1885 in Wales

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

Incumbents

 * Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Richard Davies
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk
 * Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor
 * Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
 * Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
 * Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Robert Davies Pryce
 * Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite


 * Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
 * Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Lewis
 * Bishop of St Asaph – Joshua Hughes
 * Bishop of St Davids – Basil Jones


 * 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.
 * 23 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.

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, 82
 * 1 August – Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, metallurgist and inventor, 34
 * 24 September – Samuel Roberts, political and economic writer, 85