international rugby player (died 1946)
• 30 April — David John de Lloyd, composer (died 1948)
• 7 May — Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley, newspaper magnate (died 1968)
• 28 May — Clough Williams-Ellis, architect (died 1978)
• 12 June — Margaret Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda, suffragette (died 1958)
• 13 September — Percy Thomas, architect (died 1969)
• 14 October — Dick Thomas, Wales international rugby player (died 1916)
• 23 November — James 'Tuan' Jones, Wales and British Lion rugby player (died 1964)
• date unknown
  • John Jones (Tydu), poet (died 1968)
  • James Walker, politician

Deaths

• 25 January — John Elias Davies, harpist, 35
• 29 January — John Owen (Owain Alaw), composer, 61
• 28 May — Hugh Jones, Principal of Llangollen Baptist College, 51
• 8 November — William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog), poet, 81
• date unknown - John Batchelor, businessman and politician, 63

References

1. Guy, Dr John (1984). Saving Flat Holm’s Cholera Hospital. Exploring Local History. pp. 244–246.