1906 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1906 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfed
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 2nd Baron Glanusk
- Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves
- Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans
- Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – Sir James Williams-Drummond, 4th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
- Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
- Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
- Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne
- Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
- Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank
- Bishop of Bangor – Watkin Williams
- Bishop of Llandaff – Joshua Pritchard Hughes
- Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards
- Bishop of St Davids – John Owen
Events
- 13 February - In the United Kingdom general election:
- *For the first time ever, no Conservative MP is elected in Wales.
- *William Brace becomes Labour MP for South Glamorganshire.
- *David Davies becomes Liberal MP for Montgomeryshire.
- *Ivor Guest becomes Liberal MP for Cardiff District.
- *Alfred Mond becomes Liberal MP for Chester.
- *John David Rees becomes Liberal MP for Montgomery District.
- *Ivor Treowen becomes MP for South Monmouthshire.
- *John Williams becomes MP for Gower District.
- 5 June - At the Eifion by-election, brought about by the resignation of John Bryn Roberts, Liberal candidate Ellis Davies is elected unopposed.
- 27 June - One of the strongest earthquakes recorded in the UK strikes Swansea with a strength of 5.2 on the Richter Scale, damaging several buildings.
- August - Evan Roberts suffers a breakdown, signalling the end of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival.
- 14 August - The East Denbighshire by-election, brought about by the resignation of Samuel Moss, is won by the Liberal candidate Edward Hemmerde.
- 30 August - Official opening of Fishguard Harbour.
- 12 September - Opening of Newport Transporter Bridge.
- October
- *The new City Hall, Cardiff, and Law Courts are opened in Cathays Park.
- *Opening of the first purpose-built sanatorium in Wales, at Allt-yr-yn, Newport.
- *A by-election is held in Mid Glamorganshire as a result of the appointment of its MP, Samuel Evans, as Recorder of Swansea; he is required to seek re-election and in the by-election he is returned unopposed.
- date unknown
- *David Brynmor Jones is knighted.
- *Hydro-electricity is generated for the first time in Wales, at Cwm Dyli in Gwynedd.
- *Anglican Benedictine monks arrive at Caldey Island to found a community.
- *The South Wales Miners' Federation affiliates to the Labour Party.
Arts and literature
- Ernest Rhys becomes editor of Everyman's Library.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales - held in Caernarfon
- *Chair - John James Williams (J. J.), "Y Lloer"
- *Crown - Hugh Emyr Davies
New books
English language
- Arthur Machen – The House of Souls
- W. J. Parry – The Cry of the People
- Allen Raine – Queen of the Rushes
- Edward Thomas - ''The Heart of England''
Welsh language
- Owen Morgan Edwards - Clych Adgof
- Sarah Winifred Parry – Sioned: darluniau o fywyd gwledig yng Nghymru
- Eliseus Williams (Eifion Wyn) - ''Telynegion Maes a Mor''
Music
- The Welsh Folk Song Society is co-founded by soprano Mary Davies.
- David Vaughan Thomas - ''The Knight's Burial''
Theatre
- 10 December - The New Theatre, Cardiff, opens to the public, with a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Sport
- Boxing
- *23 May - Tom Thomas wins the British middleweight title.
- Rugby union
- *Wales finish second in the 1906 Home Nations Championship, beating England and Scotland, but losing to Ireland.
- *1 December - Wales lose 11–0 to South Africa in the first encounter between the two countries.
- Tennis - For the first and only time, a Davis Cup final is played in Wales. The United States defeat Australia at Newport.
Births
- 10 January - Tom Arthur, Wales international rugby player
- 16 January - Watcyn Thomas, rugby player
- 19 February - Grace Williams, composer
- 4 March - Tommy Jones-Davies, Wales international rugby player
- 15 March - Bill Everson, Wales international rugby player
- 4 April - John Roberts Wales international rugby player
- 24 April - Leslie Thomas, politician
- 25 June - Roger Livesey, actor
- 27 June - Vernon Watkins, poet
- 12 July - Archie Skym, international rugby union player
- 15 July - Herbert Edmund-Davies, Baron Edmund-Davies, judge
- 16 October - Maudie Edwards, actress
- 18 November - Nigel Birch, Baron Rhyl, politician
- 8 December - Richard Llewellyn, novelist
Deaths
- 6 January
- * Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk, retired Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire, 65
- * Emrys ap Iwan, writer, 54
- 25 March - Gwilym Williams, judge, 66
- 4 June - John William Evans, politician, 36
- 24 June - Henry Dennis, industrialist, 80
- 24 July - John Edwards (Meiriadog), poet, 93
- 27 August - James Charles, painter, 55
- 4 September - William Bowen Rowlands, politician
- 16 September - Robert Llugwy Owen, minister and writer, 69
- 22 September - Griffith Arthur Jones, Anglican priest, 78
- 21 October - Griffith Jones (Glan Menai), writer, 70
- 25 November - William W. Davies, Mormon leader, 73
- 29 November - Mary Dillwyn Welby, photographer, 90
- 30 November - Sir Edward James Reed, politician, 76
- 30 December - William Stadden, Wales international rugby player, 45