This article is about the particular significance of the year 1909 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 (until 25 February); Sir Osmond Williams, 1st Baronet (from 22 March) 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)Who was Who 1897–2007, 1991, Bishop of St Davids – John Owen
Events
January – Noah Ablett is a founding member of the Plebs' League at Ruskin College, Oxford. 1 January – John Ballinger becomes first librarian of the National Library of Wales which is being set up in Aberystwyth, initially in temporary premises in the former Assembly Rooms. 16 January – Edgeworth David is a member of the expedition which successfully reaches the Magnetic South Pole. 2 July – Thirty-six men are killed when a trench collapses during construction of the Alexandra Dock part of Newport Docks. 26 July–7 August - The National Pageant of Wales is held at Cardiff Castle. 30 August – calls at Fishguard. October – Monthly rainfall of is measured at Llyn Llydaw, Snowdonia - a British record. 29 October – A mining accident at Darren Colliery, New Tredegar, kills 26 men. December – Thomas "Toya" Lewis is awarded the Albert Medal by Edward VII for his heroism in rescuing survivors of the Newport Dock collapse on 2 July. date unknown King's Dock, part of Swansea Docks, is opened. First coal raised from Penallta Colliery. The first mines rescue station in south Wales is opened at Aberaman. The Bryn Eglwys slate quarry, the Abergynolwyn estate and village and Talyllyn Railway are purchased by Henry Haydn Jones. Thomas Rees becomes principal of Bala-Bangor Theological College. Completion of Berw Bridge over the River Taff above Pontypridd, the longest reinforced concrete span in the U.K. at this date (); it is designed by L. G. Mouchel to Hennebique patents and built by Watkin Williams and Page. Clark's Pies originates in Cardiff.
Arts and literature Awards National Eisteddfod of Wales – held in London Chair – T. Gwynn Jones, "Gwlad y Bryniau" Crown – W. J. Gruffydd, "Yr Arglwydd Rhys"
New books English language John Gwenogvryn Evans (ed.) – Facsimile of the Chirk Codex Edward Thomas – The South Country Arthur Wade-Evans – Welsh Mediaeval Law
Welsh language Emrys ap Iwan – Homilïau vol. 2 (posthumous) Hugh Brython Hughes – Tair Cwpan Aur
Music Evan Thomas Davies – Ynys y Plant
Sport Boxing
23 August – Freddie Welsh wins the European lightweight title (at Mountain Ash). 8 November – Freddie Welsh wins the British lightweight title, and becomes the first boxer to be awarded a Lonsdale Belt (in London). 20 December – Thomas Thomas is awarded the first Lonsdale Belt at middleweight. Sport of athletics 23 August – Welshman Fred 'Tenby' Davies beats Irishman Bert Day to become world champion over the half-mile distance (at Pontypridd). Rugby league Aberdare RLFC, Barry RLFC and Mid-Rhondda RLFC fold after just one season. The first Welsh League competition is won by Ebbw Vale. Rugby union Wales win their second Grand Slam.
Births
4 January – Glyndwr Michael, vagrant whose body was used as Maj. William Martin, RM, in Operation Mincemeat (died 1943) 29 January – George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy (died 1997) 14 February – Harry Peacock, Wales rugby union player (died 1996) 20 February – Bill Roberts, Wales international rugby union player (died 1969) 5 March – Howard Thomas, radio and television producer (died 1986) 10 March – Glen Moody, boxer (died 1989) 30 March – Dai Thomas, Wales national rugby player (date of death unknown) 1 April – George Ewart Evans, folklorist and oral historian (died 1988) 11 May – Aneirin Talfan Davies, writer and publisher (died 1980) 11 June – Ronnie Boon, Wales rugby union player (died 1998) 12 June – Mansel Thomas, composer and conductor (died 1986) 16 July – Eddie Jenkins footballer (died 2005) 28 July – Jack Morley, Wales and British Lions rugby player (died 1972) 25 August – Arwel Hughes, composer (died 1988) 30 September – Arthur Probert, politician (died 1975) 1 October – Jim Lang, Wales rugby union player (died 1991) 24 October – Elwyn Jones, Baron Elwyn-Jones, politician (died 1989) 25 October – Walter Vickery, Wales national rugby player (died 2000) 7 November – Eirene White, politician (died 1999) 29 November – Goronwy Rees, journalist and academic (died 1979) 14 December – Ronald Welch, historical novelist (died 1982) date unknown Isaac Davies (Eic Davies), dramatist (died 1993) Evan Roberts, botanist (died 1991)
Deaths
3 January – Robert Bird, politician, 69 8 January – Frederick Courtenay Morgan, politician, 74 9 January – Erasmus Jones, Welsh-American minister and author, 91 5 February – W. R. M. Wynne, politician, landowner, collector of manuscripts, Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire, 68 9 March – David Thomas (Dewi Hefin), poet, 80 29 March – Catherine Prichard, poet, 66 April – Ivor James, educationist 19 April – J. S. Pughe, Welsh-born American political cartoonist, 39"Obituary Notes: John S. Pughe", The New York Times, April 20, 1909. Accessed May 12, 2017. 31 May – Thomas Price, Premier of South Australia, 57 9 June – Walter Rice Evans, Wales international rugby player 2 July – Sir Arthur Cowell-Stepney, landowner and politician, 74 1 August – General Sir Hugh Rowlands, VC recipient, 81 23 September – Thomas Edward Lloyd, politician, 89 17 October – Edward David Williams, politician in Australia, 67 22 October – David Rogers, politician in Canada, 79 9 November – Montague Guest, politician, son of Lady Charlotte Guest, 70 10 November – George Essex Evans, Welsh-Australian poet, 46 (complications arising from gall bladder surgery) 11 December – Ludwig Mond, industrialist, 70 13 December – Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, shipping magnate, 64
See also 1909 in Ireland
References