1878 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1878 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Clwydfardd
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – William Owen Stanley
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – 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 – Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – 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
- March
- *The 'basic' process, enabling the use of phosphoric iron ore in steelmaking, developed at the failing Blaenavon Ironworks by Percy Gilchrist and Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, is first made public.
- *The Swansea Improvements and Tramway Company SITC) opens a street tramway from Gower Street, Swansea, to join up with the Oystermouth Railway.
- 16–17 July – Spanish seaman Joseph Garcia, just released from Usk Prison, murders all 5 members of the Watkins family at Llangybi, Monmouthshire.
- 17 July – Swansea tramways are forced by legal action to return to horse-drawn operation after experimenting with steam locomotives.
- 11 September – In a mining accident at the Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarn, 268 men are killed.
- Founding of Dr Williams School for Girls at Dolgellau with Eliza Ann Fewings as first head.
- Opening of Marine Drive around the Great Orme at Llandudno.
- A passenger ferry service is established between Bangor and Porthaethwy on the Menai Strait.
- Industrialist John Corbett buys Ynysymaengwyn.
- Slate industry in Wales: The Oakeley quarry at Blaenau Ffestiniog absorbs the previously independently-worked Upper and Middle quarries.
- The prison system in Wales is nationalised and brought under centralised government control.
- Nanteos Cup first exhibited.
Arts and literature
New books
- Daniel Silvan Evans – Celtic Remains
- William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog) – ''Llythyrau 'Rhen Ffarmwr''
Music
- John Owen (Owain Alaw) – ''Jeremiah''
Sport
- Football – The Welsh Cup competition takes place for the first time, and is won by Wrexham.
Births
- 4 January – Augustus John, painter
- 30 January – Reg Skrimshire, Wales and British Lions rugby union player
- 24 February – Lou Phillips, Wales international rugby player
- 3 March – Edward Thomas, poet
- 12 March – Mary Sophia Allen, women's rights activist
- 15 March – Thomas Richards, historian and librarian
- 21 March – Edwin Thomas Maynard, Wales international rugby player
- 16 April – Owen Thomas Jones, geologist
- 26 May – Abel J. Jones, writer
- 5 June – Billy O'Neill, Wales national rugby player
- 8 June – Evan Roberts, religious revivalist
- 20 June – Seymour Farmer, politician in Canada
- 1 July – Billy Trew, rugby player and Welsh Triple Crown winning captain
- 27 August – Edgar Rees Jones, lawyer and politician
- 28 October – Charles Benjamin Redrup, aeronautical engineer
- 30 October – Caradog Roberts, musician
- 8 November – Dorothea Bate, palaeontologist
- 27 November – Dick Jones, Welsh international rugby player
- 31 December – Caradoc Evans, writer
- date unknown – Richard Hughes Williams, Welsh language short story writer
Deaths
- 3 January – Morris Williams (Nicander), writer
- 16 February – Alexander Jones, footballer, 23
- 25 February – Townsend Harris, Welsh-descended American diplomat, 73
- 30 March – Peter Maurice, priest and writer, 74
- 4 July – William Roos, Welsh artist and engraver, 70
- 13 August – Francis Rice, 5th Baron Dynevor, 74
- 30 September – Evan James, poet, lyricist of the Welsh national anthem, 69
- 18 November – John Jones, clergyman and writer, 57
- 20 November – William Thomas (Islwyn), poet, 46
- 25 November – Llewelyn Lewellin, clergyman and academic, 80
- 5 December – David Price, minister, 67
- 13 December – David Charles, secretary of the University for Wales movement, 56