1864 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1864 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
 * 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 – Edward Lloyd-Mostyn, 2nd Baron Mostyn
 * Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sudeley Hanbury-Tracy, 3rd Baron Sudeley
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 3rd Baron Kensington
 * 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

 * June - David Lloyd George's father dies and his family move from Pembrokeshire to Llanystumdwy to be cared for by his maternal uncle, Richard Lloyd, when he is aged 18 months.
 * June 23 - Aberystwyth is linked to the rail network for the first time.
 * October 6 - The Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway is completed throughout to Corwen.
 * David Davies Llandinam takes a lease of coal in the Upper Rhondda Valley and sinks the Parc and Maindy pits.
 * Opening of Rhosydd Quarry narrow gauge railway incline on the upper Croesor Tramway at the head of the Croesor valley.
 * The Llandudno Improvement Commissioners attempt to ban Punch and Judy shows. In this year, the town first receives the title "Queen of Welsh Resorts".

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Llandudno. The chair is won by Richard Foulkes Edwards (Rhisiart Ddu o Wynedd).

English language

 * R. D. Blackmore - Clara Vaughan
 * Sir John Henry Philipps - Lyrics
 * Alfred Russel Wallace - The Origin of Human Races and the Antiquity of Man Deduced from the Theory of Natural Selection
 * Frances Williams-Wynn - Diaries of a Lady of Quality (posthumously published)

Welsh language

 * Huw Derfel - Llawlyfr Carnedd Llywelyn
 * Robert Jones Derfel - Traethodau ac Areithiau
 * Daniel Silvan Evans (ed.) - Y Marchog Crwydrad: Hen Ffuglith Gymreig

Music

 * William Griffiths (Ifander) - Gwarchae Harlech (cantata)

Sport

 * Cricket
 * South Wales Cricket Club play Gentlemen of Sussex. The South Wales team includes W. G. Grace, who scores 170.
 * Football
 * October 22 - The predecessor of Wrexham A.F.C. plays its first match, making it the oldest association football club in Wales and the world's sixth oldest football club.

Births

 * January 8
 * Prince Albert Victor, first child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (died 1892)
 * Thomas Allen Glenn, soldier and historian (died 1948)
 * February 7 - Alfred Augustus Mathews, vicar and Wales international rugby player (died 1946)
 * March 11 - John Silas Evans, astronomer (died 1953)
 * May 4 - Harry Bowen, Wales international rugby player (died 1913)
 * June 5 - Edward Pegge, Wales international rugby player (died 1915)
 * July 5 - Lloyd Kenyon, 4th Baron Kenyon (died 1927)
 * August 19 - Charles Alfred Howell Green, first Bishop of Monmouth (died 1944)
 * September 15
 * Fred Andrews, Wales international rugby player (died 1929)
 * Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player (died 1938)
 * September 21 - Ernest Rowland, priest and Wales international rugby player (died 1940)
 * October 10
 * Edward Bishop - Wales International rugby union player (died 1919)
 * Arthur Gould - Wales International rugby union captain (died 1919)
 * October 17 - Sir John Morris-Jones, grammarian (died 1929)
 * November 4 - Margaret Owen, later wife of David Lloyd George (died 1941)

Deaths

 * March 11 - Richard Roberts, engineer, 74
 * March 28 - Ellis Evans, Baptist minister and author, 77
 * June 18
 * Evan Davies, missionary, 59
 * William Smith O'Brien, Irish nationalist, 60 (in Bangor)
 * June 20 - John Davies (Brychan), poet, 79
 * July 24 - Lloyd Kenyon, 3rd Baron Kenyon, 59
 * August 1 - Thomas Rees, Unitarian minister (born 1777)
 * December 29 - Mary Jones, early owner of a Welsh Bible, 80