# 1908 in Wales

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
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 (8 Edw. 7. c. 57) ("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

### New books
#### 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 held up as an example to other women, 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)