1875 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1875 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – William Owen Stanley
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar ; Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk
- 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 – Hugh Robert Hughes
- 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 ; Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite
- Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
- Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant
- Bishop of St Asaph – Joshua Hughes
- Bishop of St Davids – Basil Jones
Events
- August - First publication of The Usk Gleaner and Monmouthshire Record.
- December - South Wales miners, led by William Abraham, come to agreement on a sliding scale of wages in relation to prices and profits.
- 4 December - In a mining accident at Old Pit, New Tredegar, 22 men are killed.
- 5 December - In a mining accident at Llan Colliery, Pentyrch, twelve men are killed.
- unknown dates
- *The first imports of North American wheat come through Cardiff.
- *The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service recognises Welsh as a distinct nationality - the first official body ever to do so.
- *Ordnance Survey publishes the first complete maps of Wales.
- *David Davies Llandinam is elected treasurer of the University of Wales.
- *Major eisteddfod held at Pwllheli. Future archdruid Rowland Williams (Hwfa Môn) is a leading adjudicator.
- *Francis Wallace Grenfell takes part in the expedition which claims Griqualand West for the UK.
- *Bodnant Garden is begun by Baron Aberconway.
Arts and literature
- Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot buys James Milo Griffith's Summer Flowers for Margam Castle.
New books
English language
- Hugh Owen Thomas - ''Diseases of the Hip, Knee, and Ankle Joints''
Welsh language
- William Ambrose - Gweithiau y Parch. W. Ambrose
- David Stephen Davies - Adroddiad
- Isaac Foulkes - Y Ddau Efell, neu Llanllonydd
- Owen Jones (Meudwy Môn) - Cymru, yn Hanesyddol, Parthedegol, a Bywgraphyddol
- John Goronwy Mathias - Y Dywysen Aeddfed
- Evan Rees (Dyfed) - ''Caniadau Dyfedfab''
Music
- Robert Griffiths becomes the first secretary of the tonic solfa college.
- Joseph Parry composes the music to Myfanwy.
- Sarah Edith Wynne marries and retires from her singing career.
Sport
- Rugby union - Llanelli RFC and Risca RFC are formed.
- Yachting - Bristol Channel Yacht Club is formed in Swansea.
Births
- 3 January - Cliff Bowen, Wales international rugby player and county cricketer
- 4 January – William Williams (Crwys), poet and Archdruid
- 19 January – Thomas Owen Jones, dramatist, actor and producer
- 23 February – David Brazell, singer
- 4 March – John Kelt Edwards, cartoonist
- 23 May – Nathaniel Walters, Wales international rugby player
- 26 May – Jack Evans, Wales international rugby player
- 31 May – Daniel Jones, Wales international rugby player
- 11 June – Will Osborne, Wales international rugby player
- 16 June – Henry Paget, Lord Paget, eccentric, born in Paris
- 10 September
- *John Evans, politician
- *Harry Vaughan Watkins, Wales international rugby player
- 26 October – Sir Lewis Casson, English-born artist
- 20 December – T. F. Powys, Anglo-Welsh writer
- 25 December – George Davies, international rugby player
Deaths
- 4 January – Thomas Stephens, historian, literary critic and social reformer
- 4 March – John Evans, minister and author, 60
- April – Frances Bunsen, painter, 85
- 16 April – Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar, Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire, 83
- 19 July – Benjamin Davies, Hebraist, 60/61
- 27 July – Connop Thirlwall, former Bishop of St Davids, 78
- 19 August – Robert Elis (Cynddelw), writer, 63
- 28 August – Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet, politician, 73
- 7 September – John Prichard, minister, author and teacher, 79
- 16 September – Lucy Herbert, Countess of Powis, Scottish-born aristocrat, 81
- 29 November – Thomas Jones, librarian, 65
- date unknown
- *David Davies, composer, about 65
- * – Fanny Parkes, travel writer, 81