1887 in Wales

← 1886 1885 1884 1883 1882 1887 in Wales → 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892
Centuries:	17th 18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s
See also:	List of years in Wales Timeline of Welsh history 1887 in The United Kingdom Scotland Elsewhere

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1887 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales — Albert Edward
• Princess of Wales — Alexandra
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales — Clwydfardd

Events

• 18 February — 39 miners are killed in an accident at Standard Colliery, Ynyshir.
• June — The Riot Act is read at Mochdre in the Vale of Clwyd at the height of a "Tithe War".
• November — The Helvetia wrecked off Worms Head, Rhossili (remains can still be seen at low tide).
• New Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral completed.
• The Turner House Gallery, Penarth, is built to house the art collection of Major James Pyke Thompson.
• Opening of Wrexham School of Science and Art.
• Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn and Stuart Rendel affirm the Welsh Liberal Party's support of Irish Home Rule.
• Richard John Lloyd Price establishes a Welsh whisky distillery on his Rhiwlas estate at Frongoch.

Arts and literature

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales — held at London

• Chair — Robert Arthur Williams
• Crown — John Cadfan Davies

New books

• Amy Dillwyn — Jill and Jack
• Daniel Silvan Evans — Dictionary of the Welsh Language (Geiriadur Cymraeg)

Music

• John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) - Cambria’s Homage to our Empress Queen

Sport

• Football
  • Chirk win the Welsh Cup for the first time.
  • Knighton Town F.C. is founded.
• Rugby union
  • Ammanford RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Mumbles RFC, Newport RFC, Pontyclun RFC and Taffs Well RFC are established.
  • Wales play their first international in Llanelli; though the original venue of Stradey Park is moved to a local cricket pitch due to a frozen pitch.

Births

• 13 January — Hedd Wyn, poet (died 1917)
• 27 February — James Dickson Innes, painter (died 1914)
• 23 March — Percy Jones, Wales international rugby player (died 1969)
• 19 April — Bertrand Turnbull, Olympic hockey player (died 1943)
• 23 April — Len Trump, Wales international rugby player (died 1948)
• 13 July — Elizabeth Watkin-Jones, children's author (died 1966)
• 21 September — T. H. Parry-Williams, poet, author and academic (died 1975)
• 11 October — William Davies, national librarian (died 1952)
• 29 December — Jack Wetter, Wales international rugby union captain (died 1967)
• Date unknown
  • Bessie Jones, singer (died 1974)
  • Artie Moore, wireless operator (died 1949)

Deaths

• 25 January — Rowland Prichard, musician, 76
• 16 February — Richard Owen, preacher, 47
• 24 March — William Lucas Collins, priest and writer, 71
• 23 April — John Ceiriog Hughes, poet, 54
• 19 July — Lewis Edwards, educationist, 77
• 11 August — Sir Richard Green-Price, 1st Baronet, politician, 83