1808 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1808 to Wales and its people.

← 1807 1806 1805 1804 1803 1808 in Wales → 1809 1810 1811 1812 1813
Centuries:	17th 18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1780s 1790s 1800s 1810s 1820s
See also:	List of years in Wales Timeline of Welsh history 1808 in The United Kingdom Scotland Elsewhere

Incumbents

• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget^[1][2][3][4]
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort^[5]
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Thomas Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley^[6]
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Thomas Johnes^[2]
• Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – George Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor
• Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster^[7]
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute^[8]
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet^[9]
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis^[10]
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford^[2][11]
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – George Rodney, 3rd Baron Rodney^[12][2][13]

• Bishop of Bangor – John Randolph^[14][15][16]
• Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Watson^[17]
• Bishop of St Asaph – William Cleaver^[18][19][20]
• Bishop of St Davids – Thomas Burgess^{[20][21][22][23]}

Events

5 January: First edition of the North Wales Gazette

• 5 January - The first issue of The North Wales Gazette is printed at Bangor.
• 20 September - The White Book of Hergest is destroyed in a fire at Covent Garden.^[24]
• 30 October - William Lort Mansel is consecrated Bishop of Bristol.^[25]
• 19 November - The naval frigate HMS Owen Glendower is launched.
• date unknown
  • Construction of the Horseshoe Falls on the River Dee by Thomas Telford.^[26]
  • The publishing house Gwasg Gee is founded.^[27]
  • St Katherine's Church, Milford Haven, built by Charles Francis Greville, is consecrated.^[28]
  • Benjamin Hall is given the Abercarn estate by his father-in-law, Richard Crawshay.
  • The Ruabon Brook Tramway is extended from Acrefair to the Plas Madoc Colliery in Plasbennion.^[29]
  • Twelve-year-old Charles Nice Davies goes to serve in India as an ensign.

Arts and literature

New books

English language

• Felicia Hemans - Juvenile Poems^[30]

Welsh language

• Robert Davies (Bardd Nantglyn) - Ieithiadur neu Ramadeg Cymraeg^[31]
• Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant) - Bannau y Byd^[32]
• Titus Lewis - Llyfr Rhyfeddodau^[33]

Music

• Hymnau o Fawl i Dduw a'r Oen (hymns by Ann Griffiths, posthumously published)

Births

• 30 January - Sir John Henry Scourfield, author (died 1876)^[34]
• 6 March - William Williams (Carw Coch), man of letters and eisteddfodwr (died 1872)^[35]
• 13 May - Thomas Aubrey, Wesleyan leader (died 1867)
• date unknown
  • Dic Penderyn, labourer executed for his part in the Merthyr Rising (died 1831)^[36]
  • William Roos, artist and engraver (died 1878)^[37]

Deaths

• 21 January – Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn, about 70^[38]
• 12 February – Anna Maria Bennett, novelist, about 70^[39]
• 12 September – Charles Herbert, Royal Navy officer, son of the Earl of Carnarvon, 34 (drowned)^[40]
• 30 November – Watkin Williams, politician, 66?^[41]
• 28 December – Griffith Roberts, physician and collector of manuscripts, 73^[42]

See also

• 1808 in Ireland