Puneet Varma (Editor)

1908 in Wales

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Centuries:
  
18th 19th 20th 21st

Decades:
  
1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1908 to Wales and its people.

Contents

Incumbents

  • Prince of Wales - George (later George V)
  • Princess of Wales - Mary
  • Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Dyfed

    • Events

  • 3 January - Formal opening of the residence at St Deiniol's Library.
  • 22 January - J. Lloyd Williams delivers his paper on Welsh National Melodies and Folk-Songs to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.
  • 28 January - In a colliery explosion at Ammanford, David Rees Griffiths is seriously injured. His brother is one of two men killed.
  • March - Frank Mason, editor of the Tenby Observer, challenges the local council's right to ban him from their meetings. The Admission of the Press Act, 1908 is passed as a result.
  • 26 February - In the West Carmarthenshire by-election, the sitting Liberal MP, John Lloyd Morgan, retains the seat in the absence of any other candidates.
  • 5 March - Edgeworth David leads the party attempting the ascent of Mount Erebus in the Antarctic.
  • 18 June - A giant turtle weighing half a ton is pulled from the sea at Pwllheli.
  • 16 July - In the Pembrokeshire by-election, brought about by elevation to the peerage of the incumbent Liberal MP, John Wynford Philipps, the seat is retained for the Liberals by Walter Francis Roch.
  • 1 September - The barque Amazon sinks off Margam Sands, with the loss of 18 crew.
  • November – The North and South Wales Bank is absorbed into the London City and Midland Bank, bringing an end to banknote issue in Wales.
  • The South Wales Miners' Federation becomes affiliated to the Labour Party.
  • The Coal Mines Regulation Act 1908 ("Eight Hours Act") limits the amount of time spent by coal miners underground.
  • John Ballinger becomes first librarian of the National Library of Wales.
  • A factory for making artificial silk opens at Greenfield in north-east Wales.
  • Construction of the lighthouse at Strumble Head.
  • Spa pump room built at Caergwrle.
  • The Welsh Border Mounted Brigade is founded as part of the Territorial Force of the British Army.

    • Arts and literature

  • Sydney Curnow Vosper completes his iconic watercolour of Welsh piety, Salem.

    • Awards

  • National Eisteddfod of Wales - held in Llangollen
  • Chair - John James Williams
  • Crown - Hugh Emyr Davies

    • English language

  • W. H. Davies - Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
  • W. Jenkyn Thomas - The Welsh Fairy Book

    • Welsh language

  • Silyn Roberts - Y Blaid Lafur Anibynnol, ei Hanes a'i Hamcan
  • Gwyneth Vaughan - Plant y Gorthrwm
  • Eliseus Williams (Eifion Wyn) - Telynegion Maes a Môr

    • Music

  • David Evans becomes professor of the Music department at University of Wales, Cardiff.
  • Harry Evans - Dafydd ap Gwilym

    • Sport

  • Boxing
  • 24 February - Jim Driscoll wins the Commonwealth featherweight title.
  • Olympics
  • October - At the postponed 1908 Summer Olympics, Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, competes unsuccessfully in the motorboat racing.
  • Rugby league
  • 1 January - The first-ever international match is held at Aberdare, where Wales defeat New Zealand 9 - 8. The match was won by a last minute try from former Welsh rugby union international Dai Jones.
  • Aberdare RLFC, Barry RLFC, Mid-Rhondda RLFC and Treherbert RLFC are formed, joining Ebbw Vale and Merthyr Tydfil in competing for the Welsh League, the first Welsh rugby league competition.
  • Rugby union
  • Wales win their first Grand Slam and fifth Triple Crown.
  • The selection of players for the 1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia results in a comment by the Welsh Rugby Union that players for future tours should be chosen '...irrespective of the social position of the players.'

    • Births

  • 29 February – Louie Myfanwy Thomas, novelist as Jane Ann Jones (d. 1968)
  • 22 March – Martin Davies, art historian (d. 1978)
  • 8 May – Bert Day, Wales international rugby union player (d. 1977)
  • 29 May – Diana Morgan, playwright and screenwriter (d. 1996)
  • 5 July – Francis Jones, heraldic expert (d. 1993)
  • 10 July – Donald Peers, singer (d. 1973)
  • 12 July - Bill Roberts, footballer (d. 1976)
  • 15 August – Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, journalist (d. 1987)
  • 14 December – Claude Davey, Wales international rugby union player (d. 2001)

    • Deaths

  • 1 February – Buckley Roderick, Wales international rugby player, 46
  • 27 February – Norman Biggs, Wales international rugby player, 37
  • 7 March – Richard Edwards, Welsh American educator, 85
  • 21 June – Allen Raine, novelist, 71
  • 4 September – Thomas Judson, Wales international rugby player
  • 9 November – Solomon Andrews, entrepreneur, 73
  • 1 December – Howell Jones, Wales international rugby player, 26
  • date unknown
  • David John, Mormon leader
  • Caroline Elizabeth Williams, author

    • References

    1908 in Wales Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA