1919 in Wales

← 1918 1917 1916 1919 in Wales → 1920 1921 1922
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1919 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1919 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales – Edward
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Evan Rees (known by the bardic name Dyfed)

Events

• Ongoing – 1918 flu pandemic.
• 13 January – The Red flag is hoisted during a mutiny on HMS Kilbride at Milford Haven.
• 4–5 March – Kinmel Park Riots by Canadian troops at Kinmel Camp, Bodelwyddan. Five men are killed and 28 injured.
• 31 March – Submarine HMS H52 is launched at Pembroke Dock; commissioned on 16 December, she is the last Welsh-built fighting ship to enter the Royal Navy.
• 14 May – The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, establishes probably the world's first Chair in International Politics, endowed by David Davies and his sisters in honour of Woodrow Wilson, with Alfred Eckhard Zimmern as first professor.^[1]
• 6 June – A race riot breaks out in Newport, Monmouthshire.
• 11 June – Three people are killed in a 4-day race riot in Cardiff.
• 10 July – Coalition Liberal candidate David Matthews wins the Swansea East by-election following the death of Thomas Jeremiah Williams MP.
• 4 August – Death of Thomas Francis Roberts, Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, since 1891; he is succeeded by John Humphreys Davies.
• 25 August – Fire destroys the Waterloo Hydro, Aberystwyth's largest hotel.
• 20 December – Six seamen drown while returning to their ship by boat at Milford Haven.
• Welsh Church (Temporalities) Act 1919 passed.
• U.S. chemical company Monsanto enters a partnership with the Graesser chemical works at Cefn Mawr.
• John Sankey chairs the commission that recommends nationalisation of the coal industry.
• Surgeon John Lynn-Thomas is knighted.
• James Cory, Cardiff shipowner and philanthropist, is created a baronet.
• William James Thomas (Trethomas), coalowner and philanthropist, is created a baronet.

Arts and literature

Sport

• Boxing – Jimmy Wilde goes on a tour of the USA, taking on all contenders.
• Quoits – Wales defeat England 219 – 203 at the Custom House in London.
• Rugby union – Wales lose to a touring New Zealand Army team.

Births

• 17 February (in Washington, Co. Durham) – Jonah Jones, sculptor, writer and educationist (died 2004)
• 18 March – Menna Gallie née Humphreys, novelist and translator (died 1990)^[4]
• 15 April – Emyr Humphreys, writer
• 22 May – Glyn Davies, economist (died 2003)
• 16 June – Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare (died 2005)
• 16 July – Eddie Jenkins footballer (died 2005)
• 22 October – Abdulrahim Abby Farah, Somali diplomat and politician (died 2018 in the United States)
• 12 December – Cliff Davies, Wales international rugby player (died 1967)
• 27 December – Brinley Rees, academic (died 2004)

Deaths

• 2 January – Arthur Gould, Wales international rugby captain, 54
• 3 January – James Hills-Johnes, Victoria Cross recipient, 85
• 24 February – Edward Bishop, Wales international rugby player, 54
• 27 February – Robert Harris, Welsh-born painter, 69
• 12 June – Thomas Jeremiah Williams, Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Swansea East
• 13 July – Theo Harding, Wales international rugby player
• 26 July
  • Griffith Hugh Jones (Gutyn Arfon), composer
  • Richard Hughes Williams (Dic Tryfan), writer
• 4 August – Thomas Francis Roberts, academic, 58
• 27 September – Adelina Patti, singer, 76
• 15 October – Arthur Owen Vaughan (Owen Rhoscomyl), novelist, 56
• 3 December – Volney Rogers, Welsh-American lawyer, 73

References