1861 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1861 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget, 2nd Marquess of Anglesey
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – John Lloyd Vaughan Watkins
 * Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor (from 26 April)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Robert Myddelton Biddulph
 * Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Sir Stephen Glynne, 9th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
 * Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Robert Davies Pryce
 * Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Capel Hanbury Leigh (until 28 September); Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover (from 9 November)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Thomas Hanbury-Tracy, 2nd Baron Sudeley
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet (until 6 February); William Edwardes, 3rd Baron Kensington (from 28 April)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite


 * Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
 * Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant
 * Bishop of St Asaph – Thomas Vowler Short
 * Bishop of St Davids – Connop Thirlwall

Events

 * 30 May - In a by-election caused by the death of the sitting MP, Richard Grosvenor becomes MP for Flintshire, holding it on behalf of the Liberals.
 * 10 June - The Oswestry and Newtown Railway is completed throughout by opening of the section between Abermule and Newtown, giving through rail communication from England to Llanidloes.
 * July - Baner ac Amserau Cymru begins twice-weekly publication.
 * date unknown
 * Japanese knotweed is recorded at Maesteg - the first record of it growing wild in the UK.
 * Excavation of Long Hole Cave in Glamorgan reveals prehistoric flint artefacts.
 * Pryce Pryce-Jones starts his mail order company in Newtown, Montgomeryshire.
 * John Dillwyn-Llewelyn marries Caroline, daughter of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 8th Baronet.
 * Griffith John becomes the first Christian missionary to penetrate into central China.

Awards

 * 20–22 August - The first National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Aberdare. The chair is won by Lewis William Lewis.

New books

 * Autobiography and Correspondence of Mrs. Delaney, ed. Augusta Hall, Lady Llanover
 * Griffith Jones (Glan Menai) - Hywel Wyn
 * John Jones (Vulcan) - Athrawiaeth yr Iawn
 * David Owen (Brutus) - Cofiant y Diweddar Barch. Thomas Williams
 * Thomas Rees - History of Protestant Nonconformity in Wales: From Its Rise to the Present Time
 * William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog) - Emmanuel
 * Jane Williams (Ysgafell) - The Literary Women of England
 * Robert Williams (Trebor Mai) - Fy Noswyl

Music

 * Hugh Jerman - Deus Misereatur

Sport

 * Cricket
 * 18 July - South Wales Cricket Club defeat MCC at Lord's.

Births

 * 1 January - John Owen Jones (Ap Ffarmwr), journalist (died 1899)
 * 2 January (in Oswestry) - William Henry Griffith Thomas, clergyman and academic (died 1924)
 * 28 February - Jessie Penn-Lewis, evangelist (died 1927)
 * 22 March - Dick Kedzlie, Wales international rugby player (died 1920)
 * 7 April - Clara Novello Davies, singer (died 1943)
 * 5 May - John Edward Lloyd, historian (died 1947)
 * 31 July at Garneddwen - Alfred W. Hughes, surgeon and founder of the Welsh Hospital in South Africa
 * 27 August - Reginald Brooks-King, archer (died 1936)
 * 10 September - Sir John Lynn-Thomas, surgeon (died 1939)
 * 19 September - Evan Roberts, Wales international rugby player (died 1927)
 * 26 October - Richard Griffith (Carneddog), writer (died 1947)
 * 28 December - David Gwynn, Wales international rugby player (died 1897)
 * date unknown
 * William Stadden, rugby player (died 1906)
 * John Williams, politician (died 1922)

Deaths

 * 6 February - Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet, 84
 * 20 April - David Pugh, merchant, landowner and politician,
 * 8 May - Thomas Lloyd-Mostyn, politician, 31
 * 17 May - Ellis Owen Ellis, artist, 48?
 * 2 August - Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, statesman, 50
 * 5 September - William Addams Williams, lawyer, landowner and politician, 74
 * 26 September - Morris Davies (Meurig Ebrill), poet, 71
 * 25 October - Sir James Graham, 2nd Baronet, former MP for Pembroke, 69