1873 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1873 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – William Owen Stanley
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar
- Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn
- Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse
- Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor
- Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
- Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Sir Stephen Glynne, 9th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
- Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Edward Lloyd-Mostyn, 2nd Baron Mostyn
- Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
- Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sudeley Hanbury-Tracy, 3rd Baron Sudeley
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite
- Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
- Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant
- Bishop of St Asaph – Joshua Hughes
- Bishop of St Davids – Connop Thirlwall
Events
- 1 March – The sailing ship Chacabuco sinks off the Great Orme with the loss of 24 lives.
- 18 March – Work begins on construction of the Severn Tunnel.
- 30 March – The Glyn Valley Tramway opens as a horse-worked line to carry slate and other minerals from Glyn Ceiriog to Chirk.
- 19 August – The Holyhead Breakwater is officially opened by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. having taken 28 years to construct.
- 9 October – The first recorded sheepdog trial in the UK takes place at Bala.
- 2 December – In a mining accident at Hafod Colliery, Rhiwabon, five men are killed.
- date unknown – Construction of:
- *Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse on Ynys Llanddwyn.
- *Buckley Arms hotel, Dinas Mawddwy, in reinforced concrete.
Arts and literature
New books
- Rhoda Broughton – Nancy
- Robert Elis (Cynddelw) – Manion Hynafiaethol
- Ebenezer Thomas – ''Gweithiau Barddonol Eben Fardd''
Music
- Henry Brinley Richards – Songs of Wales
- Richard Davies (Mynyddog) writes the song "Rheolau yr Aelwyd", the basis of "Sosban Fach".
Sport
- December – Major Walter Wingfield of Nantclwyd Hall at Llanelidan designs a game for the amusement of his visitors. Wingfield soon patents nets for the game of lawn tennis, which he calls "sphairistike".
Births
- 7 January – Christopher Williams, artist
- 16 January – Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, politician
- 7 April
- *John Dyfnallt Owen, poet and Archdruid
- *Charles Butt Stanton, politician
- 23 April – Sir Robert Thomas, 1st Baronet, politician
- 1 May – Harry Evans, musician
- 22 May –
- 5 June – Ben Davies, Wales international rugby player
- 14 October – Sam Livesey, actor
- date unknown – Arthur Tysilio Johnson, plantsman and author of ''The Perfidious Welshman''
Deaths
- January – John Emlyn Jones, poet, 54
- 27 January – Josiah Thomas Jones, publisher, 73
- 20 February – William Jones, Chartist leader, 64
- 29 March – David Jones, merchant in Australia, 80
- 17 May – Lord William Paget, soldier and politician, 70
- 9 October – John Evan Thomas, sculptor, 63
- 31 October – William Ambrose (Emrys), poet, 60
- 10 November – Maria Jane Williams, musician, 78