1731 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1731 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Lord Lieutenant of North Wales (Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire) – George Cholmondeley, 2nd Earl of Cholmondeley
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Charles Powlett, 3rd Duke of Bolton
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Sir William Morgan of Tredegar(until 24 April); Thomas Morgan (from 18 June)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – John Vaughan, 2nd Viscount Lisburne
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – vacant until 1755
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir Arthur Owen, 3rd Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos


 * Bishop of Bangor – Thomas Sherlock
 * Bishop of Llandaff – John Harris
 * Bishop of St Asaph – Francis Hare (until 25 November)
 * Bishop of St Davids – Richard Smalbroke Elias Sydall (11 April to 2 November)

Events

 * April - Trader Robert Jenkins has his ear cut off by Spanish coast guards in Cuba leading to the War of Jenkins' Ear in 1739.
 * September 22 - Griffith Jones (Llanddowror) writes to the SPCK proposing that a Welsh school be set up at Llanddowror. This marks the beginning of the circulating schools movement.

New books

 * Humphrey Lhuyd - Britannicae Descriptionis Commentariolum
 * Edward Samuel - Athrawiaeth yr Eglwys

Other

 * 23 April - Henry Fielding's latest work, The Welsh Opera, is performed in Haymarket. It includes personal attacks on Frederick, Prince of Wales.

Births

 * 20 May - Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd), poet (died 1788)
 * date unknown
 * Siôn Robert Lewis, author and hymn-writer (died 1806)
 * Aaron Williams, composer (died 1776)

Deaths

 * January - Thomas Jones of Lincoln's Inn, founder of the Honourable and Loyal Society of Antient Britons
 * 6 April - David Lloyd, Welsh-born American lawyer, 74
 * 24 April - William Morgan of Tredegar (the elder), Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire, 31
 * September - Rowland Ellis, Quaker leader, 81 (in America)
 * 4 September - John Roberts, MP for Denbigh, 59?
 * 9 October - William Stanley, Dean of St Asaph, 85