This article is about the particular significance of the year 1881 to Wales and its people.
Prince of Wales — Albert Edward
Princess of Wales — Alexandra
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales — Clwydfardd
January — At least five people freeze to death during blizzards and extreme low temperatures throughout Wales.
August — The Sunday Closing (Wales) Act prohibits the sale of alcohol on a Sunday. This is the first Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom since the 1542 Act of Union whose application is restricted to Wales.
13 October — 19 people drown when the Cyprian is wrecked off the Lleyn peninsula.
Welsh Regiment formed as part of the Childers Reforms of the British Army, incorporating the 41st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot.
River Vyrnwy is dammed to create Lake Vyrnwy.
Arts and literature
The Cambrian Academy of Art is formed by English and Welsh artists in North Wales.
National Eisteddfod of Wales — held at Merthyr Tydfil
Chair — Evan Rees ("Dyfed")
Crown — Watkin Hezekiah Williams
Amy Dillwyn — Chloe Arguelle
Daniel Owen — Y Dreflan
Rugby union
19 February — First Wales national game, played at Blackheath against England. Wales lose heavily.
12 March — The Welsh Rugby Union is formed as the Welsh Football Union in a meeting in Neath.
1 January — George Latham, footballer (died 1939)
3 January — Lewis Pugh Evans, VC recipient (died 1962)
14 February — William John Gruffydd, academic and politician (died 1954)
9 April — John Hart Evans, Wales international rugby player (died 1959)
15 April — David Thomas ("Afan"), composer (died 1928)
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)
1 October — Cliff Pritchard, Wales international rugby player (died 1954)
28 October — Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, explorer (died 1957)
10 December — David Phillips Jones, Wales international rugby player (died 1936)
December — George Henry Hall, politician (died 1965)
date unknown
James Grey West, official architect (died 1951)
Robert Williams, trade union leader (died 1936)
3 January — William H. C. Lloyd, clergyman, 78
9 January — John Roose Elias, poet, 60
11 March — Thomas Brigstocke, portrait painter, 71
20 April — William Burges, architect, 53
7 June — William Milbourne James (judge), 74
13 October — Edwin Barber Morgan, Welsh-descended president of Wells Fargo, 67
20 November — Hugh Owen, educationist, 77
22 November — John Owen Griffith (Ioan Arfon), poet and critic, 53
