1885 in Wales

← 1884 1883 1882 1881 1880 1885 in Wales → 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890
Centuries:	17th 18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s
See also:	List of years in Wales Timeline of Welsh history 1885 in The United Kingdom Scotland Elsewhere

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1885 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

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

Events

• October – Keswick House, predecessor of Aberdare Hall, in Cardiff opens, allowing women to study for degrees through the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire.
• 24 November – The United Kingdom general election is the first in which the Liberal Party has a candidate in every Welsh constituency. The Liberals win 30 of the 34 available seats.
• 24 December – 81 miners are killed in an accident at the Maerdy Colliery, Rhondda.
• The world's first passenger-carrying ropeway comes into use over the River Aeron at Aberaeron.
• Opening of steelworks at Brymbo.
• By order of the Admiralty, only Welsh coal is to be used on ships of the Royal Navy.
• Three people are killed when fire breaks out at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
• Frances Hoggan is the first woman doctor registered in Wales.
• Opening of the first local authority secondary school in Cardiff.
• Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the constituencies of Denbighshire, Glamorganshire, North and South Monmouthshire are among those disestablished.

Arts and literature

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales – held at Aberdare

• Chair – Watkin Hezekiah Williams, "Y Gwir yn Erbyn y Byd"
• Crown – Griffith Tecwyn Parry

New books

• Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) – Caneuon Gwyrosydd
• Daniel Owen – Hunangofiant Rhys Lewis, Gweinidog Bethel, the first long novel written in Welsh

Music

• 5 August – Queen Victoria's harpist John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) marries a former student, Joan Francis Denny.

Sport

• Football – Druids win the Welsh Cup for the fourth time in its eight-year history.
• Golf – Course at Borth opens.
• Rugby union
  • Cross Keys RFC, London Welsh RFC, Neyland RFC and Risca RFC are founded.
  • Arthur Gould plays his first international match for Wales.

Births

• 21 May – William Dowell, Welsh dual-code rugby player (died 1949)
• 26 June – David John Williams, writer and politician (died 1970)
• 2 August – Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare (died 1957)
• 5 September – Jenkin Alban Davies, Welsh international rugby captain (died 1976)
• 21 November – Robert Evans, footballer (died 1965)
• date unknown
  • Ernest Evans, politician (died 1965)
  • James Grey West, architect (died 1951, in Beer, Devon)

Deaths

• 21 January – John Gwyn Jeffreys, conchologist, 76
• 15 March – Jane Williams (Ysgafell), writer, 79
• 1 May – Henry Brinley Richards, composer, 67
• 10 May – Edward Stephen, composer, 62
• 27 July – Penry Williams, artist
• 1 August – Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, inventor, 34
• 24 September – Samuel Roberts, political and economic writer, 85