1880s in Wales

none December 2025 February 2020 1870s | 1890s | Other years in Wales Other events of the decade This article is about the particular significance of the decade 1880–1889 to Wales and its people. Incumbents Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Clwydfardd Events 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 Arts and literature Awards National Eisteddfod of Wales 1880 – Caernarfon 1881 – Merthyr Tydfil Chair – Evan Rees ("Dyfed")Rhys James Ednyfed Rees, Evan (Dyfed; 1850–1923), Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, and archdruid of Wales s-REES-EVA-1850 National Library of Wales 15 December 2025 1959 Crown – Watkin Hezekiah WilliamsWilliams, Watkin Hezekiah 3 1882 – Denbigh Chair – withheld Crown – Dafydd Rees Williams 1883 – Cardiff Chair – withheld Crown – Anna Walter Thomashttps://eisteddfod.wales/crown-winners Crown Winners Eisteddfod 15 December 2025 1884 – Liverpool Chair – Evan Rees ("Dyfed") Crown – Edward Foulkes 1885 – Aberdare Chair – Watkin Hezekiah Williams Crown – Griffith Tecwyn Parry 1886 – Caernarfon Chair – Richard Davies Crown – John Cadfan Davies 1887 – London Chair – Robert Arthur Williams Crown – John Cadfan Davies 1888 – Wrexham Chair – Thomas Tudno Jones Crown – Howell Elvet Lewis 1889 – Brecon Chair – Evan Rees Crown – Howell Elvet Lewis New books Rhoda Broughton – Doctor Cupid (1886) Richard Davies (Mynyddog) – Pedwerydd Llyfr Mynyddog (1882) Amy Dillwyn The Rebecca Rioter (1880) Jill and Jack(1887) Daniel Silvan Evans – Dictionary of the Welsh Language (Geiriadur Cymraeg) (1887) Frances Hoggan – Education for Girls in Wales (1882) Daniel Owen Y Dreflan (1881) Rhys Lewis (1885) Robert Williams (Trebor Mai) – Gwaith Barddonol Trebor Mai (1883) Sport 1881 – Welsh Rugby Union is formed. 1884 – The Cardiff Arms Park hosts its first rugby international (between Wales and Ireland). 1889 – In a football match between Wales and Scotland at Wrexham, the referee allows the injured Welsh goalkeeper to be replaced – the first ever substitution in a soccer match. Births 1880 30 April – George Maitland Lloyd Davies, pacifist (died 1949) 9 May – Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, patron of the arts (died 1946) 11 May – David Davies, 1st Baron Davies, politician (died 1944) 22 June – Rhys Gabe, rugby player (died 1967)https://biography.wales/article/s2-GABE-THO-1880 GABE, RHYS THOMAS (REES THOMAS GAPE; 1880 - 1967), rugby player Dictionary of Welsh Biography 5 December 2025 2 September – Isaac Daniel Hooson, poet (died 1948) 15 September – William Charles Williams, VC recipient (died 1915) date unknown Edward Tegla Davies, author (died 1967) Harry Grindell Matthews, inventor (died 1941) 1881 3 January – Lewis Pugh Evans, VC recipient (died 1962) 14 February – William John Gruffydd, academic and politician (died 1954) 16 April – Ifor Williams, academic (died 1965) 5 May – Rupert Price Hallowes, VC recipient (died 1915) 16 June – David Grenfell, politician (died 1968) 20 June – John Crichton-Stuart, 4th Marquess of Bute, landowner (died 1947) August – John Lewis, footballer (died 1954) 30 September – Philip Lewis Griffiths, lawyer (died 1945) 28 October – Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, explorer (died 1957) December – George Hall, politician (died 1965) date unknown David Thomas ("Afan"), composer (died 1928) Robert Williams, trade union leader 1882 24 July – Reginald Clarry, politician (died 1945) 6 November – David Rees Griffiths, poet (died 1953) 16 December – Cyril Fox, archaeologist (died 1967) date unknown – Ivor Lewis, artist (died 1958) 1883 30 April – David John de Lloyd, composer (died 1948) 28 May – Clough Williams-Ellis, architect (died 1978) 13 September – Percy Thomas, architect (died 1969) date unknown John Jones (Tydu), poet (died 1968) James Walker, politician 1884 19 February – Clement Davies, politician (died 1962) 24 November – Jack Jones, novelist (died 1970) date unknown Arthur Jenkins, politician (died 1946) Thomas Jones, footballer (died 1958) 1885 2 August – Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare (died 1957) 21 November – Robert Evans, footballer (died 1965) date unknown Ernest Evans, politician (died 1965) David John Williams, writer and politician (died 1970) 1886 3 May – Morgan Jones, Welsh politician (died 1939) 29 September – Jack Williams, VC recipient (died 1953) 1887 13 January – Hedd Wyn, poet (died 1917) 27 February – James Dickson Innes, painter (died 1914) date unknown Huw Menai, poet (died 1961) 1888 21 May – William Cove, politician (died 1963) 16 August – T. E. Lawrence, writer and war hero (died 1935) 19 October – Peter Freeman, politician (died 1956) 5 September – Rhys Hopkin Morris, politician (died 1956) 1889 1 February – John Lewis, philosopher (died 1976) 11 December – Cedric Morris, artist (died 1982) References