# 1850s in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the decade 1850–1859 to Wales and its people.

## Events

* 1850
* 1851
* 1852
* 1853
* 1854
* 1855
* 1856
* 1857
* 1858
* 1859

## Arts and literature
### Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales
* 1853 — "Islwyn" wins the crown at the Abergavenny eisteddfod.
* 1858 — "Great Eisteddfod" at Llangollen; early appearance of Gorsedd ceremony.

### New books

* Anne Beale — Gladys of Harlech (1858)
* John Blackwell (Alun) — Ceinion Alun (1851;posthumously published)
* B. B. Davies — The History of Wales (1853)
* Samuel Evans (Gomerydd) — Y Gomerydd (1854)
* John Ceiriog Hughes — Gohebiaethau Syr Meurig Crynswth (vol. 1) (1856)
* Aneurin Jones — Tafol y Beirdd(1852)
** John Jones (Talhaiarn) — Gwaith Talhaiarn, vol. 1 (1855)
* Owen Wynne Jones
** Fy Oriau Hamddenol (1854)
** Dafydd Llwyd (1857)
** Lleucu Llwyd (1858)
* Robert Parry (Robyn Ddu Eryri) — Teithiau a Barddoniaeth Robyn Ddu Eryri (1857)
* William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog)
** Aelwyd F'Ewythr Robert (1852)
** Gweithiau Barddonol Gwilym Hiraethog (1855)
* William Thomas (Islwyn) — Barddoniaeth (1854)
* William Thomas (Gwilym Marles) — Prydyddiaeth (1859)
* Morris Williams (Nicander) — Y Psalmwyr (1850)
* William Williams (Creuddynfab) — Y Barddoniadur (1855)

### Music

* Y Blwch Cerddorol (collection of hymns and anthems) (1854)
* Thomas Jones (Gogrynwr) — Gweddi Habacuc (cantata) (1851)
* J. Ambrose Lloyd — Teyrnasoedd y Ddaear (1852)
* Edward Stephen (Tanymarian) — Ystorm Tiberias (oratorio) (1852)
* January 1856 — The Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, is composed by James James with lyrics by his father Evan James.

## Births

* 1850
** 4 January — Griffith J. Griffith, industrialist (died 1919)
** 16 April — Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, inventor (died 1885)
* 1851
** 24 March — Robert Ambrose Jones (Emrys ap Iwan) (d. 1906)
** 8 July — Sir Arthur Evans, archaeologist (d. 1941)
** 27 December — Percy Gilchrist, industrialist
** date unknown — Elizabeth Phillips Hughes, promoter of women's education (died 1925)
* 1852
** 20 March — John Gwenogvryn Evans, palaeographer (died 1930)
** 26 April — William Eilir Evans, journalist (died 1910)
** 28 April — Sir Francis Edwards, 1st Baronet, Liberal politician (died 1927)
** 11 May — Sir David Saunders Davies, MP (died 1934)
** 25 November — Sir Evan Vincent Evans, Eisteddfod supporter (died 1934)
** December — Alice Gray Jones (Ceridwen Peris), writer (died 1943)
* 1855
** date unknown — Jeremiah Jones, poet (died 1902)
* 1856
** 26 March — David Alfred Thomas, politician (died 1918)
* 1858
** 28 January — Edgeworth David, explorer (died 1934)
** 28 December — Josiah Towyn Jones, politician
* 1859
** 16 February — T. E. Ellis, politician (died 1899)
** 17 July — Ernest Rhys, writer (died 1946)

## Deaths

* 1850
** 2 September — Charles Williams-Wynn, politician (born 1775)
* 1851
** 6 April — William Morgan Kinsey, travel writer (born 1788)
** 30 June — Thomas Phillips, founder of Llandovery College (born 1760)
* 1852
** 23 February — Evan Jones (Ieuan Gwynedd), minister and journalist, 31
** 2 May — John Jones (Ioan Tegid), poet (born 1792)
** 26 November — John Josiah Guest, engineer, entrepreneur and politician, 77
* 1853
** date unknown — William Roberts, preacher (b. 1809)
* 1854
** 3 April — Edward Lloyd, 1st Baron Mostyn, politician (born 1768)
** 29 April — Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, soldier and politician (born 1768)
* 1855
** 28 June — FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (born 1788)
** date unknown
** Sir John Morris, 1st Baronet, industrialist
** John Henry Vivian, industrialist (born 1785)
* 1857
** 10 February — David Thompson, explorer (born to Welsh parents 1770)
** 12 August — William Daniel Conybeare, dean of Llandaff (born 1787)
** 16 August — John Jones, Talysarn, leading non-conformist minister (born 1796)
* 1858
** 17 November — Robert Owen, founder of the Co-operative Society (born 1771)
** 20 November — Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Baronet, ironmaster (born 1783)
** 18 December — John Salusbury Piozzi Salusbury, nephew of Hester Thrale (born 1793)