1908 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1908 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfed


 * Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 2nd Baron Glanusk
 * Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – Sir James Williams-Drummond, 4th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
 * Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
 * Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne
 * Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank


 * Bishop of Bangor – Watkin Williams
 * Bishop of Llandaff – Joshua Pritchard Hughes
 * Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards (later Archbishop of Wales)
 * Bishop of St Davids – John Owen

Events

 * 22 January – J. Lloyd Williams delivers his paper on Welsh National Melodies and Folk-Songs to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.
 * 28 January – In a colliery explosion at Ammanford, David Rees Griffiths is seriously injured. His brother is one of two men killed.
 * March – The Local Authorities (Admission of the Press) Act, 1908 is passed as a result of a challenge by Frank Mason, editor of the Tenby Observer, after the local council tried to ban him from their meetings.
 * 26 February – In the West Carmarthenshire by-election, the sitting Liberal MP, John Lloyd Morgan, retains the seat in the absence of any other candidates.
 * 5 March – Edgeworth David leads the party attempting the ascent of Mount Erebus in the Antarctic.
 * 8 April – The Mawddwy Railway is closed to its remaining (freight) traffic.
 * 18 June – A giant turtle weighing half a ton is pulled from the sea at Pwllheli.
 * 16 July – In the Pembrokeshire by-election, brought about by elevation to the peerage of the incumbent Liberal MP, John Wynford Philipps, the seat is retained for the Liberals by Walter Francis Roch.
 * 1 September – The barque Amazon sinks off Margam Sands, with the loss of 18 crew.
 * 14 October – John Ballinger is appointed first librarian of the National Library of Wales.
 * November – The North and South Wales Bank is absorbed into the London City and Midland Bank, bringing an end to banknote issue in Wales.
 * 21 December – The Coal Mines Regulation Act 1908 ("Eight Hours Act") limits the amount of time spent by coal miners underground.
 * date unknown
 * The South Wales Miners' Federation becomes affiliated to the Labour Party.
 * A factory for making artificial silk is opened at Greenfield, Flintshire by the British Glanzstoff Manufacturing Company.
 * Construction work begins on the lighthouse at Strumble Head.
 * Spa pump room built at Caergwrle.

Arts and literature

 * Sydney Curnow Vosper completes his iconic watercolour of Welsh piety, Salem.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales - held in Llangollen
 * Chair - John James Williams, "Ceiriog"
 * Crown - Hugh Emyr Davies

English language

 * W. H. Davies - Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
 * W. Jenkyn Thomas - The Welsh Fairy Book

Welsh language

 * John Davies Bryan – O'r Aifft
 * R. Silyn Roberts – Y Blaid Lafur Anibynnol, ei Hanes a'i Hamcan
 * Gwyneth Vaughan – Plant y Gorthrwm
 * Owen Williamson – Ceris y Pwll

Music

 * David Evans becomes professor of the Music department at University of Wales, Cardiff.
 * Harry Evans - Dafydd ap Gwilym

Sport

 * Boxing
 * 24 February - Jim Driscoll wins the Commonwealth featherweight title.
 * Olympics
 * October - At the postponed 1908 Summer Olympics, Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, competes unsuccessfully in the motorboat racing.
 * Rugby league
 * 1 January - The first-ever international match is held at Aberdare, where Wales defeat New Zealand 9 - 8. The match was won by a last minute try from former Welsh rugby union international Dai Jones.
 * Aberdare RLFC, Barry RLFC, Mid-Rhondda RLFC and Treherbert RLFC are formed, joining Ebbw Vale and Merthyr Tydfil in competing for the Welsh League, the first Welsh rugby league competition.
 * Rugby union
 * Wales win their first Grand Slam and fifth Triple Crown.
 * The selection of players for the 1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia results in a comment by the Welsh Rugby Union that players for future tours should be chosen '...irrespective of the social position of the players.'

Births

 * 29 February – Louie Myfanwy Thomas, novelist as Jane Ann Jones (d. 1968)
 * 22 March – Martin Davies, art historian (d. 1978)
 * 8 May – Bert Day, Wales international rugby union player (d. 1977)
 * 29 May – Diana Morgan, playwright and screenwriter (d. 1996)
 * 5 July – Francis Jones, heraldic expert (d. 1993)
 * 10 July – Donald Peers, singer (d. 1973)
 * 12 July – Bill Roberts, footballer (d. 1976)
 * 15 August – Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, journalist (d. 1987)
 * 14 December – Claude Davey, Wales international rugby union player (d. 2001)

Deaths

 * 6 January – Lewis Pugh Pugh, lawyer and politician, 70
 * 13 January – Caroline Elizabeth Williams, radical and champion of women's rights, 84
 * 26 January – George Thomas Kenyon, politician, 67
 * 1 February – Buckley Roderick, Wales international rugby player, 46
 * 27 February – Norman Biggs, Wales international rugby player, 37
 * 7 March – Richard Edwards, Welsh American educator, 85
 * 21 June – Allen Raine, novelist, 71
 * 24 August – William Bevan, archdeacon of Brecon, 87
 * 4 September – Thomas Judson, Wales international rugby player, (c.) 51
 * 19 October
 * Catherine Lynch, alcoholic, 28
 * John Henry Puleston, journalist and politician, 78
 * 9 November – Solomon Andrews, entrepreneur, 73
 * 1 December – Howell Jones, Wales international rugby player, 26
 * 24 December – David John, Mormon leader, 75 (in Utah)