1781 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1781 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey - Sir Nicholas Bayly, 2nd Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire – Charles Morgan of Dderw
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire - Thomas Wynn (until 27 December); Thomas Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley (from 27 December)
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Wilmot Vaughan, 1st Earl of Lisburne
• Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Vaughan
• Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire - Richard Myddelton
• Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire - Sir Roger Mostyn, 5th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Stuart, Lord Mountstuart
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir Hugh Owen, 5th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Edward Harley, 4th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer

• Bishop of Bangor – John Moore
• Bishop of Llandaff – Shute Barrington
• Bishop of St Asaph – Jonathan Shipley
• Bishop of St Davids – John Warren

Events

• June - The Chancery court agrees the sale of the Kinmel estate to a London buyer.
• Richard Price is made an honorary LL.D. by Yale University, in the company of George Washington.

Arts and literature

New books

• Thomas Pennant - Tours in Wales, volume 2

Music

• John Parry (harpist) - British Harmony, being a Collection of Antient Welsh Airs

Births

• 11 March (baptised) – Lucy Thomas, colliery owner ('The Mother of the Welsh Steam Coal Trade') (d. 1847)
• ?November - William Williams of Wern, Independent minister (d. 1840)
• 1 November – Robert Thomas, newspaper proprietor (died 1860 in Australia)
• 28 November – Love Jones-Parry, soldier, politician and High Sheriff of Anglesey (d. 1853)

Deaths

• 4 April – Henry Thrale, brewer, 556-57
• 7 May – Sir William Owen, 4th Baronet of Orielton, politician, 84
• 30 June – John Pettingall, Anglican clergyman and antiquarian, about 73
• 12 October – David Powell (Dewi Nantbrân), Franciscan friar and author

References